Are you ready for school to start?

When people asked me that, I didn’t know how to answer! I was fine with school starting, but my classroom was certainly not ready. I was eager to be working with the class, but there were a lot of other things to do first. Yes, I was ready to start, but I would miss the summer lifestyle of not having a schedule.

But the first morning of school, I could say, “Yes, I’m ready for school to start” and I had no qualifiers to add. The classroom was ready, the books were ready, the desks were set up, bulletin boards made, classroom displays up, lessons planned, and the teacher ready. I had time to pray over the room and the students, have devotions, meet with the faculty, and take care of last minute details.

That first morning, I was blessed to have our administrator say that he couldn’t wait for school to start. I asked different students if they were ready for school, and expected the incoming kindergartner to say “yes.” I didn’t know how the rising senior would respond and was happy to hear him say, “Yes!” he was ready to start school.

For much of the summer, my classroom functioned as my office while I was Curriculum Coordinator, so there were piles of boxes here, and stacks of curriculum guides there. Over here was a group of books that needed to be repaired. This table was full of things that I needed to sort and deliver to other teachers. One of the textbook company reps said, “It’s exciting when those shipments come in!” And it was exciting to see the Fed-Ex or UPS trucks pull up and unload a bunch of boxes, many of which came to my room. One day it was a delivery of twenty-two boxes full of textbooks and workbooks!

All of this was part of being ready for school to start. Do we have enough books for this class? Check the inventory lists, count books, order a couple more from Amazon. Do we have resources for this teacher? Where is that license info?

Then we were almost at the starting line for school year 2017-2018! I turned into the first-grade teacher, after being Curriculum Coordinator. I was encouraged by reminders from Mr. Good that whatever is happening, Jesus is Lord, and He is in control. I was reminded of the verse “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” (Deut. 33:25) and know that God gives the needed strength for the day! He’s not going to give me the year’s supply now, but will take care of one day at a time.

On my way to school on that first day, I figured up that this would be my 48^th first day of school! That number includes my school days, college beginning days, student teaching first days, and my first days of school as the first grade teacher. God has been faithful in every one of those first days, and I can trust that He would be faithful in this one.

And I made it! I WAS ready for school to start!

Are You Ready?