Dear reader,
I hope you are well. I’m writing this at the end of my day, and amidst all the trials the day held it was still amazing.
I’m writing to you today to tell you of the new role I have taken on. It’s not one I would have ever anticipated or hoped for. Yet, in God’s perfect timing it has been exactly what I needed to do.
Wait for it…I work at a daycare.
(Definitely not the most masculine thing I have ever written in my life, but I’ve come to terms with that.)
A little over 2 months ago a friend of mine had been talking to me about her job as a teacher at a daycare in our town. I thought her stories were amusing and I had empathy towards her and the little amount of staff that they had. My career at Christimore had very much been the same, we talked often, and she asked if I’d be willing to come in for an interview.
“You’re good with kids right?”
“I can be good with them,” I responded.
“Pretty please, could you just go in for an interview?”
Pause. Remember when I said I never had the desire to work at a daycare? That was still the case when I had this conversation with her. I told her I would think/pray about it and get back to her. I kid you not, after one conversation with God on the matter He practically told me to drop everything and go work there.
Ahem. What?!?!?
“But God, I would lose my benefits and financially be in a pretty bad spot.”
“Do you trust that I will provide everything you need?”
“Yes, I would have to.”
“Go, do as I have said.”
Have you ever had a conversation with God and just feel absolutely compelled to carry out whatever He asked of you?
Oh boy did I have some excitement that I never had before.
I was on my way to go apply at a daycare and I was thrilled.
I told Christimore ahead of time that I was going to drop down to one night a week (so the kids didn’t think I was just dropping out on them.) and I headed off to a land of crying, cleaning up infinite amounts of toys, and many many diapers.
I walked into my interview and had absolute peace. It was odd. Again. I never even considered working at a daycare in my life. (I know I keep repeating this, but sometimes a dead horse still has to be beaten for comedic reasons ya know?)
The interview flew by and they asked when I could start, I told them tomorrow.
From that moment on I stepped into a role where I was a caregiver, a disciplinarian, a grown adult who would play house at the drop of a hat, a comforter, a lesson planner, a storyteller, but what the kids call me is my favorite.
“Teacher.”
The first time one of them said it my heart melted. I won’t lie, it was flipping adorable. Then I soon realized that was how they viewed me. I was there to teach them what they need to know.
Now. Don’t get me wrong, I 102% believe it is the parent’s role to teach their children, and I plan on doing just that when God blessed me with kids of my own. But. You’d be shocked at what values and life lessons I have taught, that these kids had no clue of before.
Especially the gospel. Which I consider necessary for any kid to be taught, about three days into the job I walked through the Gospel with my kiddos, and they were shocked. They didn’t quite understand it, which I completely understand, but that doesn’t mean I am going to stop talking about it. They understood that God sent His Son to die in their place, which I believe is a pretty good starting place.
I say all this to encourage you in your role. Wherever you are. You are a teacher.
I guarantee there are those around you who look to you for wisdom and advice in the everyday life. Utilize this, speak the truth out of love for these people even if you can’t stand being in their presence. I know for a fact Jesus walked this earth teaching everyone He could as He walked from place to place. I pray that we as The Church would learn to teach as He did.
Looking at this job from the inside out I have been able to appreciate it on such a deep level. God is clearly at work in these kids, I will be spreading seeds here until the day that I walk out for good and that will be a very sad day for these kids and me. (I am convinced we’ll all be crying at least a little bit.)
In the interview for this role, I was asked what my worst quality is. I told her that I care too much. That hasn’t changed. My next letter will show what I’ve learned in this role so far, and I know God still has so much to show me in the remainder of my season spent here.
But until then, I need to prepare myself to Play Winnie The Pooh with my kiddos when I walk into that place once again.
Yours truly,
Mitchell, a very silly teacher
