Wow! Have I really not blogged since mid-August?

Not only have I not blogged since mid-August, I haven't had time to keep up with others' blogs which I really enjoy. I haven't even kept up with Lisa's (and Trey B's too infrequest blogs). Haven't called people I need to call. Certainly haven't written anyone.

Today is Labor Day and I plan to . . . labor. I'm grateful for a day to try to catch up on school stuff. I've been behind since before school began.

The week before school started (students' first day was Aug 20; we started the previous week) was pre-planning for teachers, and it was mostly meetings, helpful, informative meetings, but I really needed more time to get my room set up (which I didn't even know I was going to have - I thought I was going to be floating from room to room - not the best prospect for a person who likes to have surroundings and materials organized and at hand).

My classroom is in the basement of one of the Children's Home "cottages" (they have something like 8 bedrooms or more - some people call them more accurately dorms). The ceiling is low and the ceiling tiles painted by previous students, fun and funky. The room is pretty large, though, with big windows (bigger than you'd expect from a basement). The house (and campus) is built on a hillside so my classroom is in the back portion of the basement which is mostly not underground. I don't know really how big the basement is because there are parts that are blocked/closed off and inaccessible from my room.

The biggest surprise about all this is that I'm teaching middle school rather than elementary! Well, actually, an even bigger surprise than that is that I'm loving teaching middle school - totally unexpected. I anticipated when I reluctantly accepted this job (really wanted a job and really wanted to work at the Bible School but wanted elementary) that I would tolerate and survive a year in middle and hope that an elementary position became available next year. I know it's early, only two weeks into the year, but the kids are great (for the most part), and I'm hoping that I'll continue to love it and keep on at this level.

I have 3 sixth grade classes and 2 seventh grade classes - just two preps - and monitor a group of high schoolers taking online classes for another period (and get paid for giving up one of my two preps). Both grades are geography, divided by hemisphere (7th grade western, 6th grade eastern), and share a textbook.

Some of the really cool things: during teacher planning week we started each day with a devotional. I have a Bible verse theme on the wall in my classroom AND a religious bulletin board. Two days a week, at lunch, I attend a girls' student/teacher Bible study -- too cool. There's chapel every day (could be cooler - most of the high schoolers with whom I attend chapel are themselves too cool to get into singing and other forms of worship). Working with other Christians every day is terrific. Some more minor cool things: free lunch is part of our comp so I don't have to prepare lunch every day. I get to attend all the athletic events for free.

I have mixed feelings about teaching at CH&BS rather than a public school. I thought I would work in public schools. I was looking forward to it and anticipated ministry opportunities but having to tread cautiously. I DO think Christian schools are a crutch for some kids. As a secondary student, I was grateful for the faith-building challenge of being one of very few Christians in my school.

But, as He did with leading us to Mount Dora, Florida, God closed every door to me but this one. It's unmistakeably clear that this is where He wants me. AND there are lots of students here who are not from Christian homes, even more than half if I'm not mistaken, and there are lots of opportunities to minister to and teach them AND the kids from Christian homes who benefit from the extra spiritual boost they get every day. This past week in class we spontaneously talked about creation, dinosaurs, Pangea, the flood, Adam's God-given task (which we inherited) to care for the earth. I even pulled out my Bible at one point to reference something. Awesome!

It is interesting to me that after working so hard for these past 3 years to be recognized as qualified to teach elementary (and doing most of my subbing these past 13 years at the elementary level), I end up teaching in my field. My degree from LCU is secondary education with teaching fields in history and English. (I still had to pass those tests to show I was qualified to teach this level like I did elementary.)

I'm excited and grateful - and grateful for your prayers and good wishes on my behalf.

Well, the morning is a good bit gone, and I need to begin laboring. Have a great Labor Day. Let's all be grateful for the labor force in our country, for our jobs (with all their frustrations and rewards), for our many material blessings, and more - for our rich spiritual blessings.