New Wind In My Sails

Dearest Friends and Family,

I cannot express how much it has encouraged me and brought confidence back to my stride to know that you have been thinking of and praying for me over the last few weeks. The one line and novel length notes have been equally encouraging, for I know that they mean the same thing; I have your love and your care. That is priceless, and I thank the Lord each time I think of you.

How do I begin telling the thousands of little stories from the last four weeks? I am at a loss. There are three things I have been reminded of daily, partially because of working on scripture memory, and partly through lived experience. These three things have been foundational in my experiences of the last four weeks, without question.

Part I:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will [Romans 12:1-2, NIV].

January 14 - 20
With a slight tone of incredulity, I wrote last, “If you don't want anything to change... DON'T PRAY!!” What truth there is in that statement. In prayer, however, I can say that I was seeking the Lord’s direction, as I was feeling aimless and frustrated having completed my degree, with little in sight but a “temporary” job as a waitress at Boston Pizza in Edmonton. It is a running joke at the university (perhaps most post secondary institutions?) that a high school diploma will get you a job at McDonald’s, and bachelor’s degree simply means a step up from fast food to sit-down food service. All I could feel were doldrums with no foreseeable change in the weather, and was not impressed!

Presenting myself as a “living sacrifice” is a daily desire, and an hourly challenge. My stubborn streak is the cause for that hourly challenge, for as many times as I reset my compass to the Lord’s purposes, my own will walks by with a magnet and teases my focus off course. Being on my feet but not intellectually active all day at Boston Pizza afforded me many hours to talk with God about what I thought should happen with my future teaching career. It did not take long for him to take the sails that I was trying to fill with my own hot air and steer my course with His own strong and loving winds of change. After only six shifts at Boston Pizza those winds of change struck with gale force.

January 21 - 27
Upon entering an Education career fair put on at my university I whispered a prayer for clear and unmistakable direction, to be “hit over the head with a frying pan” (thanks, Auntie Sharon, for that line!). I was soon disappointed with the Edmonton and Calgary districts who cautioned me that it might take months to get on their substitute teaching lists. Bring on Boston Pizza, I thought. Oh ye of little faith. By the end of that day, I had two interviews, and was offered three separate teaching positions (Peace River Catholic, Rocky Mountain House Public, and Airdre Public school boards). By Friday of the same week, I had accepted the teaching position in RMH, packed up my life, and moved to a new town 250 km from my home of 4+ years in Edmonton. For nothing could I tear my gaze from the course God set before me; my mind and heart were riveted with awe and fear.

May I take a moment to digress, and say that the whole “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” phrase has taken on new meaning... that is not to say that I did not understand the concept before, but just as with all things, knowledge does not become wisdom until it is experienced. I could not have imagined being in a position of either testing God, nor approving of his will in my life... but here again, it was knowledge not yet turned to wisdom. I do not serve a God of disorder but of peace. I believe wholeheartedly that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Therefore I need not test him in the manner that I imagined. God provided me with a teaching position unlike anything I could have dreamed. Do I know God’s will? No. But I truly believe that I am walking in the centre of it as I teach in RMH this semester, it is approved.

The Lord performed miracles, and within my first afternoon in RMH I had a 2 bedroom apartment two minutes from my school to call my own, in a town where “everyone” says there is “never anything available to rent”. Praise the Lord.

With only a short (but very encouraging) intermission in Banff with the U of C and U of A Navigators, my new life began in Rocky Mountain House last two Mondays ago, and I have barely had time to catch my breath since. Brian, Kath, and Jon, I am going to hold you to your promise to visit sometime!

Part II:
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insecurity [James 3:17, RSV].

January 28 – February 3
Monday through Wednesday were spent meeting the admin and staff at West Central High School, settle into my classroom, and work with my mentor, Nicole (whom I am replacing at the school for the duration of her maternity leave) to create a course outline, year plan, unit plans, and first-day-of-class lesson plans. Much of that planning and prepping was accomplished sitting on the floor in my new apartment, for my only “furniture” was my air mattress!! By Wednesday night, I was exhausted and nervous but prepared for the first day of classes and excited to meet my students.

Again, self-sufficiency bites the dust. I woke Thursday morning, my first day of teaching, with a killer headache. By the middle of my first class I could barely talk, and by third block I had lost my voice all together. Uncertainty and insecurity reared their ugly heads! But the Lord is merciful, and my students had a good sense of humor about my complete lack of voice. In the end, the advantage was mine as they had need to respond to simply my raised hand as a cue to focus their attention. I learned quickly to use PowerPoint, my classroom Smart Board, and improvised sign language to communicate with my classes of 28-36 students. Friday passed in much the same manner, at the end of which I collapsed, thankful for “Early Dismissal Fridays”.

Friday evening Mom and Dad joined me in Rocky Mountain House with our truck pulling a U-Haul trailer with which to move me from Edmonton to Rocky permanently. We accomplished the move in two exhausting but successful days. Heidi and Kyle and Jess, thank you for your encouragement and help with loading the U-Haul on incredibly short notice!

February 4 – 8
It has been a short and fantastic week. I taught for three days (Monday to Wednesday), and have a good start on English Language Arts (ELA) units with all three of my classes.

- ELA 20-2/4 (non-academic and special-needs grade 11 students) – Studying “Of Mice and Men”, but John Steinbeck.
- ELA 10-1 (academic grade 10 students) – Studying Greek and Roman Mythology through research, short stories, and personal essay creation.
- ELA 9 (a mix of grade 9 students) – “Media and You”, and Short Stories

When asked by my department head if I was “Winning, Losing, or Fighting for my classes”, I responded that I was winning two, and fighting hard for one. His encouragement was that I need only to get them to a draw... perhaps that is attainable!

Yesterday and today were spent in Red Deer at my first Teachers’ Convention. A lot of teachers moan and even whine about these professional development days, but I was extremely encouraged by the sessions that I was able to attend over the two days. Three sessions in particular provided me with methods of teaching, activities, lesson plans, and assignments that are ready to take into the classroom – several of which I can make use of immediately. Again, what a wonderful gift from God.

Part III:
“One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,
and that you, O Lord, are loving.”
[Isaiah 62:11-12, NIV]

After four long weeks of sprinting a new course with the Lord before me, behind me, and beside me, I can say with confidence that I will complete this stretch of the race with joy, for God is infinitely strong and loving. I will take moments to post stories of my first days (including the kid who went to get an ice cream sundae during class, and the milk carton I offered to staple closed) as I have the ability.

Know that you all remain in my thoughts and prayers. I will anticipate hearing from you.

With love,
Jessica