The Last Dance

Tomorrow marks the beginning of  my last dance.  The years have been spent doing the two-step and the line dance with many different partners.   This "dance" is not for everyone, certainly not for the faint of heart.  As I ponder this last call, some random thoughts come to mind.

Over the course of the last 29-to-be years, I have taught in one private and five public schools.  All of the public schools have been Title One, meaning high poverty schools.  Each had its own set of challenges that I will blog about later, once I am able to fully process everything.

Years ago in the midst of some of those challenges, I wrestled with God:  Why.am.I.here?!  This is too hard! etc...etc......

Now I know why.  For His children, life is a series of stages whereby He molds us for what is to come.  I have a friend who feels God has forgotten about him because of where he is in his life.  I have told him God is preparing him for the next stage, but I don't know that he listens(ed).  Men tend not to.

I, on the other hand, know beyond a doubt that God has been preparing me all along for my next stage.  I will be young (young is a relative term) when I retire, but I have teaching and cooking skills He can put to use somewhere.  I know I will be working in some capacity with the disadvantaged.  This morning a former student sent me this in a text message because he said it reminded him of me: Defending the less fortunate.  

For now, as I prepare for my last dance to begin tomorrow, I think of  "my boys".  They need me this year to be whatever-they-need-me-to-be:  school Momma, teacher, cheerleader, baker, provider-of-snacks.  Teaching in Title One schools requires more than just teaching.  In fact, sometimes that is the last need that is to be met.  

So, my prayer/wish for this year is that I be the best "me" I can be to those who need me until the lights come up and the dancing ends.  May it be so.