Distanced Together

 Distanced Together

I miss you, my friends

while we are distanced together.

But, there are things we can still share

to make each others' days better.

An email, a prayer,

a text, a call, or a note,

a scripture shared from the

book that God, Himself, wrote.

My mask may be hiding

the smile that I wear.

But, I pray that it doesn't stifle

the way that I care.

"Lions and Furnaces and Faith, Oh My!"

My last blog listed lots of things I missed when school moved out of the building in March. As we prepare to return school to the building in a couple of weeks, I wonder how many of those things will return. How many things will return, but look different? How many things will be changed forever? Fear, uncertainty, doubt, and anxiety all burrowed into my soul and tried to take root. But, then God! He showed up in a sermon from the book Daniel. Yes, the Sunday school stories from your childhood about the guys in the furnace and the lions. In both accounts, people of God were told to do something that went against the will of God. Punishment for disobedience to the orders was death. Well, at least that was implied. Being thrown into a fiery furnace or a den of hungry lions would normally lead to immediate death. But, then God!

The men who refused to bow to a gold image may have been afraid. I mean, they were human. However, they did not let any fear within them control their actions. Responding to the king, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18) Whether on earth or beyond, they knew God would hold them. This reminds me of Romans 14:8, "For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die we are the Lord's." Daniel had the same mindset when faced with the lions. (Daniel 6)

You may be wondering what going back to school has to do with a furnace and lions. I certainly do not equate returning to in-person teaching with being thrown into a furnace or a den of lions. I am not really afraid of catching the virus and dying. However, there are fears. Real ones. Legitimate ones. Ones that need to be acknowledged. In acknowledging them, however, I have allowed them to consume me. But, then God...showed up in a sermon and reminded me of some lessons for times of crisis and fear.

First, crisis does not create faith, but it can reveal it. What am I revealing about my faith in God through my reaction to this crisis called COVID-19? Recently, the answer to that question would be...nothing good.

Second, crisis can bring out the worst in people. Throughout this pandemic, opinions have been voiced and hatred tossed around like confetti. Sadly, I have voiced and tossed my fair share.

Third, if we allow it, crisis can turn our thoughts upward and inward, causing us to meditate on God's word and His promises. In doing that, here are some reminders I have found that I am choosing to remember. Maybe they will help you when your vision becomes clouded by fear and anxiety and your focus shifts from The One who holds your future.

Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (This is not situational...WHEREVER!)

Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." (Again, not situational....at ALL times!)

Psalm 94:19 "In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul."

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord, our God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Romans 8: 28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:37-39 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor thing to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Philippians 4:6-8 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things."

I, like those men facing the furnace and the lions, know fear. If I am being completely open and honest, I must admit to having a mild panic attack recently when the fears and anxiety swirled in my heart and mind and tried to drag me under their dark waters. But, then God! He threw a life preserver, in the form of His word, and pulled me out of the vortex. Will I be tempted to again dip my toes in that icy, dark water? Of course. So, I will keep His life preserver close by and call on my rescuer in prayer often.

Things I Miss

The date is April 26, 2020. It is a sunny Sunday afternoon and I should be preparing to go to school in the morning. However, school is no longer a place to go. School is a thing to do...from home. March 13, 2020, was the last day of public school in North Carolina for this school year. The Coronavirus and COVID-19 have us under a "Stay-At-Home" order. I am not clicking the keys to start a conversation or debate about the situation. Today, I simply list things I miss. Things that I pray I will never take for granted or complain about again. Things that help make me who I am. I miss:

* the morning drive to work listening to praise music, seeing the sun turn the sky pinkish-orange as it wakes up the world in my rearview mirror.

* watching students carefully clip the flag onto the rope so it can begin its ascent to the top of the pole where it will greet everyone with a wave.

*saying good morning to students on the front benches with sleepy faces because they must be dropped off early.

*the sweet girl who arrives early intentionally so she can use school WIFI to do homework.

*the beep as I scan my badge and the click of the door lock releasing allowing my entrance to the day.

*stopping to fill my cup with ice water and being grateful for little things like the ice machine for which we waited so many years.

*the friendly smile and warm greeting from our custodian, Frank.

*the chatter and laughter of staff greeting each other.

*my little lamp that sheds warm light in the corner of my classroom when the overhead lights are just too much.

*writing the date on the board each morning.

*updating the "I can..." statements with hopes that they can!

*Monday morning gym duty with sleepy-eyed students who perk up when they tell me about their weekend.

*the way my teammates and I show up in matching clothes without planning.

*the way we finish each other's thoughts and statements.

*lockers slamming, kids laughing, books dropping, chairs sliding, and hard-to-hear announcements.

*patting kids on the back and giving high fives and fist bumps.

*standing to pledge allegiance to the flag and then take a moment of silence to pray over us all for a safe day.

*taking attendance by looking around the room at real faces instead of checking a Google form that has no face.

*the kid who always has a story about a go-cart or truck he and his brothers are working on.

*the kid who needs a hug when he arrives, even if he's late and I'm teaching. He gets a hug. I miss those hugs that before seemed a disruptive annoyance.

*the kid who hates hugs but will "tell" me good morning with a small, sideways smile and a nod.

*my glitchy SmartBoard with its many white spots that we lovingly refer to as "indoor stars."

*hands waving in the air with eager answers.

*waking up that sleepyhead and teasing him about staying up too late.

*co-teaching with my inclusion partner.

*the way a face lights up when they "get it!"

*kids working together to problem-solve.

*seeing the natural leaders growing in the groups.

*the kid who needs to go to his locker every day before lunch to get the Oreos he forgot again.

*the sunshine hitting my face as we cut through the courtyard to lunch for a brief moment of warmth and fresh air.

*downtime at lunch with my friends.

*cafeteria corndogs and fruit crisp.

*the music playing from the kitchen to give us all a lift in the middle of the day.

*the hustle and bustle of "pack up/chairs up" time.

*the suddenly quiet, empty halls scattered with water bottles and abandoned pencils once students leave for elective classes.

*slowing down runners as they burst through the doors to the bus lot and the hugs a few of them give after they slow down.

*the music playing while I work in my classroom to prepare for the next day. 

*walking to the car in the afternoon, hearing student-athletes and coaches on the fields.

*glancing at the rock to see if anyone is celebrating anything. 

Most of all, I miss my students! All of them! I pray that they are healthy and happy and not stressing out about anything school-related. I want them to know that they will be just fine. They will go to seventh grade and later onto high school and then will continue to follow their dreams. This is just a speed bump on the road of life. We will all get over it and be just fine! We have not hit a wall that will stop us, just a bump to slow us down a bit.