In August 1993, my little girl nervously walked into Liberty Elementary School in Azle, Texas for her first day of kindergarten. She carried in her pocket a picture key ring that had a picture of her family on one side and a picture of her little brother and her on the other side. That way, if she got scared during the day, she could take it out and be reminded of the people who loved her most. She reported at the end of the day that she only had to take it out twice the whole day. Her best review of the day, however, was summed up in this statement, "I want to go to kindergarten for the rest of my life!" We knew then that she and school were going to get along just fine.
Tomorrow--January 13, 2011--my little girl will nervously walk into Dalhart High School way up in the Texas panhandle for her first official day as the freshmen and junior English teacher. I didn't give her anything to put in her pocket this time. I will send her a text message that she can take out and look at if she wants to remember that her daddy always loves her. I gave her a big hug and kiss this morning when, fresh back from their honeymoon, she and her new husband (my new son-in-law) pulled out of my driveway headed for the "real world". I'm sure she has a picture of him that she can look at tomorrow whenever she gets scared of those teenaged hooligans.
I have two prayers for tomorrow. The first is that when she summarizes her day for Joe, it will have a familiar ring. I pray that she has such a sense of purpose and fulfillment--dare I say a sense of calling--that she will say, "I want to teach for the rest of my life!" The second is that the Lord will use her to impact her students in ways that she cannot possibly imagine. That is, that they will not just learn English, but that they will see in her a life that inspires them to greatness.
I am praying for you, Mrs. Dad. I am so unbelievably proud of you.
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