No, the title of this post is not referencing a Matchbox Twenty song.
It's also not the time of posting - although it's close. As I type, it is 2:15 a.m. and I am sitting in the campus ministry office of Midland Christian School.
If you know me and how much I love my sleep then you know I must have a really good reason for being up so late (or so early depending on how you look at it.) And you're right, I do.
This is Speak Week at MCS. A week dedicated to 24/7 prayer. Completely student-led. Completely awesome.
Last night, in preparation for my "prayer room duty", I excused myself from dinner with friends to go to bed early. When I explained the reasoning for my premature departure, my dinner buddies had an interesting reaction. They agreed that if they were parents to teens who left the house in the middle of the night to "pray", they wouldn't buy that excuse for a second.
Interesting thought.
I'm not a parent to teens (nor was I the type of teen to try such antics), so I had never considered that option.
As I prepared for bed, I continued to dwell on my friends assumptions about teenagers. Specifically, the teenagers that I teach day in and day out. And I found myself becoming quite defensive.
Here's what I wish I could have told my suspicious, untrusting friends...
You may think all young people are the same but you don't know these young people like I do.
My students (MCS students) are special. They're more than special, they are....well, quite frankly, they are amazing. And they definitely amaze me.
They show up at 3:00 in the morning on a school night to participate in Speak Week.
They give of their money to support Sudan.
They take initiative in planning chapels, Bible studies and the like.
They work hard in the classroom, on the field, on the court...
They epitomize First Timothy 4:12.
Sure, like the rest of us, they're human. They fall. They fail. They make mistakes and they don't always get it right.
But "normal teenagers" they're not.
Then I realized something. I may have missed an opportunity to defend "my kiddos" (as I call them) to my peers but more upsetting is that fact that I've missed many opportunities to tell the students themselves how much I admire them.
So, to ALL the students at MCS -
Thank you for not letting anyone look down on you because you are young but for setting an example.
As a believer in speech, life, love, faith and purity, I look up to you and I believe in you.
Love,
Miss Rydell
It's also not the time of posting - although it's close. As I type, it is 2:15 a.m. and I am sitting in the campus ministry office of Midland Christian School.
If you know me and how much I love my sleep then you know I must have a really good reason for being up so late (or so early depending on how you look at it.) And you're right, I do.
This is Speak Week at MCS. A week dedicated to 24/7 prayer. Completely student-led. Completely awesome.
Last night, in preparation for my "prayer room duty", I excused myself from dinner with friends to go to bed early. When I explained the reasoning for my premature departure, my dinner buddies had an interesting reaction. They agreed that if they were parents to teens who left the house in the middle of the night to "pray", they wouldn't buy that excuse for a second.
Interesting thought.
I'm not a parent to teens (nor was I the type of teen to try such antics), so I had never considered that option.
As I prepared for bed, I continued to dwell on my friends assumptions about teenagers. Specifically, the teenagers that I teach day in and day out. And I found myself becoming quite defensive.
Here's what I wish I could have told my suspicious, untrusting friends...
You may think all young people are the same but you don't know these young people like I do.
My students (MCS students) are special. They're more than special, they are....well, quite frankly, they are amazing. And they definitely amaze me.
They show up at 3:00 in the morning on a school night to participate in Speak Week.
They give of their money to support Sudan.
They take initiative in planning chapels, Bible studies and the like.
They work hard in the classroom, on the field, on the court...
They epitomize First Timothy 4:12.
Sure, like the rest of us, they're human. They fall. They fail. They make mistakes and they don't always get it right.
But "normal teenagers" they're not.
Then I realized something. I may have missed an opportunity to defend "my kiddos" (as I call them) to my peers but more upsetting is that fact that I've missed many opportunities to tell the students themselves how much I admire them.
So, to ALL the students at MCS -
Thank you for not letting anyone look down on you because you are young but for setting an example.
As a believer in speech, life, love, faith and purity, I look up to you and I believe in you.
Love,
Miss Rydell
2 comments:
How precious! As a former teacher of 7th graders in a Christian School, I know exactly how you feel. Many of your students will take this message with them for life. Thanks for sharing. Mecca
I believe you are absolutely right. . .MCS kiddos are special and awesome. . . usually because of teachers like you.
I hope that my boys are so diligent in their walk with Christ that they dedicate themselves to a prayer room and even take a shift that may be inconvenient. I pray that I be the kind of momma that volunteers to go pray with them or be of some kind of support to provide breakfast burritos or doughnuts or something along with prayer . . . . by that time, I will be most grateful for the role that you are in now. -
You see, right now they are young and I play such a major role in their lives but as they grow bigger, stronger and more independent, I will be stepping into a supporting role . . in more ways than one - and those teachers & coaches will play major roles in their lives . . . kiddos look up to their teachers & coaches as examples to "set the bar" and role models. I know I did - MCS was so amazing for me (shout out! - Go Mustangs!)
I pray that my boys have teachers like you that are proud of them and teach them by example, much like you are doing. . . . . so in "long" response - I agree, I think those MCS students are special but I think it's because of teachers like YOU!
You are awesome Amy!
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