For the first time ever this blog entry was written in Microsoft Word, read and reread, analyzed over, erased, rewritten and spent a lot of time on to get the words just right.
I have only done a tribute one other time on this blog, see the mother’s day entry. This blog entry is a tough one to write. I would love to tell of the wonderful time in Colorado and the half marathon, but something much bigger has been laid on my heart for this one.
This week a respected, loved, inspirational, cheerful, woman who is listed in my book of one of the greatest teachers passed away. Mrs. Bleeker was our high school English teacher. I don’t know the statistics for how long she had been teaching, what her previous locations or positions might have been, but the image that was witnessed at the YMCA in Estes Park when we received the news that the time was drawing closer and closer are worth so many more words then could ever be written in a eulogy. Picture with me a mass of 2000+ students exiting a building and then nearly 200+ students breaking away to congregate in a parking lot surrounded by mountains praying for comforting arms for her family and escorting her to our father. This was followed by memories shared, tears shed and grizzly bear hugs exchanged. Allow me to share with you a favorite that I heard while observing. “Mrs. Bleeker would always say, ‘when those college professors give you too hard of a time and you can’t figure it out just yell out MRS. BLEEKER!’ It might not solve the problem but it will make you feel better.” For those of you that knew her and can still hear her yelling voice three classrooms over, reread that quote with that voice. You can’t help but smile and laugh.
I haven’t figured out if it is because I am a teacher now or the simple saying, “you don’t know what you have, till it’s gone” that makes me realize how great she was. When you look back on how she executed her classroom, it was done with perfection! In college we heard, relationships, relationships, relationships. You can make any student want to work for you, if you have that relationship with them. I don’t know her “F” record, but it couldn’t have been too high. Mrs. Bleeker can be given full credit on changing my literary status from, never reading, hating it, to enjoying reading for a good grade to reading nearly every book she suggested to me during my junior year of high school. Let’s not forget Mrs. Bleeker’s ability to make anyone feel comfortable in her classroom that even the quietest student, not me, would feel secure enough to present a speech, in speech class. Even when we would completely mess it up and prove to her that we had written it in the study hall before she would never be too hard on us. Simply allowing our peers to critique us followed by “The Bleeker Expertise” that was always welcomed and shared in the most caring/ humorous ways possible. Part of why we felt so comfortable with her was because of her classroom. The walls painted a comforting color, decorated with student work. I remember having a conversation with a high school friend in her classroom. I said, “If I ever would be a teacher, which I won’t, J I would paint my classroom and let my students help me decorate, so they can feel like it is their classroom and be comfortable like we are here.” Well Mrs. Bleeker, not sure if this school district will allow me to paint my classroom, but I will make it just as comfortable and welcoming as your classroom always was. If only someday I could have hundreds of students talking about how great I was. You were called, you served and you will never be forgotten.
******************************************************It was kind of ironic that on the same day we got the news, I had taken a bus ride down to Denver to supervise the water park activity. We took a charter bus down and there were three bus drivers. One driver, and two others that had family in Denver they were visiting while we were at the water park. For some reason we got on the subject of funerals. They were remembering a funeral of a man who at his funeral they had people speak and the speeches were given by big football players, giving praise, sobbing and speaking of all the great things this man had done. I mentioned that one of our speakers at Rocky Mountain High was encouraging us to evaluate our living. A pastor doesn’t write our funeral, we write our own funeral with everything we do and every person we meet. Mrs. Bleeker definately wrote her own funeral. With the news of her passing, instantly conversations were flowing with memeories.
Then the conversation got on a new track, one bus driver was talking with his son who has recently been questioning his faith. His biggest question was what if the is no heaven?Why do we do all this if there isn’t? His response was…What if there is! For me the question of what if…has only crossed my mind for a split second and then is replaced with a vivid image of white pearly gates, with every one of my loved ones waiting for me. I don’t live with the “what if there is no…” I live knowing there is. I must say I am not finished writing my own funeral, however for the first time, I am a little jealous of Mrs. Bleeker for experiencing the "what is…”
“Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the examples of their faith.” Hebrews 13:7
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