Simply Remind Me: Thank the Teacher for your teachers

This morning my daughter went outside in the rain to cut some flowers to take to her teachers at school. It’s teacher appreciation at our school this week. Oh how I appreciate our teachers and their dedication and hard work they pour out into our children’s lives, and unfortunately admit, I don’t thank them enough. I shouldn’t be showing gratitude for them just this week in May but I should be all through the year.

This past weekend a big group of kids and parents had the privilege to honor my daughter’s kindergarten teacher (from five years ago…how fast time goes) and we also had to sadly say “we’ll miss you”. Our daughter has been participating in the Splash! program where the state curriculum has been taught almost entirely in the Spanish language the past five years…starting in this teacher’s class. The program allows the teacher to come from another country and teach here in America for up to five years, and that time has quickly run out. What a gift and blessing she has been to not only our daughter, but also our family! We will miss her and her family terribly. She has the gift of teaching and showed how love can be spoken in every language. She loves teaching children and we know it. In recent conversations she and I have had, I rejoice in her faith and we’re trusting God, or Dios, with His plans for her and her family.

To teach is a gift. Teaching is the most valuable and important job needed. If it weren’t for teachers, where would we be? Teachers teach everything from ABC’s, to fractions, to the history of the world, physics, how to make new colors from red, blue and yellow, and where to place your fingers on a piano to learn how to play a song.

But just as important, if not more, they teach respect, kindness, and love for one another.

The greatest teacher of all was Jesus. In the Gospel books alone, Jesus is called or referred to as “Teacher” about 70 times! His classroom, was mountainsides, lakesides, boats, synagogues. His students were everyone who heard him in large gatherings and even one-on-one encounters with those whom he longed to learn about his love.

He taught people to count their blessings and to say “thank you” to his Father. He taught not to add up the number of wrong-doings of others. He reiterated the importance of telling the story of His truth to pass on to their children and grandchildren and put it into action. He taught about money, forgiveness, respect, love, prayer, poverty, marriage, parenting and that He is the Savoir to name a few. He also instructed the disciples to write down his teachings to pass on for generations to come so it will never disappear .

I read this description of the Teacher that Jesus was and it’s too just.right. to re-word.

“As Teacher, He had none of the resources we have today – amplification, visuals, media, electronic aids. Yet, in marvelous tribute to His teaching, we have a substantive record of His discourses and teaching. Included in the account are 30 parables, where He painted word pictures so graphically that those who heard could never forget them.

What He taught has never become outdated but is as timely and timeless as when His words resonated throughout Galilee. All other learning and knowledge pale into insignificance compared to the eternal truths He imparted.”

100 Portraits of Christ by Henry Gariepy

Divine Teacher, I thank you for the teachers I’ve had in my life and for those in our children’s lives…educationally and especially, spiritually. With this psalmist I pray, “Teach us Your ways, O Lord. We want and need to walk in Your truth.” (Psalm 86:11)

Thanking the Teacher for these gifts: