HOLD ME, JESUS: IT WILL GIVE ME THE COURAGE THAT I NEED!

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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So you came back to hear my GOD STOP stories?!?! How about I just tell you one right now! I am not finished with grading papers and now it's almost Friday...oh, my! Yes, my brain is fried...my Christmas decorations are not up...my "Christmas company" begins arriving tomorrow...oh, and did I say my grades are not all in?!?!?!

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Let's see, can you take a minute and just hear the story? Thanks! I have taught three university courses this semester, all called DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION. Hmmmmmmm... remember my Wednesday post with the words DIFFERENT, DIFFERENCE, DIFFERENCES, DIFFERENTLY.... Yes! That is a big focus of mine. Let me say it again. Two of my favorite, non-Biblical sayings are:

• "Honor the DIFFERENCES!"
• "Not right! Not wrong! Just DIFFERENT!

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So, I had two FINALS classes on Monday and one on Tuesday. Each one I conducted the same. Every class this semester I have written 1, 2, 3 on the board to outline the 3 main things I have planned for class. This class period was no different. I wrote on the board each time something like this:

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1. Complete Dipositional Final Evaluation - then turn it in with Class Profile Portfolio and final Ah-Ha comments.
2. Two Video clips and comments
3. Share with group your Ah-Ha Learnings from this class and Discoveries that you have made about yourself this semester as a future teacher

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When we got to #2, I told the class that this was the most important part of their semester. I would show them two video clips about two people with learning DIFFERENCES and then I would make some comments:

• VIDEO CLIP 1: the first man who had "overcome" says that his teachers made him feel SMALL and he never learned to read or write...he pretty much has to make it on his own...
• VIDEO CLIP 2: the second man is still in a wheelchair and can not speak with his mouth, but his dad pushes his wheelchair/bike in IRONMAN races and he can type and the computer speaks for him. He successfully graduated from high school and college and is "probably happier and more fulfilled than 95% of the people on earth." It has been his father who has been the "wind beneath his wings", his number one encourager, his advocate, the man who carries him...
• I SAT ON THE FLOOR OF MY CLASSROOM WITH MY STUDENTS DESKS CIRCLED AROUND ME AND LOOKED UP AT THEM. MY COMMENTS paraphrased: "I am sitting here on the floor looking up at you to remind you that I am your teacher and that makes me your servant and you are more important than me. I have tried to be here for you this semester to teach, to guide, to inspire, to encourage, "to hold your hand"... I've messed up along the way...for that I am sorry... I'm still your teacher... I love you... I care for you...In my many years of teaching in the public schools, only about 25% of my students had parents who were really caring and supportive...many of that small percentage of parents were "over the top" advocates for their children with disabilities... the other 75% of my students only had an advocate if their teacher was their advocate... an accomodating teacher who knew how to differentiate instruction so that all learners could learn... a teacher who would "hold or carry his/her student if necessary..."

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There were tears in many eyes, in each class, as we finished sharing what we would take with us from this semester. Yet, something happened in the third class that I will never forget. One woman had more tears. Everyone left. She stayed behind. I closed the door. She told me the rest of her story. Last week after our class, she had left and gone by her grandmothers to check on her - only to find her very sick (I believe she said "passed out"). She carried her grandmother to the car and drove her to the hospital. She remained with her grandmother over the course of the next 5 days. Tuesday morning, my student was sitting with her grandmother in the hospital and noticed that something wasn't quite right. She asked her grandmother if she would like to be held. My student picked up her grandmother, carried her across the room, and sat down, continued to hold her in her arms, and began to rock her. It was then, around 11 a.m., that her grandmother died in her arms.

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There I stood holding my student as she sobbed in my arms. Five hours earlier, she had been holding her grandmother. I believe Jesus was holding all three of us.

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I believe that everyone needs to be encouraged. I believe that encouragement is a way to help put courage IN someone. Holding, carrying, advocating are all ways to encourage. When I sing the song, HOLD ME, JESUS...I sing it because I need encouragement. When Dick Hoyt carries Rick Hoyt in those Ironman races, it not only encourages Rick but everyone who watches. When I have taken my students by the hand and literally "carried them" through a school year, that is a great encouragement to them and to their families. When I offered my university students "a hand" several times this semester, it gave them courage to finish the semester strong. When my student offered her grandmother a hand on Tuesday, she gave her grandmother courage to die with grace.

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Have you offered someone a hand recently? Not just a hand-out...but a hand-up! I love this transforming scripture about four faithful friends who gave their hands... plus, they went the extra mile:

Mark 2:3-12 "And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." ......."I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose and immediately took up the pallet and went out in the sight of all; so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

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When's the last time you went the extra mile to instill courage in someone?!?

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