With semester crashing to a close next Thursday, it's easy to focus on lists, accomplishments and deadlines. Each period today came with a fresh set of students trying to make-up unearthly amounts of homework. Some scrounge for extra credit. Some have given up.
After the bell finally rang at 2:05, I settled into my own list of to-do's. Some tasks were pleasant: watching students make up an experiment. Others were more challenging: contacting the parents of each student failing my science class. Either way, by 3:25, I was "finished" enough to leave for the monthly meeting with Joy (my mentor) at the Global Bean.
We talked. We prayed. We talked about praying. We talked about crying. (We didn't cry, though. There's been enough of that this week!)
Expressing life to Joy helps me understand why I struggle with my struggles and why I rejoice in my celebrations. What a refreshing time! Our monthly coffee dates have become a highlight. They help me cope with the excitement and the uncertainty of trusting God.
Then, after checking a few more errands off the list, I drove to Mom & Dad's for dinner. We talked for a few hours. Deep, exhausting, fulfilling conversations. I love the way my parents challenge my thoughts, especially when we don't agree at first. (I'll never be conservative enough to be a true Rarig, but God's okay with that...pretty sure.) What a blessing to see God moving within and through our family.
Later, I met up with some friends at a really lame dance club (because, really, who goes to a dance club in Silverdale. Old town Silverdale, no less.) I don't really enjoy bars in the first place, but the time to talk with friends was well-worth the poorly-mixed 80's music.
So what does this have to do with anything?
Brushing my teeth, getting ready for bed, I was cataloging everything I'd accomplished in the day. And it hit me. It's not about our accomplishments. God isn't keeping score of the number of people I talked with. He's not recording the hours I was at work. It doesn't matter how much money I spent on drinks or even on relief supplies for Haitian refugees.
Sure, there are Bible verses that talk about loving people and loving God. But that's not what I remembered while brushing my teeth.
My friend JJ used to work at Office Depot. One night, he pulled a paper out of his pocket that said:
Drop
Everything.
People
Over
Tasks.
Hmm. How many opportunities do I lose when I "do life" focused on the tasks? It seems so much more natural to put the tasks over people. Especially at work.
But people are always more important.
I've taken this past week "off" from people. Tired and processing life, I felt like I needed a break. Last night, my roommate Michelle and I shared our common frustration, loneliness and sadness of this week. Sometimes it's good to be alone. There are times for that boundary. Often though, it's better to be alone with someone.
Starting this weekend, though, it's time to move on. Time to drop everything. Time to put people over tasks. Tasks won't make it to Heaven with us. By the grace of God, people will.
"Love your neighbor as yourself." --Jesus
Saturday, January 23, 2010
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Ephesians 5
Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:
“Awake, O sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you!”
Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Yes, and you are right in the middle of the most wobbly people of all - teenagers.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA
ReplyDeleteoh, JJ.
the rest of it was good, too.