Encouragement Is the Oxygen that Vitalizes Everything We Do

Parents, thank you so much for your show of support to all of us on staff through your Christmas cards, treats and gifts!!  You can’t believe how much we appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity. These signs of encouragement lift our spirits and the burdens of the semester-ending load.

Ongoing words of encouragement throughout the school year matter as well. Sometimes a teacher is surprised when I report a really good comment that came out at the Quarterly Exchanges saying, “I never knew that aspect of what I am doing was appreciated so much.” Most of us think affirming thoughts when things happen, but in the rush of the daily details, we forget to pass these thoughts on. I know I sometimes forget.

It is the same thing at home. We expect certain things to happen — dinners made, clothes washed, chores done — and barely comment when these are completed, even when they are done well. Yet, we all feel it when things are not done; a skipped chore, a late dinner, a lack of that clean shirt we were counting on… When this happens we are quick to complain.  In fact, when people open up a suggestion box or run a survey, one will get 2 to 3 times the complaints to every one word of affirmation.

We must forget the power of encouragement, it’s indispensability and all of God’s instructions to do so. Ever wonder why this is such a common instruction in the Word? 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 14:19. Could it be that God knows how vital this is for us?

Again, thank you for the kind gifts and encouragement the last week of school. We so much appreciate it. Thank you also for you parents who have trained your students for thanking us at the end of class. It is so nice to hear.

How about if we make a deal?? We will remind your children to also thank their co-teachers in the satellite classroom and we will work to remember words of encouragement regarding your children rather than only communicate when there is a problem. And you all will work to do the same for us teachers. Just think of the culture we will be creating. Just think of what it will mean when we say, “We Are Veritas.”