Glimpses into me

      Last I wrote a month ago it was near the beginning of the school year.  Since then I've been happy to serve as the "replacement teacher" for various members of the Wilson HS staff.  I don't teach exclusively at Wilson. Just yesterday I was at Benson HS.  I don't normally sub over there, but when called, I go.  I need the pay in the check at the end of the month.  It amazes me how different schools inside of Portland can be.  Benson has a predominate African-American student population, quite a bit different than the largely White and what I guess to be 1/3 Jewish population of Wilson HS.  So I'm getting questions from a lot of students... same one's I seem to always get (see below for some of the best).  Then I get asked a Q that people my age often ask in one of those situations where... "let's get to know each other as best we can in a short amount of time to see if we connect or not..."  (I know I have to start somewhere, but I often wish I could just jump into knowing someone and bypass those stock questions and long pauses... I'm post on this later)  So, the student asks "So why are you a teacher?"  Well, there are a few things that popped out right away in no particular order:

1.)   I love science and math.  Learning it is a great way to understand how the world works all around us. 
I like helping people understand those things better.  I've always enjoyed learning, so my hope is to help others enjoy it too. Plus, I get to tinker with things to show what I'm doing.  I like that too.
2.)  I like being around people.  I used to be much more shy than I am now, but I realize that I am recharged by being around others.  The students and the staff are great to be around.  The students b/c they keep me connected to my youth.  The staff b/c I get to share struggles and joys w/ people who can identify w/ me an drop some knowledge on me so I can make things better.
3.)  I love getting to know the kids: I love developing a relationship with them and helping them to see the world from another perspective.  As a Christian, I love getting to know where these kids are at in life, praying for them, and leading the through their circumstances, helping them to see the world that God created. Sure, in a public school I can't preach at them, but there need to be believers who love, care, teach, discipline, correct, and train them in the subject of the class and the matters of life from Biblical perspective.(Think 2 Tim 3:16 & Gal. 5:22)  I get to share my joys, my passions, my life with these kids and they get to see more of who I am the more time we spend together.  I hope they see that I am different.  I hope to get to talk to them about things that matter....

      Like yesterday, one of the male students was asking if I thought some women celebrities were "Hot".  (Wondering yet how this will matter?  Just wait.)  I didn't know 1/2 of the girls he mentioned.  Then he said "Jessica Alba", to which I replied: "Yes, she's attractive, but what does it matter?  She's married."  The student then said "That doesn't matter, this is America people get divorced all the time."  I couldn't believe it.  So I shared how when I get married I don't want divorce to ever be an option.  Not that I am hoping to marry a girl to lock up somewhere and be a tyrant of, but I want to marry for life and take on the challenges that come with that.  I know it's not likely the same for most, but none of my parents or grandparents have ever been divorced. They've gone through many life struggles and remained together.

        There was a girl sitting next to this guy who started nodding her head in agreement with me.  Later I was wondering what it's like for her.  She's sitting there with guys who can only talk about how "hot" some celeb is... women who have fame and money and anything material thing they might want... but none of whom go to Benson HS or have to take science classes.  These are two separate worlds.  I wished I could have rewound time and added something about how thought the guys should think about how beauty is not the only thing that matters.  I;d also add in how I want to marry a girl who has an attractive personality and lifestyle, how I want her to be someone who has character, and how I want her to be someone who love Jesus.  (Think Prov. 31... I need to read that more often).

               I think a lure of the world/our culture is to cause people to focus on making the outside perfect and beautiful.... whether it's the car you drive, the way you look, the resume' you have... but to say that character and morals and our beliefs don't matter much.  That's a sad way to live if you can't make the outside look perfect... because you'll never measure up... you'll always be behind other people.  But, it's a sad way to live at the top too, because all you can do is focus on staying there.  I remember hearing about a question posed to John D. Rockefeller Sr., an Oil tycoon who was one of or the richest man in the world at one time.  The question was something like "How much money is enough?" He replied  "Just a little bit more."  He was at the top of the pile and he still needed more... and that was way back in the day... he died in 1937.  King Solomon, from the bible, said something similar.  I just know that I want fulfillment.  In our culture it's hard to know where to go to find lasting fulfillment.  There are plenty of "good things" one can do that seem to help a person be fulfilled, but I believe the greatest fulfillment comes when we fulfill the purposes for which we were made.  I believe that we are wonderfully made by a God who loves us more than we can know and wants us to know Him and love Him back.  I believe that God gives us talent that is most vibrant and well used when used for His pleasure.  When I run, play with photography, serve, and teach with my focus on the one who's made it possible for me do so I worry less on what people think and care more about doing what I do well.  I want my life to reflect the God I serve and love.  When I stumble and fall, the mercy of God covers me and the grace of God picks me up and places me back on the path He's shown me.
              Lasting fulfillment that God offers to us is what I want.  I hope you want it too.


As I alluded to above here's the list you may have been hoping for the entire time you were reading this post :)   Enjoy.

The top questions that I remember being asked while teaching in the last couple years.

1.
Kid: "Can I go to the bathroom?"
Me:  "I sure hope so!?!"  [Said of course with the confused eyebrows I like to rock from time to time]
         ...A consistent response. :)  Really, I sure hope their parents at least taught them that!

2.

Kid: "How old are you?"
Me: "Old enough.",
       "Take a guess"
Kid: "30", "19", "57"
Me:   [Fake smile]  "I'm tell you later"

3.

Kid: "Are you a REAL teacher?"
Me: "Yeah, who do you think I am Jack Black from School of Rock?"

4.
Kid: "Are you a student teacher?"
Me: "No, I did that 5 years ago"
Kid: "So, did you graduate college?"
Me: "Um, yeah."

5.
Kid: "You know who you remind me of?"
Me: "Well, didn't pass my Mind-Reading class; so I guess you should tell me."
Kid:  "That guy from Spiderman"
Me: "Oh yeah, the same guy who was in Seabiscuit?"
        [blank stare from student who has not seen Seabiscuit]
        "I think I'm too tall to be him."  
*Plus, he's kinda nerdy, doesn't have a low voice, likes physics, is athletic, wears glasses, is a guy, likes girls, wears clothes,... NOTHING like me, not at all. ;)

6. (Thanks Paul for the reminder)
Kid:  "Are you a new to class?"
Me:  "Yeah, I'm the teacher"
Kid:  "Oh, oops."


Thus endeth the list.  Write to you later, make it a great day!