A Rainbow's Promise

When you find your heart breaking, the world just seems to stop. Words like "tragedy" and "horrific" do not even begin to encompass what we are feeling and going through. There are things we will never understand.

Over the past few days my eyes have started filling with tears at EVERYTHING: a child who lost his first tooth, my kiddos singing in the Christmas program, hearing a child tell another friend how much he loves his School Family, seeing a child caught up in the wonder of Christmas, and hearing children share about one of our greatest and most precious gifts: the birth of our Savior.

I have thought and worried about how I could sacrifice myself to be able to save and protect all 17 of my children. I would move Heaven and Earth to save each one.

I have thought and prayed about the children I see everyday who already seem to be losing some of their innocence. My heart breaks over things that some of our children know, have seen and gone through. Every person behind a horrific tragedy was once a child in someone's Kinder or 1st grade classroom.

I wonder what leads them to the point where they turn down the path of darkness. I know there will always be evil in this world...yet, I am humbled daily by God's grace and the gift of His son who would come and save me from my sins and darkness. I am also blessed each day to see His love and goodness shining through others.

God has called each one of us to be a teacher. Each child in our classroom was placed there for a reason. I don't think we may ever realize the heartprints we are leaving behind. God is using us to shape the future. The lessons we are really teaching are about being helpful, patient, kind, encouraging, and an Everyday Hero.

There will be days, weeks, months, or even years when we ask ourselves Why am I teaching???? Have I lost my mind???!!!??? I think we need to turn to each other in those tough times for encouragement. We are all going to have those kiddos that are Hoovers. Our love, patience, and understanding our gifts that are priceless. I know that children are either extending love or crying out for love...I pray that God helps us to hear that call.

As I was finishing my shopping for my kiddos' Christmas gifts, I thought about how my kiddos might not always remember the little gifts I bought them but I pray that they WILL remember how much I love them. The best gift I can give them is for me to be the Heart of Patience God called me to be. A teacher can be one of a child's greatest gifts.

My heart just breaks when I think of all of the hurting hearts of family and friends in Connecticut. I think of those 20 little faces celebrating Christmas with the King and my heart has hope. 20 guardian angels now watch over the kiddos in all of our classrooms and for that I am humbled and honored. One of my favorite song's has the lyrics about how God sometimes calms the storm but other times He calms His child. He is with us in this storm. Those precious little hearts are the upside down smiles we will see in each rainbow. They are our Rainbow's Promise after this storm. 

I pray God shines His love through us...may we be God's rainbows here on Earth.

From My Heart to Yours,