Through The Glass... ACT 111

One memory verse we learn in all five of my classes is James 1:22-24:
"Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.''
We discuss the meaning and I bring up that Mom, in her late stages of Alzheimer's, did not recognize her own image. I tell the kids that sometimes at the end of the day, I look at myself in the mirror, and don't always like what I see. The kids finished this statement: 'When I look in the mirror, I see....' Every student is allowed complete confidentiality and some years, I do not even read any that request privacy. My students are very honest; some of their reflections will choke you up as you see yourself during your teenage years. Over the next few nights, I'll run some of the responses of those who were willing to share; boys are in blue and girls are in pink. These will be a mixture of 8th graders-sophomores-juniors-seniors.

When I look in the mirror, I see a girl who is struggling to know who she is and wanting to know what God expects of her. I see a girl who wishes she had never grown up so everything would be so simple, so she wouldn't have to know the horrible things about the world. I see a girl who sometimes acts like everything is fine but only those who know her well know that it's not true. I see a girl who has huge dreams for the future but doesn't really want to make it a reality because she's afraid to fail. I see a girl who always turns to God when she has troubles and waits for His response. I see a girl who wants everything she does to glorify God. -L

When I look in the mirror, I see a young man with sorrow covered up by a fake smile. I see a young man with great potential who is scared to use it. I see a guy staring back at me with a blank face, wondering what he will do with himself. I see someone who is scared to tell his friends what is really going on in his life. I see someone who is scared to find out what will happen in the future. I see someone hurting with many deaths around him. I see someone struggling with multiple battles, someone who needs help but is scared to get it. But, more importantly, I see ME, who has faith that can move mountains, who believes Jesus is MY Savior, MY redeemer, MY friend. -C.

When I look in the mirror, I see a young woman who has come far. I see a girl who has felt not just her own pain but also the harsh realities of the world. I see a caring friend as well as a loving daughter and sister. I see a girl who has been broken, had her soul thrown around carelessly, and been mistreated. I see a girl who believed the lies that she was worth nothing but was lucky enough to pick herself up, put herself together, and has learned to never go back. When I look in the mirror, I smile. -L

When I look in the mirror, I thought I knew what I saw but now, I'm not sure. I see someone who has changed drastically but does not understand his change. He has done things he has never done before. He looks in the mirror countless times and wonders what has happened to him. What has evoked this change? I see someone struggling to get his life together and thinks  he almost does when something happens at the last minute because he's done something stupid. He's gained a perspective on life this year that has affected the lives of people close to him in a negative way, and he's sorry for that. He's really sorry but it may be too late for those people to forgive him. He just hopes that one day he can appreciate the love and support he's received from the people who care for him. -D

When I look in the mirror, I see a traditional Chinese girl without any makeup but with a big, sweet smile on her face. I see the shiny, wooden Honduras cross hanging around her neck, the cross she wears everyday and the cross which comes from God. I see a hard-working girl who studies hard and because of her faith in God, she never cheats. I see a girl who loves her friends, her teachers, and her family so much that she will never forget them, even if one day she loses her mind because they are in the bottom of her heart. I also see a girl who doesn't show respect to her sincere mom when she is in a bad mood, but she actually loves her the most. I see a girl who sometimes talks about others she doesn't like, though that's really bad. I believe she will change. I see a positive girl who believed in God as soon as the first time she met Him, the right one, the light she can follow, and she will never disobey him. -A

One young man on the spot wrote a poem:
When I look in the mirror
I see a living beat box

An instrumentalist
Who likes the bass drop.
A dark skinned boy
Who just beats it out frame
Who has a bright future
But wants to acquire fame.
A poet at heart
Who can't remember his name
Cuz he's been called so many things:
Charcoal, Oil, and a shame.
Cuz he's really good at everything
Except for his grades.
He wishes he could focus on his family, too
Because sometimes he's alone
And he doesn't know what to do. -B

When I look in the mirror, I know I'm blessed to teach these kids. -SH

Applicable quote of the day:

There are some minds like either convex or concave mirrors, which represent objects such as they receive them, but never receive them as they are.

Joseph Joubert  God bless,  Steve Luke 18:1 www.hawleybooks.com E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com