Switching the Manual
One thing I admire about children is that they are perpetually and irritatingly optimistic. Although this is a charming quality, it is beyond difficult to work against when teaching a child to write a story. They develop amazing characters, then the story dies because here is never a problem. As a result, this great start leads to a sickly optimistic stories, that are ridiculously boring.
I am currently in the middle of teaching my third graders how to write a story, and am feeling like I am climbing this hill of blinding sunshine. Meanwhile, teaching a child that she needs a problem closely resembles trying to mask this "rainbow" with black paint using 1 inch paint brush. "Why do I need a problem Ms. Vile?" Wouldn't life just be peachy if we could all have this perspective?
I went into an extensive lesson today about the importance of a problems and solutions in stories. I explained it, I read a book that resembled a problem and solution, I sampled my own writing sample with a problem and solution, and we ALL (ideally speaking) wrote another sample. When it was time for the kids to write their own problem about their character, I looked over and saw one girl looking blankly at the board. I asked, "What's the hold up my dear?" She looked blankly at me and said, "What are we doing?" This is when real teacher patience kicks in because everything in you wants to forcefully ask her where her head has been for the last twenty minutes. However, regaining the composure of a true champ, I responded, "We are writing a problem for our character in our story." She looked at me, completely straight faced and said, "You mean like a math problem? So I need to get out my math book. Right?" I then broke my professionalism, and laughed at her. I actually laughed at my student.
While driving home and thinking about how frustrated I was that she was in math, while I was in writing, I realized that this particular third grader and I are similar in a few ways.
This is my current struggle. I am focused and driven in one area, unable to see what God is teaching or where He is leading. As a result, I am frustrated because I am so wrapped up in my head, trying to make my interpretation match whatever He is up to. As a result, I am now the little girl trying to put a math problem into my writing story, simply because my teacher said I need a problem and solution. That box is small and I currently am not thinking out of it.
I have decided to wait. I think that I finally understand the importance of what that means. I am no longer pursuing the things that should put me where I think I should be. I am going to take a vacation from me. It was between that and taking up pot, (although the later doesn't sound all that bad). I am not going to ask for that particular "area" for a while. This is not an action of waving a white flag. It is an action of stopping the frantic panic of "unanswered" prayers and listening. I know that there is more out there, more to this roller coaster of a life than my ideal of what life should look like...(something about 2.2 kids and a fence). I pray to see it as a journey, not a destination to actively pursue. I want to be on God's subject, His time. I choose to now laugh with Him, because I sure as hell know He is having His fair share of laughter at this particular student. I just realized that God and I are on the same page there. That's a start.
I am currently in the middle of teaching my third graders how to write a story, and am feeling like I am climbing this hill of blinding sunshine. Meanwhile, teaching a child that she needs a problem closely resembles trying to mask this "rainbow" with black paint using 1 inch paint brush. "Why do I need a problem Ms. Vile?" Wouldn't life just be peachy if we could all have this perspective?
I went into an extensive lesson today about the importance of a problems and solutions in stories. I explained it, I read a book that resembled a problem and solution, I sampled my own writing sample with a problem and solution, and we ALL (ideally speaking) wrote another sample. When it was time for the kids to write their own problem about their character, I looked over and saw one girl looking blankly at the board. I asked, "What's the hold up my dear?" She looked blankly at me and said, "What are we doing?" This is when real teacher patience kicks in because everything in you wants to forcefully ask her where her head has been for the last twenty minutes. However, regaining the composure of a true champ, I responded, "We are writing a problem for our character in our story." She looked at me, completely straight faced and said, "You mean like a math problem? So I need to get out my math book. Right?" I then broke my professionalism, and laughed at her. I actually laughed at my student.
While driving home and thinking about how frustrated I was that she was in math, while I was in writing, I realized that this particular third grader and I are similar in a few ways.
This is my current struggle. I am focused and driven in one area, unable to see what God is teaching or where He is leading. As a result, I am frustrated because I am so wrapped up in my head, trying to make my interpretation match whatever He is up to. As a result, I am now the little girl trying to put a math problem into my writing story, simply because my teacher said I need a problem and solution. That box is small and I currently am not thinking out of it.
I have decided to wait. I think that I finally understand the importance of what that means. I am no longer pursuing the things that should put me where I think I should be. I am going to take a vacation from me. It was between that and taking up pot, (although the later doesn't sound all that bad). I am not going to ask for that particular "area" for a while. This is not an action of waving a white flag. It is an action of stopping the frantic panic of "unanswered" prayers and listening. I know that there is more out there, more to this roller coaster of a life than my ideal of what life should look like...(something about 2.2 kids and a fence). I pray to see it as a journey, not a destination to actively pursue. I want to be on God's subject, His time. I choose to now laugh with Him, because I sure as hell know He is having His fair share of laughter at this particular student. I just realized that God and I are on the same page there. That's a start.
posted by Lilly Underfoot @ 10:04 PM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I recall the saying, "If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him YOUR plans". I am in the same mode of thinking at this moment of time. Just stop. Stop the asking for what I want for one month. A sort of prayer fast, fasting from personal requests. I want to see God's blessings in my life, not because I asked, but because He wanted to give. I ask for nothing for myself and I am forced to be quiet on the subject. Being quiet means more listening, more reflection, more observation, more acknowledgement of what God has already done. A time from the past to remember again and a time for now to be in the present. Like the little girl, it is Okay to be confused, clarity will come :)
You know the world may be trying to tell you something....stop trying to figure it all out. Just enjoy it for what it is... If you look there is always a silver lining :) Enjoy the vacation!
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