Teacher Appreciation

It's teacher appreciation week and I didn't want to go the whole week without recognizing a few of those people who unknowingly changed my life by what they weren't even teaching.

however... if you aren't into the story - just scroll to the photos... but it's a good one.

What is said in the classroom is often forgotten. This is evidenced by some of the kids I work with now. At the end of the day they will be spot on with the work done that day - they'll be on task and able to figure things out - the next day they'll respond "We learned that?..... yesterday?...... I don't remember".... However, the relationships built with the student and the one on one attention given makes all the difference.

For me - that teacher came when I went to college (don't get me wrong - I had lots of great teachers growing up - but none of them made me as angry as this one...)


I'd like to say that I was a bit babied by teachers in school. Not by their doing necessarily. I went to a small Christian school (the 'you have to wear dresses and ties' kind of school) and, although I'm extremely grateful for the level of education I received - no one ever told me I was wrong. I was a Christian and everything I learned solidified what I believed and made me convinced of the fact that I was right and it didn't matter what anyone else thought....

Then I went to college. My teacher pulled me into his office one day and said -

"Christina. You. are. wrong."

woah. I am stubborn by nature and no one tells me I'm wrong. (insert hand on hips, shaking finger, 'oh no you didn't)


He wanted to be sure that I knew I was wrong. We argued, we debated, he laughed, I cried. He was SO angry at God that he took this wrath out in conversations with me.


This teacher challenged me and pushed me to the limit. I questioned. I doubted. I struggled. For the first time in my life - I wrestled with my faith. And I came out stronger.

I am incredibly grateful to this man and would love to sit down and have these conversations again - I hope that you ask questions. I hope that you challenge yourself to determine why you believe what you believe and is it really real?

I hope you thank a teacher.

Took this picture mostly because I was inspired that my brother (Matthew) and his wife are coming to visit tomorrow! Pics of that are to come I'm sure.