Today we were out of school due to the weather. Ice, snow, and sleet slowed the pace of life in Sikeston. As I was out shopping for Christmas for KIm, I passed a gentlemen on the side of the road with a sign asking for help traveling home. At first I passed him up and then realized that as a Christian I don't have that choice. So I went back to help him. I offered him a place to warm up and food for him and his dog. He said that he had a camper parked at Wal-Mart and his family was with him and that all he really needed was a way to put gas in his car in order to get home to Wisconsin. So I gave him twenty dollars and told him God Bless.
It doesn't take that long or much effort to help people. I know that I in particular need to slow down and take time out of my busy schedule to help people.
Good night and God Bless
Mark
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ice brings most things to a stop
Well today we are out of school for ice. The streets are covered and there is just a light dusting of snow on top. You would think it should be pretty, but to me, if the grass isn't covered with the stuff, then it's not pretty at all it's just a nuisance that makes it hard for us to get to work. Yes - I did say get to work. Most school districts require that when school is called off, that their administrators come in and work, so here I am. My boys and Mark are at home enjoying their day off and oh, how I wish I could join them. I haven't had a day off since my new job started in July. Today, however, I can sit back and reflect on what all has happened since it started.
I didn't know that this job would involve as much service to others as it does, or I knew what the job required, but didn't recognize it as service. That may confuse some people, but let me explain. Teachers work everyday with students. They may have as many as 180 different students per day depending on what they teach. That means that they have 180 homework papers or tests to grade each time they give an assignment. In the education world now there are so many accountability standards that must be met that teachers, in general, feel totally overwhelmed. My job is to hold teachers accountable, while helping them meet the needs of their students. I find myself being counselor on many occasions to teachers. I also find myself looking for ways to alleviate the stress put on them from outside sources.
I try to come to work with a glad heart everyday so that they can see a light through me. This is especially hard when there is a perception that they only have to do certain things because of me. I have gone out of my way to obtain substitutes to give teachers an hour off to catch up on curriculum, lesson plans, etc., because these are the expectations. I typically send every minute of every day working with little time for personal issues. When I can reflect, on a day like today, I take heart that people are generally good people. Some forget that things aren't as bad as they seem and overreact to situations. But when you take time to stop and breath through a situation, you find that it wasn't that bad after all. Ice brings most things to a stop. Sometimes I wish people would stop and see what the Lord has done!
I didn't know that this job would involve as much service to others as it does, or I knew what the job required, but didn't recognize it as service. That may confuse some people, but let me explain. Teachers work everyday with students. They may have as many as 180 different students per day depending on what they teach. That means that they have 180 homework papers or tests to grade each time they give an assignment. In the education world now there are so many accountability standards that must be met that teachers, in general, feel totally overwhelmed. My job is to hold teachers accountable, while helping them meet the needs of their students. I find myself being counselor on many occasions to teachers. I also find myself looking for ways to alleviate the stress put on them from outside sources.
I try to come to work with a glad heart everyday so that they can see a light through me. This is especially hard when there is a perception that they only have to do certain things because of me. I have gone out of my way to obtain substitutes to give teachers an hour off to catch up on curriculum, lesson plans, etc., because these are the expectations. I typically send every minute of every day working with little time for personal issues. When I can reflect, on a day like today, I take heart that people are generally good people. Some forget that things aren't as bad as they seem and overreact to situations. But when you take time to stop and breath through a situation, you find that it wasn't that bad after all. Ice brings most things to a stop. Sometimes I wish people would stop and see what the Lord has done!
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Mark and Kim Jackson
