Living out my childhood dream
Growing up, I wanted to be only one thing -- a teacher -- preferably a math teacher. :) I was the kid that always took the extra worksheets that the teacher was going to throw out at the end of the year home with me. I had piles and piles of old worksheets and scholastic order forms. I would go down into my parent's basement and lay them out on the floor for my invisible class room to work on. I would tell the talkers to quiet down and separate them if necessary. I was certain that I was going to teach real children some day.
Then in high school my mind was changed. I really did not want it to be changed but it was. My mom went to the parent-teacher conferences at our school. My Algebra II teacher told my mom that letting me become a teacher (even a math teacher) would be a waste. He told her I should look into being an engineer. While this is flattering it did not take into account my life long dream! And isn't that implying that you can have too much to give to children? Anyway, I took the advice. I went to college thinking I was going to have a degree in Physics. That lasted all of one semester. Instead I came out and became a software engineer. I liked my work but I never truly loved it. Sure there were parts I loved, but on a whole I always felt like there was a part missing.
Then I had my daughter and made the decision to stay home her. I just could not imagine having anyone else care for my little one and I was blessed to be able to stay home with her. When she was two I started to wonder what we were going to do for her in terms of school. I was not fond of the local school district and while we were able to keep me at home, I was not sure that we would be able to send the children to a private school. So we began to investigate homeschooling. Yes, while she was still 2 and we had no other children (well there was one on the way...) I went to my first homeschooling convention and we decided that our children would be homeschooled.
Upon making that decision, I began to live the dream I had always had -- to be a teacher! I never thought it would be this way. I never thought it would actually be in my house as it had been as a child. I never knew that it would be with students that I love so intensely. God brought me to my dream in a way I had NEVER imagined. Isn't that how he works? Using the least likely way to do things to show his glory to the world? I mean just look at Paul-- killing the Christians and then finally becoming one himself to the point to persecution like many of us have never experienced in our lives!
I often wondered about the comment the teacher made to my mom about it "being a waste" and have often thought how ridiculous it is. I mean if you have a passion to teach and you love it and are good at the subject you are teaching doesn't that make it so you would be a GOOD teacher? I often wondered how many children would have been happy to have me as a teacher... but then I step back and say "NO". If I had followed my dream straight out of college I am not sure I would have stayed home with MY children. I might have enjoyed the work so much that I would have kept teaching and then I would not be so blessed to be here encouraging my own children every step of the way. So, I have finally decided to thank Mr. Beeler, wherever he is. Ha! Actually it was all through God using him to veer me off my course. I love teaching my kids (even on the hard days) and teaching children via the co-op. Even teaching the children via 4-H is a pleasure.
So, there you have it. God brings you to your destinations in life but often the path to get there is not the one you imagine. I could have used so many examples in my life of other ways this has happened but this one is the most clear cut. His hand is in all I do! I am so very grateful for the opportunities I have been given.
Then in high school my mind was changed. I really did not want it to be changed but it was. My mom went to the parent-teacher conferences at our school. My Algebra II teacher told my mom that letting me become a teacher (even a math teacher) would be a waste. He told her I should look into being an engineer. While this is flattering it did not take into account my life long dream! And isn't that implying that you can have too much to give to children? Anyway, I took the advice. I went to college thinking I was going to have a degree in Physics. That lasted all of one semester. Instead I came out and became a software engineer. I liked my work but I never truly loved it. Sure there were parts I loved, but on a whole I always felt like there was a part missing.
Then I had my daughter and made the decision to stay home her. I just could not imagine having anyone else care for my little one and I was blessed to be able to stay home with her. When she was two I started to wonder what we were going to do for her in terms of school. I was not fond of the local school district and while we were able to keep me at home, I was not sure that we would be able to send the children to a private school. So we began to investigate homeschooling. Yes, while she was still 2 and we had no other children (well there was one on the way...) I went to my first homeschooling convention and we decided that our children would be homeschooled.
Upon making that decision, I began to live the dream I had always had -- to be a teacher! I never thought it would be this way. I never thought it would actually be in my house as it had been as a child. I never knew that it would be with students that I love so intensely. God brought me to my dream in a way I had NEVER imagined. Isn't that how he works? Using the least likely way to do things to show his glory to the world? I mean just look at Paul-- killing the Christians and then finally becoming one himself to the point to persecution like many of us have never experienced in our lives!
I often wondered about the comment the teacher made to my mom about it "being a waste" and have often thought how ridiculous it is. I mean if you have a passion to teach and you love it and are good at the subject you are teaching doesn't that make it so you would be a GOOD teacher? I often wondered how many children would have been happy to have me as a teacher... but then I step back and say "NO". If I had followed my dream straight out of college I am not sure I would have stayed home with MY children. I might have enjoyed the work so much that I would have kept teaching and then I would not be so blessed to be here encouraging my own children every step of the way. So, I have finally decided to thank Mr. Beeler, wherever he is. Ha! Actually it was all through God using him to veer me off my course. I love teaching my kids (even on the hard days) and teaching children via the co-op. Even teaching the children via 4-H is a pleasure.
So, there you have it. God brings you to your destinations in life but often the path to get there is not the one you imagine. I could have used so many examples in my life of other ways this has happened but this one is the most clear cut. His hand is in all I do! I am so very grateful for the opportunities I have been given.
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