Thank you for days off from work that make trips to the bank seem special in their normalcy.
I didn't always enjoy Spring Break. Spring Break, like summer vacation, meant babysitters and day camps for my kids, and just more work for me. Fourteen years ago, that changed. Here is my little story about how my daughter changed our lives and why I celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Thank you for new friends who haven't heard your little stories and for old friends who don't mind hearing them repeated.
In January 1999, I worked in marketing for a non-profit research firm, writing ads, catalogs, and book-jacket copy. I had recently begun attending Northridge United Methodist Church with my two daughters, ages 8 and 3. The pastor, Mark Ulrickson, had been speaking about Spiritual Gifts.
Here is a snippet of what The United Methodist Church says about Spiritual Gifts (taken from UMC.org):
Every child of God is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, specially gifted to play a unique and valued role in the body of Christ. No one is without gift or purpose. Spiritual gifts are not our talents or skills. They are the grace of God at work within us, empowering us to match our deep passions with the world's deep need. The gifts are given to individuals, but they are given to build and strengthen community and to meet the needs of those around us.
Thank you for amazingly easy access to quotes from the internet.
So, I'd been wondering how I might put my gifts to work to "build and strengthen community and to meet the needs of those around [me]." At the same time, 8-year-old Jeannette was wondering how she was going to spend Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. That January Sunday my daughter was silently dreading her school holiday. She knew she would spend it at Phyllis's house with the babies.
Thank you for Phyllis, the loving, caring babysitter who loved my babies and kept secret all the first roll-overs and sit-ups and words and steps so that they were First for me.
"You know, Mommy," Jeannette finally spoke up, "if you were a teacher, we would have the same holidays." There it was, the answer, boldly stated and directly to the point, as only a child can do.
Thank you for the honesty of children.
I could've laughed it off or brushed it aside. I could've said no. But I didn't. I was moved by her seriousness, and I took her seriously. I told her, "Well, that's true, and when I was in high school I really planned to be a teacher. I will find out what I would have to do to become a teacher now."
Thank you for taking children seriously.
There have been many things that I really intended to do that I didn't actually do [blogging daily comes to mind]. This wasn't one of those things. I try to recognize signs for what they are. Jeannette's words to me were a sign I couldn't ignore. Here is a quick run-down of the signs that followed:
- Step One, CBEST exam--["I'll just take this test and see how I do, and then we'll see if teaching is in my future"] Aced that. Sign Two.
- Step Two, MSAT exam--This test assesses specific knowledge covering every subject, and every test is different. In addition to calculating the amount of cement and carpet needed to build and cover of a set of steps, I was asked to describe my design for a costume for a "minimalist" modern dance [hel-LO, I took modern dance all through high school and every semester of college!] Sign Three [Also, volume and surface area of the steps, no problem].
- Step Three, Credential Program and student teaching, a.k.a. End of Story. I never could have proceeded if it meant quitting work and paying for college, but [Deus ex machina] providence led me to the Los Angeles Unified School District Intern Program. I could teach class during the day and take classes at night, all while earning a paycheck. [The obstacles just kept falling away, I tell ya.] I signed up. Sign Four.
- Step Four, One-Week Summer Intensive Training--Prior to the start of school in September, interns were required to attend something akin to boot camp. [So, I'm still working at my job, btw.] Well, I had a week of vacation time saved up. Sign Five.
After that, it was just: got hired at Fullbright Avenue Elementary School and gave my two weeks' notice at my old job. So, that's my story. Everything was an obstacle, and nothing was. I saw everything as a sign: "OPEN." In September of '99, Jeannette started 4th grade, Lindsey entered Kindergarten, and I was in 5th grade. We had the same holidays, including Spring Break. Now I celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an anniversary of the day Jeannette changed our lives again [being born was pretty life-changing].
Thank you for boring tales that turn out to be allegories for life.
In review, then--
- Moral 1: Listen to Children. They speak honestly and from the heart. [They would be far better at relationships than most men and women, if it weren't for the whole "cooties" thing.]
- Moral 2: Read the Signs. They all say "Open" [if you believe God holds the key].
- Moral 3: Run hurdles. Obstacles are not meant to stop you. They provide you opportunities to hone your problem-solving skills. [Good skills to have in a world full of problems]
- Moral 4: Find your Spiritual Gift and start giving it.*
Thank you, Mark Ulrickson, for your message. Thank you, Jeannette, for telling me you wanted more time with me. Thank you, Drew, for supporting me through my career [and income] change. Thank you, LAUSD, for hiring me. Thank you, God, for Mark, Jeannette, Drew, and the LAUSD.
[This may actually be the first time God has ever been thanked for the LAUSD.]
At first I was just going to "like" this article, but can't find that kind of button, so here is a GIGANTIC
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