Feelings Show....

The other day I went to the doctor and long story short they had to put me on some new medicine. Good news is, no more headaches...bad news is the medicine makes me feel a little pukey (not a real word, I know) and it makes me get irritable quickly (which is not the typical me, usually it takes a couple tries to light my fuse). Well, I felt like I had been masking my feelings pretty well about how I was feeling. But then something really convicting happened. One of my sweetest, quietest, shy students came to me at the end of class. He stopped by my desk and in my frenzy of "between classes maddness" I quickly asked him if he needed to ask me something or if he needed me to explain something. He didn't say anything for a second, which actually caused me to look up at him. He stood there, as if he was almost afraid to ask me the question that was on his mind. "What's up (insert student name here)?" I asked him quickly. "Mrs. Withee, I was just worried. You seem stressed, are you doing ok?" I was floored. Was I really that transparent that even my students can see the gaping holes in my armor? It melted me. I told him thank you and that he was very sweet for caring. I tried to explain that with the change in my meds, and the over-abundance of things I have to do of this time of year, I was just tired and jumpy at the same time. However, it made me think: What message am I sending my students by my mood? Am I telling them that my God is supplying all my needs and is gracious and full of mercy or am I showing them that I am "strong" enough to carry my own burdens with out God's help? It is a thought worth pondering when you start your day.