Have you ever felt like there's so much going on or so many thoughts in your head, it's like little tiny somethings flying in the wind past you. You can grab all you want, but you pull back empty air. The past couple of weeks and months (and years!) have been so full of... life... things God's teaching me, relationships, library things, good books, good times, hard-but-still good times. And because the weeks have been so full, it's hard to put it into thoughts, even if I tried to pick just one area to concentrate on.
God's been kicking my butt through a Watchman Nee book called The Release of the Spirit. Ouch. Seriously. Not that I agree 100% with everything said, but it's really made me think and challenged and convicted me. And it's been a long while since a book has made me "actively read" so hard. What do I mean by that? I mean my brain had to be engaged or I got nothing. It was the opposite end from beach read, yet not so difficult that I was confused or frustrated. Actually, I take back the confusing part... but definitely in a good way. It talked about how believers must be broken in order to serve God best. And just knowing about Nee's life as a man on the front lines of the early 20th Century Chinese Church... his life was pretty amazing.
And work? It was crazy getting signups out for this year's Summer Reading program. 75 programs over 2 months. No assistant this year, but luckily I have an intern and a former Teen Advisory Board member helping. But Saturday when the signups went out, there were once again 10+ moms outside the doors before we opened. A constant stream of parents for the first four hours. I forget when the K-1st grade program filled last summer, but I think it was at least the end of the day or maybe even the beginning of the next day. One day... that's pretty crazy for 8 programs, 15 spots per program. But I was shocked this Saturday when they were filled by 10:30am! An hour and a half!?!? I don't know how I can fit another program into my summer schedule, but after seeing a couple kindergarteners cry this week because it was already filled by the time their parents came in, I'm determined to try to add another time for the program next summer. It was one crazy fun day, explaining the programs, seeing all the families who came out, and I'm super excited for the programs this summer! I'll have to write about what I've chosen to do for the book discussions sometime soon! High school's reading The Alchemyst by Michael Scott. Middle school's doing Jeff Kinney's extremely popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-it-Yourself, and 4-5th grade is using the Daring Book for Girls/Dangerous Book for Boys. But what makes these programs so exciting is what we're doing for the "discussions"... that's all the tease you'll get for now!
And at youth group, the school year's winding down, so that means that we have to say goodbye to our 8th graders. But thankfully, it's not really goodbye. I love the "fluidity" between our high school and middle school groups. And come Red Carpet Night, we get to meet a whole new group of 6th graders! This has been one amazing school year, and God's done some great things through this group! I've been so proud of our middle schoolers through the Lucid Service Series. We've welcomed a youth pastor and his family who all sides know God has placed in our church family. It's been a very good year!
See, so much going on. It's hard to sort through myself sometimes, let alone write about it!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
It's All About Timing
It's all about the timing. Ask any comic ;) I know from my professional life, too. Timing and delivery in how I read a line in a story can sometimes take it over the top... it can make or break a so-so story.
But that's not the timing I'm really talking about. I've just been struck recently by how perfect God's timing is. Little things, like once again, the timing in reading a book. Something as little as that. I have a ridiculous amount of books on my to-read list (seriously, over 200). So it could seem very random which book I actually choose to read at any given point. There have been times that I've bought a book, all excited to read it, but just don't get into it like I thought (or get sidetracked and never start it) only to pick it up months or even more than a year later (once, I picked up a book two years after I bought it), and it was exactly what I needed to hear.
Today at work, because of scheduling, I ended up working an hour later than I normally do on every other Thursday. That last hour, a four year old I'd had in storytime a few years ago but who hasn't been coming due to preschool conflict came in with her grandmother. I've known the family for three years, and the whole time, her father has been battling cancer. I found out today from grandma that this little happy-go-lucky girl lost her father three days ago. Her grandmother took her to the library to distract her, and the whole way there was telling grandma how she hoped Miss Erin would be there. My heart broke over hearing about her dad, but I was beyond thankful that I could spend a little bit of time with this sweet girl. And I know it was no coincidence that I was there an hour later than usual.
Those are just a few of the ways that God has shown me He is in the details of timing. His timing is perfect. It might not coincide with mine, but how many times have I realized that to have gotten whatever I wanted right then in my own timing would not have been best. And there are a lot of things I'm "waiting" on right now... a lot of unknown variables. So that's another reason these little provisions are sticking out. He's showing me through these "little" gifts is that I can trust Him and His timing. If He cares about the little details, how much more so will He provide in the big ones?
But that's not the timing I'm really talking about. I've just been struck recently by how perfect God's timing is. Little things, like once again, the timing in reading a book. Something as little as that. I have a ridiculous amount of books on my to-read list (seriously, over 200). So it could seem very random which book I actually choose to read at any given point. There have been times that I've bought a book, all excited to read it, but just don't get into it like I thought (or get sidetracked and never start it) only to pick it up months or even more than a year later (once, I picked up a book two years after I bought it), and it was exactly what I needed to hear.
Today at work, because of scheduling, I ended up working an hour later than I normally do on every other Thursday. That last hour, a four year old I'd had in storytime a few years ago but who hasn't been coming due to preschool conflict came in with her grandmother. I've known the family for three years, and the whole time, her father has been battling cancer. I found out today from grandma that this little happy-go-lucky girl lost her father three days ago. Her grandmother took her to the library to distract her, and the whole way there was telling grandma how she hoped Miss Erin would be there. My heart broke over hearing about her dad, but I was beyond thankful that I could spend a little bit of time with this sweet girl. And I know it was no coincidence that I was there an hour later than usual.
Those are just a few of the ways that God has shown me He is in the details of timing. His timing is perfect. It might not coincide with mine, but how many times have I realized that to have gotten whatever I wanted right then in my own timing would not have been best. And there are a lot of things I'm "waiting" on right now... a lot of unknown variables. So that's another reason these little provisions are sticking out. He's showing me through these "little" gifts is that I can trust Him and His timing. If He cares about the little details, how much more so will He provide in the big ones?
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
*breathe*
Well, since I didn't want to close in on the three month mark without posting, and I DO want to post again... I just thought I'd say 'hi' and 'I'm still alive!'. It's been another crazy set of months... living life with no time to reflect/record it ;) Every weekend was something. Oh, there was a birthday somewhere in there, too! :)
But suffice it to say, there are a lot of things I'm learning (some harder ways than others) and a LOT of cool books out there, so I need to get back to posting! There's been new Fancy Nancys and Mo Willems, Summer Reading to discuss, and much more! I don't quite know if I'm ready for the summer (and its insane pace), but it's coming whether I am or not, so *breathe* ready, set, GO!
But suffice it to say, there are a lot of things I'm learning (some harder ways than others) and a LOT of cool books out there, so I need to get back to posting! There's been new Fancy Nancys and Mo Willems, Summer Reading to discuss, and much more! I don't quite know if I'm ready for the summer (and its insane pace), but it's coming whether I am or not, so *breathe* ready, set, GO!
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