Busy Days and Unanswered Questions

My brother tells me that I need to update this or people will stop including me in their circle of blogs that they regularly check. I wonder how many people other than him even HAVE a circle of blogs that they regularly check, but I get his point. So here I am.

The last few weeks have been very full, and the next couple will be as well. Lots of work, and coffee with friends, and lesson plans. I like to be busy, but I'm realizing that I haven't left myself a whole lot of time to think, and suddenly the decision making deadline I gave myself is only a week away. It isn't that I haven't thought and prayed about it, but just because of the pace of life right now, most of my thought and prayer lately has been only in passing when I find a free minute at work. What I would love more than anything is to be able to take a day to myself, and just LEAVE and be by myself, away from everyone, to reflect and pray and listen for a long period of time. That isn't realistic, at least in the next week...but maybe I can find half a day! :-)

VBS at Immanuel starts on Monday, which will add to the madness, but I'm looking forward to it! I mean seriously, this is what I love and want to do! (I just look forward to the day I don't have to work at Walgreens and THEN go to VBS! :-)) I'm a "teacher" for the 5-7 year olds. My prayer has been that we will do this WELL and that the parents and kids will see that we think they are important because GOD thinks they are important. Please pray that we see whole families impacted by Christ's love through us and the truth of His Word.

I'm also thankful for the ways God is giving me opportunities to be involved while I'm home. It is hard to commit much without knowing how long I'll be home, and then realizing that I'll be traveling and raising support in the near future, but He keeps dropping things in my lap that encourage me, keep me busy, and help remind me how much I do love the church. Besides VBS, I also get to teach the Jr High class tomorrow, and sing at Grandpa's service at the retirement home. I'm teaching the Sr High girls in a few weeks too, and I'm also working on some curriculum for the children's ministry at IBC. These are all things I ENJOY, and despite the busy-ness, I really am thankful for the chance to be involved while I'm here.

I do leave a week from tomorrow (July 13th) for Harrisburg for my training with ABWE. I'm looking forward to a week off from work (woohoo!) and the chance to meet people, hear their stories....and learn whatever it is we need to learn! I still know very little about the whole thing, and a year ago that would have driven me nuts, but now...Eh, it'll all work out! :-)

So that's where I am these days. Thank you all for your encouragement and the reminders that you're praying for me. I'm very thankful for that, especially when everything looks so confusing and muddled. Please do pray for VBS this week, and the decision that I really would like to make soon. Also pray that I don't get so caught up in DOING (see above!) that I don't take time to listen and just be in His presence. God knows what He's doing. And sometimes He lets us see that, too! :-)