What’s in YOU?

That's ME she's talking about!

I will admit that it is unnerving to be called a woman, although that is exactly what I am. Being 26 years old and feeling 19 means that it will be a while before I actually consistently FEEL like an adult.

I may feel 19, but man, we have a lot of responsibility. Some days I feel a million years old.

Tonight I ran into one of my students from last semester. She was like a flower among thorns in one of my most challenging classes. A class that I did not handle well. I lost my patience more and more nearing the end of the semester, almost every day it seemed.  This student told the friend standing beside her, who attends a different school, how the kids treated me poorly and how I didn't deserve that...

First of all, rule of being an Christian adult #1:  even when people treat you poorly, especially young people, you aren't allowed to treat them poorly back.  You need to show them grace. Epic fail, Katie.

Secondly? I deserve a whole lot worse than what the kids gave.  Thankfully, God is gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  He had to show me that I don't really know how to love before He could start teaching me how He wants me to love.

We've been learning that when God redeems something, He redeems it to better than it was before.   Thus my last post on redemption which I didn't explain at all.

There are still a lot of students who need to forgive me.  But there are a few students who have blown me away in the past few weeks.

My hardest student.  At one point I thought she was possessed by the devil.  The way she looked at me, the way she acted in class, it was beyond that of an eleventh grade girl.  It came to the point where I couldn't do anything about her in class...so I started praying for her outside of class, whenever the urge came to be angry.  Asking God to bless her.  "Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse." It was really hard at first.  Really hard.  But now?

For the last two weeks of class, she was an angel.  She worked hard.  In fact, some days she was the only one in her group who actually did anything!  Now, she smiles at me in the hallway.  A REAL smile, not an evil smile.  She is polite.  She's not perfect, she still tries to get away with small stuff, but she doesn't argue, and she doesn't act like she did before. 

Hallelujah.

Student #2.  Difficult. Slightly lazy. Sometimes downright rude and obstinate.  Definitely challenging.  She signed up for a more difficult art class this semester after completing Art 1 last semester.  On the second day of class she told me, "Miss, I'm taking this class even though none of my friends are in it, because I like art and I like the teacher."

That...was impressive.  I might have actually had a look of shock on  my face, but she wasn't looking.

Again, not a perfect kid.  Possibly sucking up for the sake of good grades.  But... where did that come from?  What possessed her to say something like that?  Maybe she's smarter than she lets on...

Goal this semester?  Grace. It's a pretty amazing thing.