The New teacher

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The new year has dawned and school has begun for some of us already but for those who live in the coastal areas of South Africa, we all start school tomorrow. I dont know how your school does the whole , ' new teacher thing" but at our school we find out who our child's teacher is, via the school web site and only on the day before school starts. That all happened at 9 o'clock this morning and the frenzy of who else is in the same class as your kid has all just died down.

For some of us we are thrilled because we know the teacher already and we like what we know and we have friends for our child in the class but for others it seems not to be such a great picture. Perhaps the teacher is not the one we like or get along with and perhaps our child has no real, good friend in site. The year might stretch ahead, seemingly bleak and long.

We feel so out of control at these times. We feel so sad for our children, quite sure of the way things will turn out and quite certain that the year will turn out bleak and difficult. I have stood in this place before. I think there are many reasons why we feels so strongly about the 'righ't teacher and some good friends for the year. The teacher has a profound influence on a child's life and the things they do and say may echo into a persons life forever. Being a lone at school during class time is not great and while your friends get to build good friendships IN class, you seem to be out and alone.

I like to see these times as opportunities despite the challenges.  I hope that my child , without a friend might see this as a new chance to make some new friends. Being in a new group of children can be tough and a real struggle. These times can be a place for real personal growth in the struggle to fit in. I dont for one moment think this is easy . I am challenged of my response to these difficult struggles my child might have. I hope that I might reflect my faith in what God is doing in the here and now and in so doing help my child grow for himself a real and lasting , truly strong trust in Jesus.

I am challenged by these issues in our own family and as we stand on the cusp of this new school year, I am reminded of the things we believe as Christians.   Mainly, God is sovereign and in control of all things and in ALL things he is at work for our good and his glory. He loves us and is working out his redemptive purposes in our lives and in and through our children. So when we are faced with a seemingly difficult road ahead we need to be reminded that these truths hold fast and that we must stand up under them. God is working out his plan in our child's life for his/her good and God's glory. The opportunity here is to reflect that back to the child and so that they too have the chance to grow in faith and hope and trust as they step up under God's plan and purpose. We have a chance to reflect scripture to our children and live it out in our hopes and dreams for the year, even when they seem not to be what we planned or think are good.

My prayer for myself and others is that this year might be a year of deepening trust and faith as we press on to the goal which is ours in Christ Jesus.