boy was yesterday a long, long day. i knew i needed to get through that dark stage in my story, it wasn't pretty or poetic, just poured out pain. i had been avoiding that decade for years. every time i'd try to write about it i'd change the subject, each time i'd try to chronicle it i'd skip it. so yesterday was about breaking through. it was good for me, but left me very empty, and with lots of mixed emotions.
the last thing i wanted to do was to head out to teach 200 kids at vbs. yuck. it's been a good, but long week. 3 lessons a night, having to deconstruct big concepts down to reach the 6 year old group, the 8 year old group, and the 10 year old group. the lesson couldn't be 'one size fits all'. i just had nothing left to give last night.
pink and buck dragged me out the door with their enthusiasm, otherwise i'd not have made it. then we're sitting at the potluck supper for the volunteers before the program and one of the 10 year old boys is sitting across from me. i liked the oldest group lesson the most, they were attentive, i knew they enjoyed being there, i didn't treat them like babies and of course no one wants to get to youth group more than a 5th grader, so i have some weird celebrity status in their eyes as the youth pastor's wife.
back to michael. he's sitting across from me at the dinner and he looks up and shyly says, 'you're a really GOOD teacher' (emphasis his). how many 10 year old boys know how to give compliments? i don't know, but his gave me wings. it was exactly what i needed to get through the rest of the night, even the crazed 6 year olds who were hopped up on ice cream sundaes.
a little compliment goes a long, long way.
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