Loving God, Even In a Pandemic

It's been a while! It's true that I'd like to be able to blog twice a week like so many fantastic teachers out there, but I've never been ready for that kind of commitment! But that's okay. That's the kind of freedom you have when you're doing it for free.

Here's a little update since the worldwide pandemic hit! Last March, like much of America, my community went into quarantine. My school went to soft-closure, meaning we were teaching and learning remotely. That lasted for the rest of the school year, with our 2020 graduating class having a modified commencement ceremony with limited guests and rigid social distancing in place. 

In the fall, we were back to school face-to-face until partway through November, when a new quarantine was put in place. That time around, I came down with COVID, along with my whole family. I'm so thankful that none of us had very bad symptoms. The worst side-effect was probably the debilitating tiredness. I'd think, "I should really do the dishes," and then my body would respond, "Yeah, right."

After a second round of quarantine in the first semester of 2020/2021, I was ready for life to return to normal. Okay, that still hasn't happened yet. Currently, my school is teaching and learning face-to-face again, crossing fingers that it can be this way for the rest of the year. With just five weeks to go, the end is in sight! 

I love the tee shirts that say, "I taught during a worldwide pandemic. What's your superpower?" This past year and a half has certainly proven our mettle as educators, spouses, parents, friends, and community members. For some of us, it's taken a major toll. Never have we needed each other more. Never in my lifetime (well, since 9/11) have we collectively cried out to God in greater desperation. I for one know that God was there for me. 

Some of the scariest times have revealed the greatest blessings. When the grocery shelves were bare of flour and toilet paper and tissues, God provided for my family. We never ran out. When I feared my family getting sick, we got sick mildly and recovered uneventfully. Of course, that is not the case for some we care about. It's tempting to question God in these dark times. 

All right, so question Him. He invites us to do so. Will we continue to believe that He loves us? 

Amy 

FREE Conference to check out: 

Idaho Coaching Network's all-online statewide conference 

The theme this year is Passion & Purpose

More Than They Bargained For

Teachers, I am smiling. It's not because I have two successful days of teaching from home under my belt, although that's something to celebrate. It's because of a book title.

Lessons on Love

I knew about this book before, but its title struck me as apropos today. Lessons on Love: 4 Schoolteachers Find More Than They Bargained for in Their Contracts.

Can't we all relate?

Teachers in America and beyond are on a steep learning curve right now, taking what once came from a textbook or the convenient workroom photocopier and scanning it, emailing it, posting it online. . .or finding an outside-the-box solution. We're learning Flipgrid, Zoom, Google Classroom, and dozens of other applications we might never have heard of two weeks ago.

And there's the emotional learning curve. We've always been there to support students in their learning, but now we can't be there face to face. There are screens between us, and sometimes our students don't have the tech they need to succeed. We're overwhelming parents with too much communication, even as we wonder if some of our students have dropped off the face of the earth. We want to pray for our students, but find ourselves crying out desperately in prayer for ourselves and our own families instead. How will we stock the fridge when the store shelves are empty? How will we keep our families safe?

We've all found more than we bargained for in our contracts this year.

And maybe it will prove, in the end, to be a lesson on love.

We've always loved our families. Now many of us have them close to us at all times. Can we still speak lovingly? Can we allay our children's fears?

We've always loved our students. Can we pray for their physical and spiritual needs now more than ever? Can we show up for each day ready to reassure our students that they can do distance learning?

Of course, to serve others, we have to first refresh ourselves.

The verse I have posted in my workspace is John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

If I can make this verse my true belief, I'll rely on God to keep me safe, to settle my heart in this most unsettling time, to fill my cup. Then I can pour out for others.


Have you found "more than you bargained for" in your teaching contract this year? Tell us about it!

How one small-town public library continues to serve during shelter-at-home

This week, I had the opportunity to interview the director of the Camas County Public Library, Stephanie Jewett, about how this small library has much to offer, even during social distancing. The resulting article is ready to read in the Weekly Beaver, another small-town Idaho gem. I guess this is what teachers do during Spring Break of the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking for some great reads? I received an email today from a friend seeking some fresh book picks for her family. Here's what I sent her:

• The Lost City of the Monkey God (nonfiction, archeology, Central America)
• Where'd You Go, Bernadette (silly, mental health, absurdities of schools, Antarctica)
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (nonfiction, cell science, medical ethics, real people)
• On the easier reading end of the spectrum, A Wolf Called Wander (wolf protagonist, classic story of a journey, based on a real wolf's trek)
• Also for younger reading, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (historical fiction set in Maine, whales, discrimination, baseball)
• For John Grisham fans, An Equal Justice by Chad Zunker (legal thriller, helping homeless people in Austin, TX)
• And if you haven't read Tana French's police thriller In the Woods, it's gripping. It's the first in a series set in and around Dublin, Ireland.

What have you read lately? Have any book recommendations for families with kids? Share in the comments!