Project November Day 14

Day 14: Something you are currently worrying about

It's hard to pin it down to just one thing. Probably the best way to describe it is that I'm worried about making the right choices with my life. I'm doing the best to follow God's leading but there are times when I just feel completely lost. Am I making the right choices? Am I doing the right things? Am I using my time and resources to their full potential? Years from now, will I regret the choice to do __________ ? Am I honoring Him with my choices or am I honoring my own selfish desires? Really, all I can do is listen for God's voice and hope for the best, but that doesn't mean it's easy!





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P52 / 07 / love

This week I received an outpouring of love from friends, colleagues, and parents of my students on Valentine's Day. Here's just a taste of all the goodies!

P52 / 07 / love

#355: SADCC Day 22: the shell roll

Eh, I don't really prefer this one... it's doubtful that I will tie my scarf like this after today.

show&tell #355: SADCC Day 22: the shell roll

And although it's hard to see here, I'm wearing my Christmas present to myself: this awesome shirt from Threadless that I've wanted for a long time (but my size was always sold out) and finally managed to snag during their $10 tees sale!! (In case you can't tell, it's a tribute to the four houses of Hogwarts. Recognizeable only by other nerds like me!)

House Brawl

#239: where's the gold?

show&tell #239: where's the gold?

#228: here we go again

Most people make new year's resolutions, but I make new school year resolutions. And every year there's a running resolution. So today, a week before classes start, I went for my first run in months. It felt much better than I expected it to. My intention was to ease back into things with a 10 minute run but ended up going for over 20. Time to get into shape since I'm signed up to run in the Basel Marathon on September 11!*

show&tell #228: here we go again

*I am signed up to run 1/6th of the Basel Marathon, which actually only equals about 4.3 miles.

#213: happy dance

ONE of my two missing suitcases arrived today!! Still waiting on the other, but this deserves a happy dance.

show&tell #213: happy dance

#210: double feature (flying) friday

show&tell #210: terminal 5

double feature: almost home

#144: to-do-tuesday

show&tell #144: to-do-tuesday

#92: world autism day

show&tell #92: world autism day
[necklace purchased from AutismLoveHope]

#90: the lost will be found

show&tell #90: the lost will be found

My umbrella has been missing since Sunday. This is a big deal because it rains often in Germany, and I walk everywhere. So to leave home without is to risk getting drenched later in the day. I have been searching every "lost and found" area here at school and asking around, retracing my steps and racking my brain trying to figure out where it disappeared to. Yeah, it's just an umbrella. But, I bought this the day before I moved to Germany so it has sentimental value! Plus it's hot pink, my favorite. So this afternoon on my way to lunch I nearly exploded with happiness when I spotted my umbrella propped up against a locker in the hallway, just outside my office. God heard my prayers, and some good Samaritan heard me bemoaning my missing umbrella. Good thing, because it started raining this morning after I got to school and hasn't stopped!!

#47: living water

show&tell #47: living water

just another day?

There are days when I wonder what in the world God is doing. After reflecting on the seemingly disjointed events of my day, interactions with my students, interesting encounters at the German grocery store... I often fail to see how any of it can have any eternal significance. The day may be haphazard and random or perfectly planned; regardless, I'm left with the question, "What significance did today hold?"

Then I take a step back and am dismayed to realize I've had many more days just like this one. Wake up, go to school, teach, eat lunch, prep for tomorrow's lessons, attend back-to-back meetings, go to rehearsal/Chrysalis/the dorm, go to bed, repeat. Today was just another day.

Or was it? Suddenly, something pretty neat happens: I get a glimpse of the big picture. While I'm busy micromanaging my days away, God is working on a masterpiece to which my eyes are blinded.

Pastor David Harrop is leading BFCF through a study of Luke. A few weeks ago we covered Luke 7 and John the Baptist's questioning of Jesus. Pastor pointed out that John was sitting in prison, unable to observe all the miracles and fulfilled prophecies by Jesus. He couldn't see for himself what Jesus was doing, yet he was clinging to an unraveling thread of hope that Jesus was the Messiah. John had prepared the way for Jesus, but now he wasn't so sure... suppose he misunderstood the signs?

How often am I like John? Sitting in the prison of my daily life, going through the motions, waiting for God to reveal himself to me.  I long for fellowship with the Spirit but walk away from church feeling empty and alone. Wondering if maybe I misunderstood or made a wrong turn somewhere.

Yet there's hope in verse 21. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me. In other words, "blessed is the man who perseveres even though he can't see any reason to do so." Jesus is still Lord and God holds me in His hands, even when I can't feel Him. When I can't see His purposes and can't understand His ways. When things aren't going the way I think they should be going. When the days run together and the weeks fly by without a break. In spite of all these things, I choose to worship, because I know God is moving and doing things I can't see. God has plans for me that I would never, ever, in a million years imagine. So each day, be it monotonous or momentous, I must remember the promise in Zephaniah 3:17, and trust that God is with me and working in and through me.

The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.