His way

Today was much better than yesterday! 

I had sent an email to a dear friend/co-worker last night updating her about my assistant's condition and whining about other assorted things that are going on in our workplace.  She replied to me this morning with an email featuring these pictures.  She said it was the very next email she had opened after reading mine. 



We complain about the cross we bear, but we don't realize that it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we can't.  I had seen this before, but it was SO what I needed to see today!

After I dropped of my younger child, I had a choice to make.  There was a Mass across town at 7:30, but I was probably going to be about 5 minutes late.  (Which wouldn't be a huge issue, because it is in a bad traffic area and people get there when they get there.)  Or, I could go to the church down the road from my school and just sit in the quiet presence of Jesus.  Much as I love Mass, I took the second option.

There is a devotional book entitled "God Calling" that I started using for reflection this summer.  Today's entry could not have been more perfect.  Here are some excerpts: 

And seeking you shall find.  None ever sought My Presence in vain.  None ever sought my help in vain. 

...Sometimes weariness and exhaustion are not signs of lack of spirit but of the guiding of the Spirit. 

Many wonderful things would not have happened but for physical weariness, the mind-weariness of My servants, which made the resting apart, the giving up of works, a necessity....

Though My Way may seem a narrow way it yet leads to Life....Follow it.  It is not so narrow but that I can tread it beside you...

I have been nothing if not weary and exhausted the past few weeks.  I mentioned that last night.

Then I pulled out Shorter Christian Prayer which contains Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours.  I flipped to today's.  The Psalms were alright.  Psalm 36 was about sinners and God's goodness.  The Canticle from Judith 16 concluded with,  But to those who fear you, you are very merciful.  Lord, please be merciful to me.  I'm trying...

Then I got to the reading from Tobit 4.  It ended with:  At all times bless the Lord God, and ask him to make all your paths straight and to grant success to all your endeavors and plans.  Given the title of this blog, I really felt like that was directed right at me.  Telling me to trust the Lord in all things, rather than asking Him to lighten my cross.  And so that is my focus right now!

I left with the message that God does, indeed, hear me and that He also "has my back." 

School is school.  Good, bad, crazy.  Again, nothing got crossed off of my "To Do" list, but things got added to the bottom of it.  My assistant did take the day off and says she has a black eye along with a bump on her head.  Her sub was a lady who has subbed in my room before, and whom we all love.  My awesome assistant says she will be back tomorrow.  I'm impressed!  The weather was cooler, and that was a lift.  My students are really good this year.   I emailed my now-former supervisors with some things that I needed their help with, but they both just passed the ball to someone else (my new supervisor and another staff person).  It was the feeling of being put out to sea in a boat in a hurricane with just one paddle. 

But with all of the stuff on my plate, I know that He will give me the grace to get through and to do things "His Way". 

Amen?