Not Gleaming
I found a new favorite quote while we were on vacation in Colorado. I had been kicking myself about ways I'd messed up. Sometimes it seems like I'll still be making the same mistakes 20 years from now. Anyway, I was having my devotions and this was part of the readings for that day.
"This life, therefore, is not godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not now what we shall be but we are on the way. The process is not finished but it is actively going on. This is not the goal but it is the right road. At present, everything does not gleam and sparkle, but everything is being cleansed."
-Martin Luther
These words are so comforting. They affirm my journey---that I'm not there but I am on the way, that I don't have my life worked out but God is working it out with me right now. I need to stay aware of this.
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I have been working very hard on finding Sunday School teachers for the 2007-2008 school year. Although I truly dread beginning the calling I've found that I enjoy it once I get started. I like visiting with people. I like the challenge of trusting the outcome to God and not sweating, even though I still have one teacherless class and only one week left to go. I love telling people, "Don't do this if God is calling you to something else." And even with that sales pitch we have nearly all the teachers we need.
I still have a couple of people that want to think about teaching and I'll call them back in a few days. Until then, I have plenty of other work to do. Revise class lists. Make signs for the classrooms. Write letters to all the teachers to let them know where to find materials and to thank them for giving themselves to this. Buy supplies. And then there are the adult classes to take care of. They don't need nearly as much but there are notes that need to go out for them too, attendance books and offering envelopes purchased and labeled, etc.
- - - - - - - -
Tim is in high school. He seems to be having an easy adjustment to it. The biggest glitch is that the bus does not wait very long for kids to come after school. When he needs to stop to pick up gymn clothes or an instrument he misses the bus. Yesterday I wasn't home when he called and Chuck just happened to stop in the house when he called the third time. By then he'd already been waiting a half hour. If Chuck hadn't stopped we would not have known he needed us until two hours after school was out. We need to figure this one out because I'm not always home at that time.
He rode his bike in to play Ultimate this evening. I decided to ride in to meet him on the way home, partly because I wanted to ride and partly because I'd forgotten to have him take his lights along and it would be dusk before he got home. He's a lot faster and stronger than me, but he decided to ride at my pace so that we could ride together. That was fun.
- - - - - - - -
Mary Lou was here this week. There is nothing like an old friend.
She is starting on a new and exciting and scary venture with her husband Rusty. They are choosing to relocate to a poor section of Portland and live in intentional community while getting to know their neighborhood and finding ways to fit into life there. Look at the above link (venture) to see more about that.
It is tempting to join them, but the boys need us here right now. So this week we got to catch up with each other.
- - - - - - - -
Chuck decided not to wait for us to read the rest of Harry Potter out loud. We started it on vacation but haven't had as much time to read since we've been home. He's hooked and even though he is quite disciplined about going to bed on time, I think he'll be late tonight.
I've got the last jars of tomato sauce in the canner. I had 16 quarts today to do in between phone calls and working on Sunday School class lists.
"This life, therefore, is not godliness but the process of becoming godly, not health but getting well, not being but becoming, not rest but exercise. We are not now what we shall be but we are on the way. The process is not finished but it is actively going on. This is not the goal but it is the right road. At present, everything does not gleam and sparkle, but everything is being cleansed."
-Martin Luther
These words are so comforting. They affirm my journey---that I'm not there but I am on the way, that I don't have my life worked out but God is working it out with me right now. I need to stay aware of this.
- - - - - - - -
I have been working very hard on finding Sunday School teachers for the 2007-2008 school year. Although I truly dread beginning the calling I've found that I enjoy it once I get started. I like visiting with people. I like the challenge of trusting the outcome to God and not sweating, even though I still have one teacherless class and only one week left to go. I love telling people, "Don't do this if God is calling you to something else." And even with that sales pitch we have nearly all the teachers we need.
I still have a couple of people that want to think about teaching and I'll call them back in a few days. Until then, I have plenty of other work to do. Revise class lists. Make signs for the classrooms. Write letters to all the teachers to let them know where to find materials and to thank them for giving themselves to this. Buy supplies. And then there are the adult classes to take care of. They don't need nearly as much but there are notes that need to go out for them too, attendance books and offering envelopes purchased and labeled, etc.
- - - - - - - -
Tim is in high school. He seems to be having an easy adjustment to it. The biggest glitch is that the bus does not wait very long for kids to come after school. When he needs to stop to pick up gymn clothes or an instrument he misses the bus. Yesterday I wasn't home when he called and Chuck just happened to stop in the house when he called the third time. By then he'd already been waiting a half hour. If Chuck hadn't stopped we would not have known he needed us until two hours after school was out. We need to figure this one out because I'm not always home at that time.
He rode his bike in to play Ultimate this evening. I decided to ride in to meet him on the way home, partly because I wanted to ride and partly because I'd forgotten to have him take his lights along and it would be dusk before he got home. He's a lot faster and stronger than me, but he decided to ride at my pace so that we could ride together. That was fun.
- - - - - - - -
Mary Lou was here this week. There is nothing like an old friend.
She is starting on a new and exciting and scary venture with her husband Rusty. They are choosing to relocate to a poor section of Portland and live in intentional community while getting to know their neighborhood and finding ways to fit into life there. Look at the above link (venture) to see more about that.
It is tempting to join them, but the boys need us here right now. So this week we got to catch up with each other.
- - - - - - - -
Chuck decided not to wait for us to read the rest of Harry Potter out loud. We started it on vacation but haven't had as much time to read since we've been home. He's hooked and even though he is quite disciplined about going to bed on time, I think he'll be late tonight.
I've got the last jars of tomato sauce in the canner. I had 16 quarts today to do in between phone calls and working on Sunday School class lists.
Comments
You guys just got a cell phone right? Maybe Tim could try calling home and then call the cell if no one is answering there.
It's nice to read all your thoughts. I love you Mom.
Becca