Thank you for primary school

In a week's time, the primary school journey will be over!  Well, it's really felt like that since the PSLE ended more than a month ago, but it's only today that I thought to write about it...

It's a healthy practice to give thanks after every journey.  Gratefulness is an under-appreciated virtue, and the pilgrims got it right when they celebrated the first Thanksgiving after arriving on American shores in 1621.  According to wikipedia, there were just 53 pilgrims in attendance that first Thanksgiving, along with 90 native guests.  Small beginnings for what is now a huge American national holiday, but perhaps the gratefulness was more genuine then!

I am thankful for both my kids coming through primary school healthy in body.  Some weird accidents along the way - strangely, it was my older, more careful daughter who (a) tripped and scraped her face (what a frightening scab that was when we picked her up from the general office!); (b) tripped and literally did a 360 flip before crashing on her back down the stairs (when we realised gymnastics was probably not a career option); (c) tripped and cut her chin on her grandparents' driveway, requiring several stitches (super stoic when being stitched, the doctor commented!); (d) tripped and ran her leg half way down a hole in a field (a miracle she didn't break it!)... you get the idea.  A lot of tripping but God's protection was always surrounding her like a force field :D

I am thankful for both my kids coming through primary school with their minds stretched.  The school did a good job giving them opportunities to learn all sorts of things.  It's a good sign when the Daddy and Mommy can't figure out half the things they are doing.  It means there's a good chance the kids are going to be smarter than us :D  Stack models.  Demihemisemioctahedrons (or something like that lah).  Chinese poetry (!!!).  Cutting a Minecraft video to promote anti-littering campaign (absolutely incredible for a bunch of 10-11 year olds).  15 minute powerpoint presentations *with no notes*!!!  听写with no 听写单 (whaaaaat???!!!)

Most of all, I am thankful for both my kids coming through primary school strengthened in character.  The daughter - bravely sticking up *against* her friends for those who are bullied.  (I remember this especially in the light of the recent video that went viral, of the secondary school boys bullying one of their own *while one of them videos it for sport*!)  Exercising painful integrity in voluntarily telling the teachers when she is awarded marks for questions she actually got wrong.  Faithfully doing her daily devotions and sharing her learning with her friends and parents.

The son - refusing to give up Chinese as a first language even when the teachers offered it to him after seeing him struggle.  In his words - I'd rather try and fail than give up!  Courageously telling his friends about Jesus even when they laugh at him.  Always the first to rush over and ask "are you ok?" when he hears someone yelp in pain at home, even if it's just a stubbed toe or a dropped plate!

It wasn't all smooth sailing of course.  There were tears, stumbles, exhausting times when all that kept us going was sheer bloody-mindedness, trusting that God was carrying us.  More stories on that in another instalment!  It often seems a frightening world that our kids are preparing for, but we know that we are carried safe and sound in His hands.

In this morning's devotions, I read from Psalm 13. Verses 5-6 say "But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

It is not easy to wait when going through difficulties or disappointments.  But it sure helps when I remember, as the psalmist says - God has been good to me.  Thus far He has helped me.  Thus far He has always proved His love.  That's why I remember to be grateful, to be thankful for all the things He has done.  And so I know He will continue to be there for me and my family!  Thank you Jesus!

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