The Most Important One

There's a long-standing joke in my family that my only talent is wrapping presents. My dad was once talking about how all of his kids have different and special abilities. It went something like this: "Josh is just so musically talented. He can pick up and learn any instrument. And Chris is so spatially talented. He can easily see how to take things apart and put them back together. And Kaela... Kaela is so good at wrapping Christmas presents."

For a long time, I believed that my lack of athletic, artistic, or musical ability (especially in conjuncture with that of my family), meant that I really wasn't talented at anything. Except gift wrap, apparently. Until I found teaching. I'm by no means saying that I'm an amazing teacher - I'm not. Not yet anyway. But it is the first thing that I've ever felt like a natural at, and like I have the potential to someday actually excel at. 

As I've whined about in past posts, I spent a big chunk of last spring applying for teaching jobs. I got extremely disheartened by my lack of success with this, frustrated with the whole system, and essentially gave up. The beginning of the school year came, and I was fortunate enough to be blessed with other work. In fact, my other work was so potentially exciting that I thought that God was possibly taking me in a completely different direction. So when my friend Kelsey approached me at church to tell me about an opening at her school, I turned it down. I wanted to see where this movie job could take me. (I could move to LA, meet all the stars, marry Ryan Gosling... can't you see it all happening?!) But God pushed through my idiocy, and a week later, Kelsey told me again that they still hadn't filled the position. The timing of this was perfect, because in that week I learned that I didn't like the movie job. It was an incredible opportunity, but so unfulfilling, often frustrating, and it certainly wasn't using my abilities. So I sent Kelsey my resume, and 3 days later interviewed and got the job.

I could not be happier where I am. I am downright spoiled. I have 22 sweet, kind, eager, and hilarious third graders who make every day fun and joyful. I have an amazing team who supports me through the craziness of starting six weeks into school. I love my school community, and probably wouldn't choose to be anywhere else. 

While so many of these 101 goals are fun, or interesting, or silly, the goal of getting a teaching job was definitely the most important to me. Having this job makes me feel so much more sure of myself and my place in this world. It challenges me and fulfills my desire to do something worthwhile. And I can't get over how God has provided for me in all of this. While my perfect job was waiting for me, He provided other work and allowed me to have a crazy that job that, if for nothing else, makes for a really good story. The timing was so perfect, in fact, that I started my teaching job just one day after the movie wrapped. What a ridiculously lucky duck I am.

My precious class at our Halloween party!