The very first person I can remember leaving a lasting impression on me is my first grade teacher. Her name is Ms. Natzkey (not sure about the spelling, but that is what it sounds like). I remember her being a bit older than the other teachers in the school and by the time I realized the impact she had on my life she was no longer there. I have told her story many times, but have never had the chance to thank her for the amazing love and kindness she showed to me. I pray that when she reaches heaven, Christ will show her the impact she had on my life!
I was a latch key child. At the age of six, I would walk several blocks to our tri-plex apartment and wait alone until my mother came home from work. These were not exciting times. I spent the hours in various ways....making concoctions out of spices and freezing them, inventing new snacks to try, visiting the elderly lady across the street, singing along to my mother's 8-track tapes and playing with toys in my room. I often ran out of "things" to do.
There were many days when I just didn't feel like going home. I just didn't want to be alone. Many of those days I would ask to stay after school and "help." I would wipe boards, pick up trash, help prepare things for the next day, but my favorite thing to do was turn pages. You see, I went to a small Christian school in town and Ms. Natzkey was also the church organist. We would walk over to the church, climb to the balcony and practice for Sunday worship. Now being a six year old, I was rather short and couldn't reach the pages, so she would help me climb up on the bench next to her. I would stand on the bench turning pages when she nodded her head and be so proud to be helping. I never wanted those practices to end.
Years later when I became a teacher myself, those afternoons in first grade became even more important to me. You see, all these years I had thought I was truly helping Ms. Natzkey and she was showing me kindness because she was thankful. However, I can tell you from experience, that the last thing a teacher wants after an exhausting day is for a student to stay after school. I would become so frustrated when students would want to stay in my room after school, I had things to do, I entertained you all day....go bug someone else.
Just when those thoughts would creep into my mind, I would remember Ms. Natzkey and tears would come to my eyes. She must have felt the same way many times, but I never knew it. All I knew was her love, her companionship and her gracious heart. I didn't know it when I was six, but God used Ms. Natzkey to plant a seed and because of the love she had for Christ, that seed has grown into a fruit bearing tree. The kindness she showed to an lonely six year old girl has been multiplied and her legacy now lives through me.
Ms. Natzkey was a true blessing. She blessed me when I was in first grade. Her memory blessed me when I was a teacher. Her legacy blesses me now. Simply spending a few moments with a lonely child has changed the lives of many. I can do that. I can spend time with a lonely child. You can do that. Who knows what those few moments will become? Dare to leave a legacy!
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