A Time For June

On my very first day at Lidget Green I met June. (U - Neh)

God was showing off when He made June. 

June is from Norway, and this year she worked as a teacher’s assistant with me in year 5. She's going to school to be a teacher; and in my opinion she is going to be fantastic! 

Not only has she done an incredible job teaching the UK curriculum, she has succeeded in educating all of us (especially the kids) about Norway. During Christmas she showed us how to make woven tree decorations. Sometime after, she brought in Norwegian brown cheese and chocolate! On Easter she skied with her enrichment group around the school and taught them some troll songs. On May 17th we celebrated Norway's National day with quizzes, ice cream and shouts of "Hip Hurrah!!!" 

(June singing Norwegian "Happy Birthday" song in the London Tube)

The very first thing I asked her to outside of school, was to see the movie "Buried." I remember thinking, "this girl is NEVER gonna do anything with me again!"

But we've been close ever since. 

I think my favorite moments with June, and they number among the thousands... have to be our coffee dates. I've never met someone so full of love and encouragement. She is beautiful inside and out. 

Marie, Abbey and I spent last night with her packing and reminiscing about this year: how could things work out so perfectly?

She's here for 10 months - we're here for 10 months.

She chooses England - I chose England. 

She ends up in Bradford working at Lidget Green - we're sent to Lidget Green.

She's put in year 5 - I choose year 5.

More faithful people than I would commonly call this "a God thing." But whatever you call it: fate, destiny, chance, etc... I’m forever grateful it all came together. 

But there is a time for all things under the sun says the writer of Ecclesiastes.  For some reason I thought about this passage on the way home as I silently sobbed in the front seat of the taxi. I used to dread the ending of things, and of course in many ways I still do. It’s like Ecclesiastes says later, 

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
   says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
   Everything is meaningless.”
 What do people gain from all their labors
   at which they toil under the sun? 
... I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

I’m tempted to look at endings this way.

But I was reminded, that in life, endings have to happen for there to be new beginnings. Right now it is time to say goodbye, but soon it will be time for a reunion. 

I look forward with hope to the day we will all be together again, remembering fondly our year in Bradford.... for the writer excludes one thing which gives all things, even endings, meaning. For if all things under the sun are meaningless, that still leaves out the Sun. 

I believe in Christ as I believe that the sun has risen: 
not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. 

- C.S. Lewis