life is not busy

Too often, I find myself discontent with my current phase of life.  For so long I wished I was either back in a past phase of life, or longer for an upcoming phase.  With the recent learning of what my job for the summer will be, I find myself enjoying my current phase to the fullest.

Our lives are busy...far too busy a lot of the time.

Yes, my life feels busy right now, but when it all boils down to it, my life is not busy right now.  It has taken a recent circumstance to help me realize this.

Let me back the story up a little bit to what helped me come to this epiphany.

I wanted a teaching job just out of college.  I accepted a summer "lead teacher" job for a summer camp reaching students grades 1-5.  I enjoyed this, but felt unsatisfied as they did not want to do anything structured.  I had high hopes that this would open the door to a full time teaching position at the school for the fall.  The Lord had different plans.  It took me a while to be okay with this.

With my current preschool job, I don't plan any activities or structured activities because at the age of three, they have had enough structure and learning time by the time 3:00pm has arrived.  I work 18 hours a week, before any subbing opportunities that may arise.

I had a subbing position a few weeks back which shed light on some of my "discontentment".  While I was thankful for how the Lord provided this job, and have learned lots, I was not TEACHING.

I love kids.  This is fulfilled in my preschool job.

I love teaching.  This is not fulfilled in my preschool job.

Do not get me wrong, I am enjoying my time in the preschool, but I miss teaching.

Last week, I was asked to be the lead teacher this summer in our preschool summer camp.  No, this will not have the same structure as an academic classroom, but I will still be able to teach.

And this brings us to today.  Never before have I had time in my life to plan ahead and taken time plotting out my goals.  I have made it through, by the grace of God, and been able to do well at the things He has given me to do, but never before have I been able to simply sit down and plan out lessons I will do several months from now.

I have the time to sit down and plan my lessons, both in a broad sense (weekly themes, special days I want to have, general outline of a day, etc.), but also more specifically (books I want to read for the different themes, how each week will break down, crafts, snacks, etc.).  I have been able to do research on behavior plans for the specific age God has given me to work with.  I have been able to research where my students are developmentally, while adding in personal experience I have gleaned this year.

God's timing is perfect.

I do not yet know what my plans are for the fall.  My hopes are to be teaching full time in an elementary classroom, but this is in the Lord's hands.  His timing is perfect.  His plans are perfect.

I rest in His goodness, praising Him that this phase of life isn't too busy.  I have the time to sit down and work toward giving Him my best in the tasks He gives me.