"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23
One thing I have always had an unbridled obsession with is new school supplies. My roommate in college thought I was downright crazy when I described the giddy feeling of pure bliss I get when I walk into Office Depot. Honestly, I thought I was alone in this seemingly odd fascination with new pens, new pencils, and oh my goodness new notebooks - which I fancy on the deepest of all levels - until I became a teacher. And come to find out, there's a whole tribe of us!! When I entered the teaching world I met so many other people who are emotionally overtaken by new school supplies. I even met a girl in college who bought some perfume online that smelled like new crayons. And it actually smelled like new crayons! And she wore it regularly! This is no lie. I may or may not have strategically chosen my seat in class each week based on where she was sitting and the angle the air would blow so her new crayon smell would waft in my direction. What? That's not weird.
Of course I've asked myself several times, "Why DO you love new school supplies so much? Why does the thought of stacks upon stacks of blank notebooks make your pulse race and your heart leap?" I've thought long and hard on this people, and I could only think of a couple of reasons: 1) I have a disorder of some sort-- NSSOD? (New School Supply Obsession Disorder) or 2) I've been hard-wired by my Creator to seek that which is new.
For the sake of what's significant, I'm going with number 2. The Bible is full of new things - new beginnings, new rulers, new lands, new ideas, new covenants, new life. Perhaps the most famous "new" in the Bible is the creation story found in Genesis 1. New things are constantly happening through each book in the Bible, even in the book of Revelation when it seems like the end.
A fresh start is refreshing. A fresh start can give a weary soul the energy and hope needed to push forward. Newness is one of the many blessings God has given us. God so values the new that He gives us consistent opportunities to begin again. We know that years and even days can seem long. Especially when we are tired, or stressed, or just feeling flat out defeated by the circumstances of life. And we all know there is no tired like teacher tired. (insert funny meme here) But Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Yes, he gives us new years, new months, and new weeks. He even gives us a new morning every single day so that we can begin again and make the thing right that we got wrong yesterday. We get a new opportunity each day. With God's help, we can become better versions of ourselves EACH.AND.EVERY.DAY.
And we, as educators, have an extra blessing. New school years. What better time is there to make right what we got wrong with the previous class - or maybe the previous 20 or even 30 classes? Or what better time to make something you do that is great even greater? We get to be an important, if not the most significant, influence on different kids every August. The beginning of a new school year is naturally the time our students are seeking what is new too. They NEED something new. A new environment, a new friend, a new way of learning, a new hope that they are valuable and have worth. We get to give them this! What a privilege!
So this is it. This is our reset God gave us to make what we do and who we are better than what we did and who we were. As we take out those new pens, crayons, and notebooks that we love so dearly I pray that we remember the new opportunities God has given us and settle to make the best of them.
Dear God, I thank you for the opportunity you have given us as educators to influence the lives of kids. Thank you for the strength and guidance you provide us every day to be who and what our students need. I pray that we would recognize the power we have in You and use it to the benefit of our classrooms and school. Lead us in the upcoming school year. Show us where we need to change and give us the courage to face it head on so that we can have the greatest impact for You. Put the desire in our hearts to teach as the Master Teacher does with love,
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