I’ve been a bit disconnected the past few days from the Perch, and from most of life in general. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The main reason is that I’ve been working hard at the school, trying to get my mind wrapped around the fact that I’m going to be teaching 6th graders in 5 short days! I tell you, if it wasn’t for the fact that there is NO WAY I have this job, save for the Lord’s calling to it, I’d be curled up in the fetal position by now. But I keep telling myself the old adage: God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Pray for me.
Being disconnected is also good because it gives time for other things, like family. This is the first time I’ve turned the Mac on since Monday. That’s a record for me. Granted, I have a phone that keeps me connected to anything I really “need”, but still…no blogging, no nothing since last week. Kind of refreshing, in a way. I wish I could say the entire reason was time with family, but truth is one night was spent hanging sheet rock at the house, and last night we were at church, which is family, but just not at home.
Anyway, I’m rambling. Suffice it to say I’m really jazzed about the new job. What a blessing, and humbling honor, to get to teach kids about Jesus, and give them the Christian perspective of History and Science! It’s going to be a fun year! If you will, keep us in prayer.
Lastly, our Pastor taught last night from Psalm 100. He has just returned from a 6 week trip to India, and he spoke to our mostly middle class congregation on being thankful. It was something I never cease to be reminded of. I am so very blessed. I don’t deserve the air I breathe, yet God has given His Son as a ransom for my sins, has blessed me with a beautiful wife and 2 daughters. He has given us food, shelter, clothing, and pleasures beyond measure.
Yet I grumble because I got cut off in traffic. Go figure.
But in a correlating story, Steven Curtis Chapman was on Larry King tonight, sharing with his family, for the first time publicly, the story of the tragic loss of their 5 year old daughter in a car accident. Tough to watch, yet also so very encouraging, because of the witness of their lives in the midst of such tragedy. As I watched video of this superstar musician playing around the house with his little girl, acting goofy and being a kid along with her, I was so convicted about how little time I spend with Caroline, in the grand scheme of things.
So tonight, as I tucked her in and sang “Jesus Loves Me” to her, all snuggled in her “big girl bed” in her Cinderella nightgown, my eyes welled up with tears. Tears of gratitude for all that I’ve been given. And tears of sorrow for all that I’ve missed.
And I couldn’t help but think of the last lines of Chapman’s beautiful song, Cinderella:
“So I’ll dance with Cinderella,
I don’t want to miss even one song
For all too soon the clock will strike midnight
And she’ll be gone.”
So I hugged her extra tight tonight, and as I sang to her of her Savior’s love for her, my heart welled up anew.
Thank you Lord, for all that you’ve given.
The Wading Pool 