gifts, teaching, and...me

It's a funny thing.

See, I am not a teacher.  When my husband first mentioned the idea of homeschooling, I nearly ran screaming from the room.  Every single experience I'd ever had teaching Sunday school or vacation Bible school has felt like a nightmare.  I don't mind assisting in a classroom.  If a teacher needs support or an extra pair or eyes of hands, I'm there.  I'll quietly follow her lead, no problem at all.  But me as the teacher?   Not at all my cup of tea.

And yes, I homeschool my kids.  But as I've mentioned, it's a huge challenge for me.  It is hard.  And also, they're my kids.  I know them better than anyone else in the world does, with the exception of my husband.  So it's a little different.  As a mother I'm teaching them things all the time, homeschooling or not.

Yet in the past few months I've found myself more and more in the role of teacher.  A friend asked me to show her how to make kombucha and I agreed. She came over one January afternoon, and I went through the process - I explained, poured, etc. while she took notes and asked questions.

Since that day I have given three more kombucha tutorials, the latest one being today.  I'm finessing my spiel, working out how to present the steps in order without having to wait for time to elapse (think of a cooking show where they put one pan into the oven and then pull another, the finished result, out).  And I think I'm getting a little bit better as I gain experience and confidence.

So yes, it's a funny thing.  I'm not a natural teacher.  I never sought out teaching - in fact it still stresses me out at times.  But here I am - teaching my kids decimals, and teaching my friends how to make kombucha.

God did not make the ability to teach my gift.  But all the same He is using teaching to stretch me, push me way out of my comfort zone, a share the blessing of making kombucha at home.  I'm so thankful for that - all of it.