The past year definitely led to experiences I never had before in my 20 years of teaching. Teaching physical education to students K-4th was definitely interesting. As up to speed as we have figured kids are with technology considering my niece at 2 years old could set up the tv and at 8 could set up the cell phone phone for my parents. But the ability to use technology beyond games, emoji’s and communicate in letters vs words is something that was lost on us all as we tried to have students engage in conversations during video chats, do online searches and create pieces of work to submit digitally. Kids do not have a high self awareness and things have to be brought to their attention to awaken them. Other times they are aware of themselves but they do not think anyone else is aware of them leading to another awakening. The noise makers, the fidget spinners, the space invaders, etc. do these things and do not think they are seen or heard. With an online phys. ed. class, with all students in boxes on my screen, I would demonstrate an exercise or show a digital demo and ask the kids to do try. Some would disappear off screen, others adjusted the screen to be seen working, others just stared at the screen and then there were those that would look at the screen and stick their fingers up their noses. Ugh! Due to these sessions being recorded, I did not want to announce what I saw, because the recordings often would only would me and what I was showing, not what was shown to me. I had to call out the student’s names and say, “I see you!” This often broke them into an awareness to get into the activity.

My niece at 2 who could set up a TV, did not understand that I could only hear her on a landline phone. When she’d talk, she’d drop the phone, begin dancing and yell, “Do you see ME?!?” Now in her teens during a video chat, she starts doing things as if I’m not there and I have to say, “I can see you.”

How often has God had to awaken me to remind me, “I see you.” How many times have I gotten on my knees and asked, “Do you see me?” Funny how there I times I want Him to see me and other times I forget He does. He sees me. He hears me. He loves me. He created me. He formed me in my mothers womb (Jer. 1:5)and knows the number of hairs on my head (Lk 12:7).

May I spend more time tuning my heart and mind to His lead as I learn, think, speak and act and less time staring at a universe with a finger in my nose.

Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. Proverbs 24:12