Flashback
A few months ago, with all the excitement and enthusiasm that you would expect from a veteran teacher who had just received a new textbook adoption with online capabilities and was highly interactive, I assigned my students module 3 of our new HMH textbook.
The theme was natural disasters and one of the writing prompts asked them to write a persuasive essay stating what they would do if a natural disaster destroyed their town. Would they stay, endure and rebuild or leave, explore and settle someplace else?
I joined the fun!
I pondered the prompt and began my outline for the “ shared writing” portion of my class. Normally, before we dive right into brainstorming, drafting, and writing we have class discussions/ debates; sharing our position and supporting them, with life experiences or various perspectives.
So, that’s what we did.
A student’s position
One particular student stood to share her position. She was in favor of staying, stating that those that wanted to leave were abandoning their communities, straying from the people and places that they are familiar with.
She stated that she would stay because it would be an opportunity for her to grow with her family and friends, rebuilding, revamping, and starting over in ways that would benefit the multiple generations present in her hometown.
I’m not going to tell you what my original position was, but I will say that what she shared gave me more to think about. In fact, it made me think a lot. Not just about school, the prompt, or the things that happen in nature, but life itself.
I don’t know about you, but it is impossible for me to think about life and not consider the Author of it. I thought about my relationship with HIM ( My Heavenly Father) and how I respond when disaster strikes.
Do I tend to stray or grow?
If I am being honest, it has been almost always to stray.
The Bible says in John 16:33
I HAVE SAID THESE THINGS TO YOU, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION. BUT TAKE HEART, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.
The Inevitable
What this says to me is that disasters are sometimes unavoidable. They come with life on this planet, but being the all-knowing and incredible mindful savior that he is, God has considered everyone that we may encounter and given us a safe place in him in which to run and be safe.
Knowing this is reassuring, but truth be told; I still stray. Especially when prayers are left unanswered, or when things don’t go the way I think they should.
Today, I am vowing to be more mindful of my responses to the things that life throws my way, to be consistent in my prayers, and in studying God’s word so that I am well equipped to withstand tribulation.
I’m growing from now on ya’ll.