It's Friday.
Pretty sure I just heard that collective exhale as everyone allows themselves to relax. At least a little :)
I am exhausted.
Mainly mentally (this has been a week where we have discussed a lot of theoretical ideas in school and right now by brain feels like mush), but also physically (the joys of living in residence and dealing with people who have drank a little too much, campus security, and people who just like to stand outside of my townhouse talking at all hours of the night). In fact I even had a little meltdown in my car yesterday (I hit a point where I just could not make getting stuck in traffic seem adventurous. My imagination had apparently hit its limit).
But it is the weekend and I can feel my body beginning to relax as peace just seems to settle upon me. And for all my exhaustion, it has been an amazing week.
Take Saturday when I went and saw "The Taming of the Shrew" at the Shakespeare Festival. This was a birthday present from a very dear friend of mine (we also ate at the aptly named "Juliet's Cafe").
I then got to spend the night with brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew which was utterly fantastic! I got so many cuddles and just enjoyed being able to visit. And I mean, who can argue with a very cute five year old girl coming down the stairs on Sunday morning and crawling onto the couch to snuggle with me until breakfast?
After lunch I was picked up by my friend and we made art projects at her house and drove through the most amazing smalltown ever. Pretty sure I could happily spend my life on the mainstream of this town (but more to come of that in a later post... I get to explore said town on Sunday).
I spent two days getting to eat lunch on the quay in the community my module is based out of. Sun bathed glory and the sound of water lapping against the shore? Yes please!
I have made friends in my classes and actually have people to talk with.
My head is full to overflowing with ideas for teaching and I can hardly wait to be in a classroom!
This morning I discovered something in my Bible that I have never noticed before. It was in Act 23:11. Paul has been arrested and brought before the Jewish council. After what has to be one of the most brilliant distraction tactics ever (he makes a statement that causes the Pharisees and Sadducees to argue with each other instead of with him) he is brought into the Roman barracks for protection. Here is what the verse says:
"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, 'Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.'"
Did anyone else catch that?
"...the Lord stood by him."
Now I'm sure you could interpret this any number of ways. Regardless of whether you think it was metaphorical or literal, it doesn't change the fact that the Lord was with Paul in a very real way. I wonder how alone Paul felt leading up to this. I know I tend to think of Paul as a guy who just isn't really phased by anything.
But this verse made me stop and think this morning.
Paul's life was one adventure after another.
But God never left his side.
No matter how insecure or inadequate Paul felt, he allowed God to use him. In 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 he wrote,
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this [the 'thorn' in his flesh], that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamaities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Paul acknowledged his weaknesses. But he didn't let them hold him back. He knew that it was through his weakness that God could work. I thought back to guys like Moses and Saul and their own battles with insecurity. I thought of the battles they won and lost.
No matter what was going on with Paul, God was present.
I have had some moments this week. Moments where I threw fits in my car or cried myself to sleep (not even close to as many of these moments as last week.)
And I can't believe how quickly I have forgotten that God is still present. Sometimes I'm a real idiot.
So my focus this last week was to view whatever came my way as an adventure. And for the most part I was able to rise to that challenge.
This week I have a new one. This week I want to view whatever comes my way as an adventure... and I want to remember that I am not alone. I want to remember that there is Someone else with me, and that He is the most important part of these adventures.
And I welcome you all to hold me accountable to this... because I know I need it!
This is my story.
Pretty sure I just heard that collective exhale as everyone allows themselves to relax. At least a little :)
I am exhausted.
Mainly mentally (this has been a week where we have discussed a lot of theoretical ideas in school and right now by brain feels like mush), but also physically (the joys of living in residence and dealing with people who have drank a little too much, campus security, and people who just like to stand outside of my townhouse talking at all hours of the night). In fact I even had a little meltdown in my car yesterday (I hit a point where I just could not make getting stuck in traffic seem adventurous. My imagination had apparently hit its limit).
But it is the weekend and I can feel my body beginning to relax as peace just seems to settle upon me. And for all my exhaustion, it has been an amazing week.
Take Saturday when I went and saw "The Taming of the Shrew" at the Shakespeare Festival. This was a birthday present from a very dear friend of mine (we also ate at the aptly named "Juliet's Cafe").
I then got to spend the night with brother, sister-in-law, niece, and nephew which was utterly fantastic! I got so many cuddles and just enjoyed being able to visit. And I mean, who can argue with a very cute five year old girl coming down the stairs on Sunday morning and crawling onto the couch to snuggle with me until breakfast?
After lunch I was picked up by my friend and we made art projects at her house and drove through the most amazing smalltown ever. Pretty sure I could happily spend my life on the mainstream of this town (but more to come of that in a later post... I get to explore said town on Sunday).
I spent two days getting to eat lunch on the quay in the community my module is based out of. Sun bathed glory and the sound of water lapping against the shore? Yes please!
I have made friends in my classes and actually have people to talk with.
My head is full to overflowing with ideas for teaching and I can hardly wait to be in a classroom!
This morning I discovered something in my Bible that I have never noticed before. It was in Act 23:11. Paul has been arrested and brought before the Jewish council. After what has to be one of the most brilliant distraction tactics ever (he makes a statement that causes the Pharisees and Sadducees to argue with each other instead of with him) he is brought into the Roman barracks for protection. Here is what the verse says:
"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, 'Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.'"
Did anyone else catch that?
"...the Lord stood by him."
Now I'm sure you could interpret this any number of ways. Regardless of whether you think it was metaphorical or literal, it doesn't change the fact that the Lord was with Paul in a very real way. I wonder how alone Paul felt leading up to this. I know I tend to think of Paul as a guy who just isn't really phased by anything.
But this verse made me stop and think this morning.
Paul's life was one adventure after another.
But God never left his side.
No matter how insecure or inadequate Paul felt, he allowed God to use him. In 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 he wrote,
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this [the 'thorn' in his flesh], that it should leave me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamaities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Paul acknowledged his weaknesses. But he didn't let them hold him back. He knew that it was through his weakness that God could work. I thought back to guys like Moses and Saul and their own battles with insecurity. I thought of the battles they won and lost.
No matter what was going on with Paul, God was present.
I have had some moments this week. Moments where I threw fits in my car or cried myself to sleep (not even close to as many of these moments as last week.)
And I can't believe how quickly I have forgotten that God is still present. Sometimes I'm a real idiot.
So my focus this last week was to view whatever came my way as an adventure. And for the most part I was able to rise to that challenge.
This week I have a new one. This week I want to view whatever comes my way as an adventure... and I want to remember that I am not alone. I want to remember that there is Someone else with me, and that He is the most important part of these adventures.
And I welcome you all to hold me accountable to this... because I know I need it!
This is my story.
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