I want to be a teacher, but ... *m
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| Wed, 06-22-2005 - 10:44am |
I have something heavy weighing on my mind, ladies. I would appreciate some insight.
I returned to college after a 25 year absense this past January. It was hard getting back into the swing of things, but, thank the Lord I did!
Nothing has been easy about it. I had to learn a new schedule, I had to push to get to time on class, (Even though it's about ten minutes away.) I had to soothe DH almost every week. (He works 3rd shift, I work second shift, so my days are free. He felt left out a lot, no matter how much I tried! We had our weekends together.)
What's the problem? My choice of a major. I want to teach elementary school. DH feels the eventual loss of income would be too drastic. (On my job at a tobacco factory, I make a little over $38,000 a year .. teachers in NC make a tad less than that, but the pay should raise by the time I graduate in about four years.) Our "standard of living" would suffer. Hmph! Life is more than money! Like service, an inner voice that pointed me to return to school to pursue this in the first place. I'm not going to deny the cig. industry pays well, but (1), I don't smoke. (2), I'm very health concious. I don't agree with it .. I never had. (3), This simply isn't my desire to contribute to something that harmful to people.
His voice was louder than my personal convictions. I started considering nursing, but even though it's a service oriented job, I'm uncertain about how emotionally involved I would be .. even though the same would definitely happen with kids.
I am so confused. What if I miss the call the Lord placed in my heart? Am I listening to what I "think" I am? Is he sending me another message, and I'm too stubborn to hear it? It hurts me, because a thought so small is settling in me, and I don't know what to do!
Edited 6/22/2005 11:03 am ET ET by cl-theladycee



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Cee, you said it yourself, right here:
If you feel your calling is to be a teacher, and you feel it will make you happy, do it! It's tough to go against the one you love, but if you're not happy with what you do with your life careerwise, then he isn't getting the best of you. Your enthusiasm and enjoyment of your job will filter into your personal life even if he doesn't see that right now.
When I quit working to stay home with my kids, it was EXTREMELY tough financially. But, before I quit, I was so stressed out all the time and unhappy, we were close to divorce. I can't say it was easy the first few months, but in the long run, it gave my husband the chance to advance in his job because he didn't have to go home by certain times, etc...Now, he makes the same amount of money as we did both working and we both are very content and enjoy what we do.
I feel that even if it seems scary to decrease your pay to do what you love, some how or another things work out. God has a funny way of giving us what we need (not want!) when situations arise. Trust your heart and intuition and it will lead you in the right direction!
Love and Blessings,
R
LadyC...Follow your heart...15 years ago, I went back to college for a master's degree...to allow me to work with kids too...I have been working with children for 13 years now and I can't imagine doing anything else. Working with kids is a skill--if you think you have it, you probably do. Certainly sounds like you may have a passion for the work--it's a start.
I too had another career before but the incomes were roughly the same. When I proposed my plan, my dh balked at the time and expense of another college degree, and another dear friend was doubtful I could finish the degree, she thought I would tire of the workload, sigh. I was crushed. I thought everyone would jump for joy to support me! But, all the doubting made me defiant and I went for it anyway...
And somewhere in the middle of my studies, my dh started supporting me, especially when I became discouraged with the commute and the workload. My friend didn't come around for quite a while because, as I learned later, she always wanted to get her master's degree but didn't find the time or the inclination. It was a very difficult time, to say the least.
I still work with children now, and thank god I had the courage to pursue my dream--figure out how many more years you have in the work force and spend them wisely--doing something you truly believe in is very precious indeed.
Maybe just sleep on it. I can identify with how you feel about cigs.
I refuse to buy them for anyone. I'm a nurse, they are badly needed
because of the shortage. be a nurse. anyways, your heart is speaking to you about
not promoting cigs or working in that industry. I imagine your husband will adjust.
Your work is so against your principles. There is always enough, re money.
I know there is always abundance for us regular people who are not in starvation.
Maybe God gives others abundance in other ways. Your answer
will come when you are calm. Maybe the universe will send you an angel person
who will say the perfect thing to you. Love, Leila
Cee....
What does your heart tell you?
Shyla
Cee I know just how you feel. I have thought for a while that I wanted to do my masters when I finished my batchelors and I got offered a place on the one I wanted and got the grades I needed to get on it and now I have realised that it's not what I want to do after all. I am instead looking into hypnotherapy and have applied for a course starting in September. I had spent so much time worrying about not being able to do it if I wasn't selected or didn't get the grades that I hadn't actually taken the time to question whether I really did want to do it or not. A friend on the same course as me mentioned it first as she was thinking about doing it and I wondered at first if I was just copying her instead of thinking for myself. Now she has decided not to do it, but it feels so right to me that I'm sure she was being prompted by an angel to plant the seed in my mind.
Imagine yourself doing the course and think about how it will feel, research (if you haven't already done so) what exactly you will be studying and ask yourself if it really appeals to you and what about it appeals. Then imagine actually doing the job itself and what it would be like day in and day out including anything you might not like doing because the things we dislike often seem to become bigger as time goes on. Then imagine yourself in a year, five years, ten years still doing what your doing and how you will feel. You will know yourself what feels right. Although it can be extremly difficult to make changes sometimes, especially if we don't feel we have 100% support from our significant others, it is sometimes easier to make the decision when we consider what not doing it means. Although my dh wasn't totally behind me going back to college he was in the end my biggest support and was so proud of me when I finally did it.
Blessings and ((((Hugs)))) Carol
Yankee,
Leila ..
Your words make me teary-eyed.
Hey, soul sister ..
You're right.
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