I love Facebook. It has allowed me to keep in touch with friends near and far but this week it has been stealing my joy. This week my news-feed has been packed full of back to school photos. Full of smiling children all neatly dressed in their new school uniforms, pictures of them in their new beautiful classrooms and reunited with their little school friends who they have not seen all summer. They are smiling from ear to ear because they have been reunited with their buddies again and after all that is the best part of school, little friends.

I felt mixed emotions as I scrolled through the endless back to school photos and posts. It was lovely to see the pictures and the joy my friends and family are going through at the moment in the back to school season but I was also a little sad. I felt sad because we were not there experiencing and enjoying the special moment of starting a new school year.

Will started first grade at the beginning of January. We didn’t break for summer holidays as we are currently in California and are still in the middle of winter. The first day of grade one was just another school day, no new classroom, no new teacher, no friends to be reunited with. It was a little sad as we love school, we are homeschooling because of our current situation but we would rather be at school.

I went to church on Sunday evening with a little sadness in my heart. As we were winding down our Sunday afternoon it was Monday morning back home, the first day of school. I sat in church on my own and as I closed my eyes I asked God to help my heart to feel joy once again over the season we are in, away from home, away from family and friends, studying and homeschooling.

The worship team began to play and as I stood, eyes closed. seeking after God, somebody came along side me and she put her hand on my shoulder and she  began to prophesy. This stranger began to tell me how I was such a wonderful teacher and how the children that I teach were growing, learning and flourishing in my care. She went on speaking such beautiful and encouraging words to me. She did not know me at all but she knew God and He was showing her things about me and she listened and obeyed and shared with me. I was floored.

Our God is a good and faithful God. He was right there when I needed Him, reassuring me and reminding me that everything is ok. He has prepared me for this moment, there maybe no new classroom, or school friends, uniforms, schools bags or packed lunches but there is another type of special moments.

Instead there is one on one teaching that meets my little boy at the level he is at, there is more quality time with one another, there are new international friends and our classroom is a a new country to discover and explore. I am seeing my little boy grow and develop at a faster rate then what he would be achieving in a classroom setting. Yes it has it’s challenges but God is continuing to guide us and encourage us through this season.

So today (as I write this it is Monday afternoon) I started our school day with a renewed spirit and a heart of joy. I am thankful for the season I am in and I am thankful for my loving Heavenly Father who has reassured me and kept me on course. Our day was great, attitudes were good, level of work was at a high standard and we had fun with one another and when the power went out and with it our internet connection and therefore our ability to complete our online portion of the school day I did not let that steal my joy. Back to school blues you are not welcome here!