Reflecting in the past today....

We got word the other day that Carl's drumline practices in the summer had be suspended since his percussion instructor was no longer working at West Mesquite. I emailed the band booster president to see if she knew if a new band director had been hired, and indeed there were two new band instructors she had met with and were excited about some new changes happening for the band.

It got me thinking about my days as a band director...well, only one year. LOL. Starting at a new school, that led to teaching private lessons a year later for many years, and then to what I am doing now. I thought, "How in the world did God get me here?" You would never think that working so hard to get a Bachelors degree in Music, and I would end up as the Director of a child care center. It made me think back to where I all started ... my first jobs.

If I really go back, my first official job was with La Porte ISD. It was my junior year, and I was a straight A honor student, and I got called to the office...the counselor's office. I had NO CLUE why I was being called to the counselor, so I was a bit nervous. The counselor sat down with me and discussed something I had never really ever thought of....a summer job. And not just any job, but working with the Severe and Profoundly handicapped children on LPISD who went to school year round. He thought I would be perfect for the job. I had no clue what I would be doing as an aide, but after some thought and consulting with my parents, I decided I would do that. It was the most awesome and eye opening job I have ever had. I am surprised I wasn't inspired to go into Special Ed. I fell in love with those kids that summer, so much so, that I did the same job the summer after I graduated as well. It was amazing celebrating accomplishments of these children, some who were wheelchair bound and were as old as 14 years. We helped them learn how to self feed. We took them swimming. We helped some of them take their very first steps... it was so incredible.

I went away to UT Austin for a year, and came back home to start at San Jacinto JC in Pasadena, and I decided that I needed a job to help pay for school. I started working at a LaPetite Academy (yes, a daycare) in their toddler room. I have no idea what inspired me to work there, except the fact that it was right by the college and I could go straight to work before or after class, but I have a whole photo album of pictures somewhere of those toddlers...that would have been 1987.... those toddlers are probably married and have their own children in child care now. Too amazing to think about that. I didn't last long there, though...no health insurance and my $3.25/ hours was being given to Dr. Mock all the time, so I had to quit after 6 months. It was then that I went Krogering.....

I started at Kroger as a cashier, and after a short time, was approached about working in the courtesy booth...taking care of the cashiers, making deposits, accepting payments for utility bills...I have always been good at math, and this was just the place I needed to be. Pretty soon, I was a closing person in the booth, working 5pm-1am daily. I would work a Saturday 5-1, then be up to open sometimes on Sunday! (7am-3) I was a crazy kid in my young 20's, but I worked my way through college there. When I went off to Northwestern State, they would let me come back on holidays to work and in the summer. It was really awesome. All three Herold children worked at Kroger at one point in time or another...Arthur was the shortest tenure there, but Michelle is STILL working at Kroger to this day in management.

After I graduated from Northwestern State with my degree in Music, I was working for Kroger, deciding what to do next, when I got a call in the summer of 1992 from my former asst. band director at NSU, Bob Upton. He wondered if I would be interested in coming to Waxahachie, TX to teach private trumpet lessons for him. It would be a big stretch for me...actually going out on my own and not calling my parent's home my home anymore....I thought about it and talked through it with my family, and finally decided to take the plunge. I trusted that Bob would not ask me to come if he thought I couldn't make it there.... oh, was a wrong. One month after moving there, he resigned. I was there rooming with the Junior High band director, and my head was spinning. I had moved all that way for nothing! Well, God provided, even though I didn't know it was him then. The school district hired me on to be a band director on an emergency permit...I had to start working on my emergency certification that semester as well....so I had a whole hodge podge of jobs that year.... I taught beginner French horn, I supervised another private teacher for two class periods that taught beginning woodwind classes at Turner Middle School, I assisted at the Junior high director and did sectionals at Waxahachie Junior High, I led the HS Jazz band, the HS color guard and was an assistant for the Marching Band Program at Waxahachie HS. Quite an interesting assortment of jobs daily....even made a trip with the band that year to Tucson, AZ when they marched in the Copper Bowl game that Christmas. That trip is a post in itself for another day.

After that year, the district hired new people for the band, so I was once again on my own to find employment...luckily, some band directors in Mesquite, TX heard two of my top HS students perform their solos AND a duet together and was amazed by them. I called Scott Coulson and John Kline that summer, hoping they would need a private instructor at their schools. (Poteet HS and North Mesquite HS) I taught French Horn for Scott for several years and trumpet for John for many years. He was even my mentor teacher when I did my student teaching in 1995 with the Big Blue Band. I have taught lessons over the years at many schools in many school districts. Waxahachie, DeSoto and Midlothian... Mesquite, Garland, Richardson... I am sure I am forgetting others. I taught lessons from 1993-2005, when I made a gamble that didn't pay off. I committed to only one school district, and they cleaned house of all their lesson teachers in May of 2005.

I went ALL summer without a job and couldn't find another school to work for at all... so I went to my good friend Vickie (then Godsey) Rice.... in September 2005, I started subbing for her at Shiloh Terrace Child Development Center... and was soon hired and working there full time as a teacher. I started with infants and eventually worked with almost every class in the main building... infants through 2 year olds. My favorite class was the toddlers.... even when I was maxed out at 9 kiddos, I still loved my work there. I did some time as a front end supervisor in the evenings... In May 2008, Vickie left and took another job as a director for the YWCA. I was asked to step in as the Acting Director. I still laugh at that title...feeling like I was doing more than "Acting", but who's to argue? In January of 2009, I was given the permanent position. That's where I am still at today....back where it all started in 1986...in a child care center.

Have you made it this far?

I was thinking just the other day. How in the world did God lead me here. I came up with one answer. He knew it is where I was needed to further his Kingdom. I love children. When I was growing up, I wanted to have 50 children.... well, Mark didn't like that idea, we only had 2, but when I look back...there was one year of teaching lessons that I had 90 students (this was before I met Mark...) and it seems like each year at the CDC, we have about 50 children here. God knew where my heart was...wherever he took me and he uses my gift, my love of children, on a daily basis.

Matthew 18:2-5 says He (Jesus) called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

Matthew 19:13-15 says, Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Jesus wants me to feed his sheep. He knows that it is the children who have the purest heart and are willing and eager to believe in Him. It is here where I feel compelled to work. Sharing the Good News of Christ with the children and their families. Thank you, Lord, for leading me full circle, back to you and back to the children you have blessed me with ... my own two wonderful children, Carl and April, and these blessings at Shiloh Terrace that I serve on a daily basis. Thank you, Lord!