"If you ever need help remembering important tasks or events, I have two trusty assistants, Siri and Alexa, who always keep me on track. Although I rely on my "Find Me" app and Google Calendar as well, there are people in my life I will never forget. One of them was a lady who came into my life when I was very young. Even though our time together was brief, I can still remember her name, what her car looked like (a 1956 Studebaker), and where she lived (on the hill in Lake City, Tennessee, behind the Gulf station). Why do I remember those details after sixty-four years? Because Mrs. Blackaby, my first-grade teacher at Laurel Grove School in Briceville, Tennessee, truly cared about me. She cared so much that she would take this poor, chubby little boy home on weekends and spoil him.
As I was preparing to write about a "Power Couple" for my next blog, I couldn't help but think about how much teachers resemble Jesus. In the Gospels, Jesus is called a "Teacher" forty-five times. Like Jesus, a teacher is someone who believes in you, someone who tugs and pushes, and leads you onto the next plateau. Sometimes, as with Coach Wright and Coach Cotter, even whacking me with a paddle to keep me on the path.
Here are some amazing teachers who “cared” for me throughout my school years. Do any of my Lake City friends remember them? Who are some unforgettable teachers in your life?
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