Smile … You’re On Candid Camera
I looked sharply towards the sound of the snicker I heard with my teacher frown in place, wondering which one of my students dared to laugh when I was dealing with what I considered a very serious matter.
At that moment I had two innocent, angelic faces standing before me, one of them guilty of a serious crime but both of them claiming to be innocent. What’s a teacher to do? Well this teacher had just announced to the class at large, in a not so happy voice, “Well students, I guess I’m going to be Judge Judy today!” As the words rang around the class it was then that I heard the snicker.
Smile… you’re on candid camera. There stood one of my student’s father with a big grin on his face. “Excuse me Judge Ju… I mean Miss Mac I just needed to speak to my son for a minute.”
After the parent left and my face stopped burning I adjoined that court session because my students now had a case of the giggles. Since the solemnity of my courtroom classroom was broken what could I do? I joined in the laughter. One thing I’ve learned in my years of teaching is not to take myself too seriously.
The bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
Even when dealing with serious issues it is necessary, at times, to step back, take a deep breath and if appropriate laugh. Laughter may even give you a different perspective on what seemed like a serious situation.
A perfect ending would be to say that I got a confession from one of the two students, well I didn’t (even after I later gave the I may not have seen but Jesus did speech). What I did get though was a hug from one of my now beaming students with a happy, “Miss you’re a nice teacher.” I don’t know what lesson I taught in that moment but my students were sure impressed, lol.
I pray today that God will give us the gift of laughter that in the moments of our lives when we appear to be less than perfect, like the human beings we are, we will be able to laugh at ourselves and move on.
I am also a teacher – pre-k! It is the hardest, most enjoyable job I’ve ever had. There is nothing like a guilty four-year-old with their big eyes staring up at you and a furrowed brow! Ach! it gets me every time! I have to work hard not to crumble, so I can get the correction of the bad deed accross to their little (yet still sometimes devious!) minds. Your right! I can’t take myself too seriously, and I gotta give hugs!
Please Enter Me.
You know what, I bet God spends a fair amount of time laughing and giggling at our antics, too (well, the ones that don’t totally sadden Him anyway). Praise Him that there is NO condemnation, just forgiveness, salvation and giggles!
Grace & Peace,
Sherry
Please enter me!
Laughter really can be the best medicine.
Please enter me, thanks.
I find that being a mom gives me lots of opportunities to laugh in the middle of what I think is a very grave situation. For some reason, when I allow myself to laugh I find I am able to see the situation more clearly and am able to be more gracious as well.
Praise the Lord for our funny bones!
-enter me, please 🙂
Oh Bernadine,
You are a delight. What privileged students to be in your classroom. This is a wonderful lesson and it spoke to me today.
I plan to lighten up and enjoy the giggles this very day. Love you!
As a mom and a teacher I thank you for the reminder not to take ourselves so seriously!
Please enter me today.
Laughter is precious, and great medicine.
Bernadine,
This was a great example of taking the difficult and making light out of it. I love to laugh. I’ve learned to laugh at myself too. It’s taken me a while though as I used to set myself up on a higher standard. Perfectionist tendencies in me.
Anyway, this was too cute. A good reminder. I’m leaving thankful.
I’m just glad that you didn’t have to cut one of them in two to come up with a great solution…
Laughter really is the best medicine, especially when we take ourselves too seriously. Forturnately, my kids know when to try to make me giggle. It lets off the steam from my tenseness and gives the needed break for when I’m about to come on too strongly.
Enter me please.
Bernadine:
I needed this one today. I’m on the tale end of Spring Break, and I’m close to comatose. I need to laugh more and stress less, even when my youngins are guilty!
I want to invite anyone who is “weary in their doing” …parenting or otherwise…to hope over to my blog for my latest post, “a weary doing…a worthy reward.”
I want to be an encouragement to others, and I also want encouragement.
Thanks for all of these wonderful devotions you all provide. Even after the “contest” is over, I will continue to come back every day for some love and encouragement. You all are the best.
peace~elaine
http://peaceforthejourney.blogspot.com
and yes…please “enter me”.
Please enter me.
I’m not a teacher but I have six children so I feel you!
Blessings,
Kara
Oh my word I’ve been blogging over the last couple of weeks about enjoying a season of laughter! It seems the Lord’s telling us to “lighten up” a bit! Thanks for this post and God bless you for teaching!!
Enter me.
Val
I am spending the weekend with our youth group on a retreat. I am hoping to laugh alot!!
In His Graces~Pamela
PS-Enter me!!
I know what you mean about a merry heart. I often forget that dealing with my students. Thank you for this devotion and reminding me God has placed us in these children’s lives and some of them never get to laugh at home. How Blessed I am to know the Lord. Hope you have a blessed weekend.
“enter me”
God bless you for being a teacher – I’d never make it with a class full!!
Enter me today…
It’s funny that you wrote about this… because my son and I had this very conversation about teachers and students.. he was talking less than favorable about a teacher.. and I had to explain that even if he didn’t agree.. it wasn’t his place to argue.. (he didn’t argue) but that still he had to go along unless it was way out and then he had to get one of us involved… which has happened before… sad face…
but one time.. on a funny note.. when my son was three.. he protected his best friend… by punching a bully that was hurting his friend.. when the teacher tried to tell me what my son did… she did her best to keep a straight face… she said.. I have never seen a little boy defend another…. and our son is very quiet…. so it was really out of character…
so trying not to snicker.. we had to reprimand him..the boys are still best friends…
so many stories.. i know one day,, you should write a book… on students.. ..NOOOOOO… better yet… PARENTS…. HEHEHEHHEHE
blessings
Connie
This post brought a smile to my face. Thanks! The older I get the less seriously I take myself. I hope that is because I’m relying on God and ridding myself of the pride rather than becoming more incompetent! 🙂
I wonder if you’ll be getting a black robe for an endo of the year gift this year???? (Yes- I;m thst kind of parent—;)
This is twice today that I have read this scripture. I know it IS speaking to ME! Thanks for the reminder, and I wouldn’t mind a prayer sent up for me and this issue. I know it to be true ( for a long time, I was so joyful! ) and I starting focusing on circumsatances, because I WANTED some one to understand what I was going through! Thankfully I came back to seeking HIS joy and TRUTH.
Please ENTER ME!
You are right Bernadine. Sometimes we just need to step back and laugh about a situation. I know that I take myself too often too serious.
Thank you for the reminder and the wonderful Bible passage.
(((hugs))) and blessings.