Day 2: Weariness and a War Whoop

For the second straight day I am reminded of how much adjustment teachers have to make to get back into the routine of daily classes.  I feel like a Ford Pinto going down the highway with an under-inflated steel radial tire in the back – you know, where the driver keeps having to overcompensate in order to stay in the lane. Whump whump whump.

We teachers all face the body-shock of adjusting to the rhythm of school scheduling.  This is not a particularly skilled art of mine, and after twenty-plus years of teaching you’d have thought I got this thing down.

No.

No, I haven’t.

At our first school assembly this morning I made the mistake of sitting down in a chair, and I could feel every muscle slowly creaking and breaking down.  I imagine Caleb, the sophomore student sitting nearby, could hear my joints complain – at least I saw him look around at me with a questioning eyebrow now and again.  This morning as I was sitting at the computer taking attendance, I truly believe half of my face slid off my skull and melted onto the keyboard.

Teachers, does this sound familiar?  “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak?”

At 5 a.m. this morning I was awakened with an unnatural panic.  What if I can’t keep up?  I’ve been praying that God take over the classroom and that is truly what I want to see, but what if I become a physical liability because of fatigue?  I kept trying to remind myself it’s only the second day. It’s only the second day…

Second-period Bible Leadership class moved along well, although I learned that two students transferred out of my class within the first day; such a great boost for my self esteem.  Well, perhaps they made a mistake on their schedule and forgot that AP English or Calculus class.  Honest mistake. Perhaps.

Later on, I welcomed the 4th period students in and took our quiz in Bible Doctrines class with little fanfare.   There was some light discussion on some Koine Greek vocabulary words.  We then dove into the subject of eschatology – the study of the End Times.  I really flew into this with all fervor, sharing the numerology, prophecies and symbolism that explode off of the pages of the book of Revelation.

Eyes started to light up.  Fingers flew across the pages as the note-taking pace picked up in speed.  Several students volunteered to read the first chapter of this apocalyptic book aloud.

We opened up the pages of this remarkable scroll to reveal Christ the conqueror.  Christ the victor. Christ the Answer to all mankind.  We started seeing who Christ really is.

The period flew by quickly, all too quickly.  I looked up and saw one minute left on the clock.  “That’s all I have for right now, but this is a glimpse of what we’re going to see in the next few days,” I said.

Jared stood up int he back of the room and gave a war whoop.  “Woo-hoo-HOOO!”

I looked back and he grinned.  “Man!  I love this!”

And I knew that the message was starting to come through.

And everything is going to be all right.

————————————–

P.S. Our German teacher, Deidre Randles, came over to me after school, chuckling.  She mentioned that our German foreign exchange student who sits in my class has been greatly impressed by my style of teaching.
I wish it was meant in a complimentary way.
The student has been heard saying that she thinks I am a bit crazy in the head.
I’m not exactly sure how to take that.
Oh, I’ll think about it for a while, but right now, I’m going to take a nap.