As the first day of school is coming in less than a month, my happy teachers are enjoying the last days of summer. As most folks who have taught anything understand, teaching is a very rewarding but exhausting vocation. Teachers feel constant pressure. They continually care for others. In doing so, they can easily neglect their own souls. Well, how can we make sure we are caring for our souls to ensure we give the Lord and our students the best we got? Here's a recommended list I've compiled over the years.
- Abide in Christ. Whether it's meditating on Scripture in the mornings or casting your cares on the Lord throughout the day, we need God. Here are some questions to consider: Is teaching a joy or a burden? Is your soul glad our weighed down?
- Rest. Exodus 20:8 tells us to remember the Sabbath day. Jeff Purswell says, "This is a commandment to cease productivity and work." Jesus often broke away with his disciples to a lonely place to rest. I think rest includes setting good sleep patterns.
- Play. God gave this world to us as a gift to enjoy. In the psalms we see that God wants us to be happy people. Enjoying leisure activities is good. Again Jeff Purswell: "When you receive them from him every activity is sanctified and ennobled and our lives are enriched." I think lots of exercise activities can be found here.
- Enjoy fellowship. Like the Trinity, we exist in community. We need others and their care, so let's disclose ourselves to others. Have someone ask you whether you are working too much. In other words, share the load.
- Drink lots of coffee. I believe strongly in the psychosomatic effect coffee has on the soul.
- Get comfortable with unfinished work on your desk. I've heard C.J. say many times, "Only the Lord completes his to-do list each day." Stopping work requires faith that God is still working.
- Enjoy relationships with students. God delights in our students because they reflect him, so we can also find great delight in them. After all, they are why we're here. Enjoying our students not only refreshes our souls, but gives us inroads to their hearts because establishing relationship is the first step God takes in redeeming us.
- Figure out how to unclog a copier jam. You won't know how this cares for your soul until the copier has a paper jam 30 seconds before your class starts.
- Retreat. I don't mean run away from the students. Take long chunks of time to break away from the normal rhythm of life to remember the "Big Picture" and count your blessings.
- Beware of the tyranny of the urgent. Instead spend time to contemplate and determine what is most important for you to do each week.
One more for good measure that I couldn't find a place for in my list: laugh at yourself. When I don't take myself so seriously, I display a humility that says, "It's not all up to me."
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