Finding Fulfillment

It's back to school time. I just hate it when all those parents come up to me and say "Are you ready to go back to school?" To me, they always have this nasty, malicious gleam in their eye that says "I can hardly wait to send my uncontrollable, uncommunicative teenager to you again." But that's just me. They probably don't think that....do they???

Now when a fellow educator asks me the same, I know that there is sympathy and fellowship behind the question. They know education is their job, their calling. They know that these kids need a good role model cause so many don't have one. They know that they need a paycheck for heaven's sake! But, the end of summer is a sad, sad, time.

What happened to all those long, lazy days we were looking forward too back in the spring? Where did the time go? Whatever possessed me to say yes to all those trips out of time, therefore depriving myself of time spent AT HOME?


I love to be at home. I love everything about it. I even love cleaning my house 'cause I'm going to enjoy it being clean. During the school year, It seems like such a chore to clean it, just to dash out the door to another activity. I always wonder during the school months, why I spend so much time, effort and money with my house when it is just a place to sleep and eat.



Here's the kitchen island--groceries to be put away, checkbook to be balanced....newspaper that no one can trash....




My junk pile: Whatever anyone doesn't want to put away--Mail, stray canes (stray canes?), half empty pop bottles, sacks of stuff.....this is like manna from heaven--it just appears daily and no one claims it or seems to know how it got there.



Sunday night, Mike was speaking during the Romania Reflections service. He was talking about knowing God's will for our lives. He said in a round about way that wherever we find ourselves to be the happiest and most fulfilled, that's where God wants us. Hmmmmm....so am I supposed to be staying at home, cleaning and ironing napkins and blogging. And going junking? I'm gonna have to ponder on that one! 'Cause I think my fulfilled happy place is pretty selfish. 'Cause I am. Selfish.

I was reading something this morning about listening for the voice of God--seeking Him throught Bible study, Christian Fellowship, Prayer and meditation. But God's voice is so quiet! If He made the Thunder and Lightning and Earthquakes and Storms and Volcanoes, could I at least just get an email so I can 'hear' Him???

But really. I love my job (usually) once it starts. It's just getting into the routine of 'going back to school.' Since we've started having a 'moment of silence' at the beginning of the day, it's helped a lot. Usually my prayer is the same--God, help me to be nice, loving and kind. Even if everyone else isn't! And you know what? It works if I let it! Even if I have to stop in the middle of the prayer and get on to kids about being disrespectful during quiet time! haha.

Well, Molly's having a back-to-school tea party this afternoon, so I've got to go iron some napkins and do other tea partyish things! Boy am I thankful I have girls and they still want to play dress-up and have a tea party!