It seems like there's always that kid that finds an excuse to stick around after school. Of course you have the kids who have to stay because they have make up time, or because they need help with something. But then you have the kids who say they need help, or who don't finish their work on purpose so they can stay. I love those kids. Although they may slow down my work after school, I think some kids just need a little extra attention, and I'm okay with giving it to them.

M stuck around today after school, even though he'd had plenty of time to finish his work in class. We had an interesting conversation about religion. He asked me if I was agnostic. I said no. He asked me if I was a Christian. I said, yes. He told me that he was Jewish and that the Jews killed Jesus. I explained to him that I didn't think that that was true, but that someone had to do it. He told me that I should come to temple with him sometime, and he told me about his Bar Mitzvah. Of course I must confess that at that point, I could only think of Seth Cohen.

It's so funny to me that religion has been barred from the public arena, yet belief is in our very souls. We can't help but believe in certain things, and to wonder what those next to us believe too.

I still wonder what it means to be a Christian teaching in a public school, but I can't imagine anywhere else I would rather teach. I know that these children are so precious to the heart of God, and I want to grow daily in the understanding of that. And in the understanding of God's heart for me. I am realizing that until I understand how precious and loved I am, I cannot loves others as well as I should.