Blast from the Past

I need to quit "looking back"...you know, when you are dissatisfied with present circumstances sometimes you "look back" and remember the good times and wish you were there again....somehow we forget that everyday wasn't all "good times". Lot's wife looked back...turned into a pillar of salt. I had a student whose mom looked back ....turned into a telephone pole! ( ha...it's early...you'll get that later). My past visited me several times this week. One was a not so happy visit ...I'll just say that one is in the hands of the Father. The other one was in the form of a message on Facebook from a former teaching buddy! What a kiss from heaven. I'm trying to get back into teaching. It's like reinventing yourself after you've been out of the classroom for like 5 years or so. It's going ok..it's just that before everyone knew MISS KETCHIE....my reputation for being FIRM but FUN in the classroom was usually met with open arms each year. Then I married, moved to VA, became Mrs. Walker and had to reinvent myself all over again. But alas, Mrs. Walker got that reputation too, and for 3 years it's was pretty good, except for one parent that was difficult. Here we go again at my new place of work...it's not an instant process but it's going well. Anyway, my "visitor from the past" tossed out a few kind words. I'd be lying if I didn't say they made me feel good. "I'm not forgotten" I mused to myself. Here are her words:

You definitely should go back into teaching! I think you are one of the rare people who has a real heart for it and also God has blessed you with the ability to do it very well! It's funny - we had a conference with Nathan's teacher in the fall and we both commented afterwards that "Boy, Miss Ketchie wouldn't be caught dead running her classroom like that." I have a whole new perspective now and there are definitely things I would have done differently as a teacher. I would have pushed the kids just as hard and challenged them just as much, but I would have gone about it differently I think. I just wasn't cut out for elementary kids, that's for sure!

Nice words from a good friend from the past. I think it's OK to look back and remember, but not to the point we get caught up in what "was" that we lose sight of "what is" and what the future holds....God has great plans for us as his children if we'll just make ourselves available, and he can help "reinvent us" anywhere he takes us to be used for his glory.