When God Answers...

My master's degree diploma arrived in the mail last Friday. 

I decided to go graduate school about the same time that Mema was diagnosed with cancer.  I almost used her illness as an excuse to back out of the whole thing, but she would hear nothing of it.  She wanted me to follow my dreams, and always encouraged me to get all the education I could.  I have to admit, I feel a little guilt over the amount of time I had to spend on school that took away from the time I could have spent with her.  She would get me if she ever heard me admit that, though.  You won't tell, will you?

The only picture I have of Mema at my graduation.  

About a week before my graduation, Mema started feeling bad again.  There was some discussion about whether or not she would even be able to attend.  This upset me, because having her watch me walk across that stage to have that hood draped over my head was one of the only reasons I even decided to go through the ceremony.  I didn't say anything, though, as she and my mother discussed the logistics of getting her there.  I left the room, and when I came back, she called me to the chair where she was sitting.  She told me that when she got sick, she asked the Lord to let her live long enough to see me graduate, and there was no way that she was going to miss it.  So, that was settled.  Arrangements were made to get her there in her wheelchair, and when they hooded me, I was looking right at her.  She had to leave before I could get back to see her, but she was there. 

It was a major ordeal for her to go to my graduation because she was so sick.  As a matter of fact, 18 days later, she had her own "graduation."  But, the Lord had granted her request and she felt she had to do her part to get that answer to prayer.  That is how it is sometimes.  We ask the Lord for something, but there is something we have to do on our side to receive the answer.  If she had stayed home, would that mean that God had let her down?  Nope.

I've been thinking about this in relation to my life right now.  Last spring, I asked the Lord to grant us favor in regard to the school where I work.  I wanted the faculty and students to be able to stay together, whether in our building or in a different one.  He gave us another place to call home.  But, boy, it has been a lot of work to get the place ready.  Everyone that works there, and many of the parents and community members have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure our students had a great place to come to school.  We had to do our part.

God isn't like a fairy godmother.  He doesn't wave a magic wand and make things appear for us.  Now, I'm not saying he couldn't, I'm just saying he doesn't work that way.  He moves through people.  He empowers us to be the best we can be.  He helps us to do great things.  So, when you pray for something, and God answers, be sure and listen to what he says!  Be willing to do your part, even when it's hard. 

My Favorite Volunteer

Emily watching as Mema helps with a project in our kindergarten class.  

 

 

 

Tomorrow is the first day of school at Chouteau Elementary.  In the depths of the building, in a room off of the fourth grade classroom, sits Mema's sewing machine.  We gave it to one of Mema's favorite teachers who sews with her kids every year.  Mrs. McBurney's kids make quilts and pillows.  When Emily was in her class, Mema volunteered to help with some of the projects.  But she was always my volunteer first.

Before I became the school's librarian, I taught Pre-K and Kindergarten.  When Sarah was old enough to start school, she was in my half-day Pre-K class.  Every day at lunch time, Mema would bring Emily up to the school and we would all eat lunch in the cafeteria together.  This continued the next year when Sarah and I graduated to full-day Kindergarten and Emily started Pre-K.  Mema would come to pick Emily up and we ate with my whole Kindergarten class.

Finally, both girls were in school all day.  Mema was free to come to the school to help out with projects.  Sometimes she would just come up and bring me lunch.  My favorite part of the day, though, was about fifteen minutes before school was out.  While I was reading to my class and wrapping up the day, Mema would show up in the back of my classroom and start wiping down the tables with Clorox wipes and putting the chairs up on the tables.  If we had been really messy, she would even sweep up around the classroom.  It didn't matter that we had a custodian, she just wanted to make sure the tables were clean and the kids stayed healthy.  She did this for almost three years--without fail--until she got sick. 

After that, I cleaned my own tables and put up  my own chairs.  I'm a big girl, I could do it.  The thing that made me sad was that the kids missed out on her loving presence.  My kindergartners loved her, and many of them called her "Mema".  She got to know many of them, and I know she made a difference in their lives.

So, we start school tomorrow in our new building.  She isn't here to volunteer anymore, but her sewing machine will continue her service to the Chouteau community.  Sew on Mrs. McBurney!!!

Missing My Prayer Partner...

Today was my first day back to work after a very hectic summer break.  We have moved our school into a new building, and I'm not sure anyone really got the rest they should have over the summer.  Nevertheless, I was very happy to be with my Chouteau family.  The first thing many of our staff members did this morning was meet for a voluntary prayer meeting.  We met as a group and then went throughout the new building praying for our students and asking the Lord's blessing over our new school and our new year.  But this wasn't the first time I prayed over a school....

I think Mema was really proud of my decision to become a teacher.  Had she been born into my situation, she probably would have been a teacher herself.  She told me that Grandma Versie once taught in a one-room schoolhouse, so maybe the teacher-gene just runs in the family.  When I got a job at Chouteau, it was a double blessing because it is situated in the area of Tulsa many call the "Sand Springs Line", and this is where Mema grew up, raised her own family, and pastored a church.  When Sarah and Emily started school at Chouteau, Mema really became more involved.  I have many stories about things she did and people she touched as she volunteered at that little school.  There were many times when I would be having a rough time with my class that she and I would stand in my classroom praying for peace, wisdom, strength, and yes, even sometimes patience. 

When talk came of closing Chouteau, Mema was one of our main prayer warriors.  And when news came that we would only close the building, and move the program to the Madison Middle School campus, she was so pleased.  At the hospital, when she was really getting bad, I told her I was going home for the night, and would be back the next day.  She told me I needed to go home and get some rest so I could take care of HER school.  As I walked the hallways praying over each classroom, I couldn't help but feel her with me.  I know she would not only be proud of the hard work and determination, but of the faith and unity of the faculty today. 

Thank you, all of my Chouteau friends, for always making my Mema feel like she was an important part of our team.  And thank you even more for being there for me throughout her illness, and through our loss of her.  You make me smile knowing that I get to work with you again as we set off on this new chapter in our lives.  :)