In answer to my mom's prayers...
Yesterday I took my sister back to the airport and said goodbye. The rest of the day I was crying off and on and just felt so homesick. It's really made me wonder again why I'm here and if it's all worth it.My good friend Amber, one of the 1st grade teachers, saw my sadness and to encourage me, handed me a "report" that one of her students wrote. In answer to the question "What have you learned about God this year?" he/she (not sure who it is yet!) wrote the following (I'm leaving it unedited : )...
Wath Song Did I Know About God
I know alot of song about God. I know the song Not thing but the blood of Jeuse. I know the song Our God Is The Great Big God. I know the song Silent Nigth. I know the song Tell Me The Story of Jeuse. Wath song did you know about God?
3 of the 4 songs listed are ones I've taught in music class. In a way, the "report" doesn't say a whole lot, but in another way, this child now knows - has probably hidden in his heart - words that tell of Jesus birth, life, death and resurrection. And words of His atoning work on the cross. Whether he understands it or not is questionable, but it's there and God promises that His word (and I'm sure words about His word) will not return void. I was encouraged.
Also encouraging were some "musical" developments I saw yesterday and today:
~ almost all my 1st graders matched the pitch I sang to them individually (I changed it for each child) and almost all did the rhythmic dictation I gave them correctly (4-beat measures using quarter notes and rests and eighth notes)
~ my 2nd graders could read/clap/speak (in rhythm syllables) rhythms including tied quarter notes and half notes
~ my 3rd and 4th graders could name and read the notes on the treble clef staff and were playing harmony! Many were able to play a duet in pairs and actually practiced went I sent them to other parts of the room (or to other rooms)
~ my 5th grade string students played together, have pretty good intonation and overall are sounding great!
~ one of my 6th grade students came back from spring break and told me "I practiced a LOT! And I can play the first page of "Sourwood Mountain" perfectly!" Most of that class sounded like they had practiced as well over the break (which was a pleasant and true surprise!) and I saw a lot of improvement.
Again, little things but they encourage me...
posted by Catherine Rogers @ 5:45 AM
3 Comments:
Hi Catherine! It's so great to hear from you! Please e-mail me when you can.
Students can definitely encourage you. I am doing my pre-intern andI love it when they give me a hug or say hi to me in the hall way. They have been very supportive in every class I taught. (Today was tough!) Though it seems small to most people, those hugs and smiles makes teaching all the worth while. Even when we mess up a lesson (Which I have done!) We are still glorifying God just by giving them knowledge. Then that knowledge can turn into wisdom once they experience it. Learning is good. It comes from God. So anything we teach helps complete God's work even if it's indirected....
I've been praying for you. I miss you!
Love always,
Tara
It has been often that we here at home have question why God would take you so far away from us. Isn't He sweet to give us little glimpses into His purposes and His work, even if He never shows us the big picture until we reach glory.
Praising Him with you. And praying for this new bout of homesicknesss. Love you sweet friend!
Yes, be encouraged my friend! God's word is alive and it is HIS gospel that changes the hearts of people. I have been praying that your homesickness brings you to a greater longer for our forever home. Think we might share a fence? and finally I would not be tone deaf! Together we could all create music for our Father.
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