I Samuel 15:22 “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” Let’s not settle for the second best strategy of helping others. Obeying God trumps all actions and allows Him to work through us to help the most people in the most efficient way. He asks us to trust Him by, first, obeying and doing right. We just have to submit and do things His way for Him to work through us to the max. Thanks to all my prayer warriors who faithfully prayed for me and my new school and 7th grade class during the month of February. The class is now perfect, and I am teacher of the year. Actually, I am hoping many of you will let me know you will continue to pray as God has worked through your prayers to change lives. Progress reports came out this week and generated weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. Students who were lazy, misbehaving, and content to control the classroom are now working more than before, limiting their behavior issues, and generally submitting to the control of their third teacher this year. Parents are taking initiative to get their student’s grades up, and students are begging for help. I gave students a week to redo any previous homework assignment, quiz or test of mine and earn up to an 80 instead of their current grade. My strategy is to offer improved grades in exchange for their learning to work. If they hate their current grades and are willing to work to change them, they may think twice before letting their study responsibilities slide in the future, and they should become better students in the future. Of 14 students, 3-4 don’t need to learn this lesson, 3-4 haven’t yet seen the need to work much more, and the rest have parental discipline acutely affecting their short term study habits. Additionally, my 6th grade math class (team taught) just failed their test Thursday with 40’s and 50’s instead of the 20’s and 30’s on the last test 2 weeks ago. You laugh, but we’re headed in the right direction despite the short time. And, for those of you who know my past, James 1:1-14 has been memorized. I have been able to point out to my students what they should do when confronted with a difficult problem (vs. 5) and why it is difficult to do a good job when you are concentrating on two things at once (vs. 8). I chuckled during history class as I read the first part of the answer to a homework question and the wording triggered a student to begin quoting one of the verses. Pretty neat, really. Please pray for my summer employment and the same in the fall. I would, also, like to do something special for my wife, Betty Jo, this summer as we approach 40 years of marriage, but this, too, must come from the Lord. Thanks, again, for your prayers and for those who will continue; they are so needed.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Mar 2014 09:43:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015