""Back in the Saddle................"

This past May, after twelve years of working within Elementary Special-Education, I “pulled the plug” for the third time, but immediately submitted my name and phone number for possible calls to substitute teach at our church school. The principle seemed delighted adding me to their roster and my expectations were hoping for being utilized possibly one day a week, maybe more, enough to keep this old man from gathering cobwebs in front of his computer anyhow. August, September, October: nothing. By Christmas I reasoned my initial enthusiasm had been a bit too intense. They had changed their mind. It wasn’t supposed to be; and, in truth, somewhere along the way, having no obligations to anything or anyone other than my wife was starting to feel pretty good. Monday morning, though, before the granddaughter (who was staying with us overnight) was even out of bed to start her day, a phone-call asked if I could handle the Fifth Grade. Icy temperatures and the road conditions had prompted the country to issue a one hour delay. Written instructions awaited me on the teacher’s desk, making my initial plunge a little easier to negotiate; but it must also be said that the nine kids, stuck with me for the rest of the day, were the biggest part of my finding it to be an enjoyable experience. Science, Math, and Bible were all visited and diligently plowed. A Library class and a gym period made space for me to not get lost in transition. Four boys and five girls. A mixture of personalities reminding me of the old television series “Welcome back, Kotter”, the faces in front of me just a few years younger. “Me! Me! Pick me, teach!” The child who knows he’s not as fast at pushing numbers as everybody else. The “clique”, even in that small amount of individuals; and the class “clown” injecting humor in to everything. It was a great group, one that hopefully will come to me again somewhere down the road. Next time high school? Whatever. It all is in His timing and nowadays it all is just one day at a time……