More tired…more blessed..

…Is it possible?  Well, I am certainly more tired than ever.  However, on my most tired day ever….I also feel enormously more blessed than ever.

Usually Sundays are a test of my endurance and patience because of my religious education responsibilities…and because I do not have exactly a healthy thyroid, I tend to tucker out much faster when facing a strenuous schedule.  But God certainly provides, and today He did just that.  I can’t believe I was able to pull off teaching my 2nd graders, a lovely All Saints program and music session with K through 7th grade, and talk with 8th through high school about our BIshop visit, and a special service project that I knew they would thoroughly enjoy.  Pretty painless service hours, but work made fun by good companionship, team work and a good cause.  Eighteen very serious and glad to be there teens put together 25 shoe box gifts for children in third world countries. 18 students that came during the 3-5 pm timeslot on a Sunday afternoon; they wanted to be there.  You could see how they were really into completing each box with thoughtfulness and care; contemplating if this was the only gift they received, would they want it to be filled to the top?…what would make them happy to see inside of it?  If it were for them would they like what they found when they opened it??  Of course, our children would be wanting the latest technology…Ipods and Mini Ipads, and DSi’s, DVDS, CDS, yes, the pricey American fare.  These boxes were filled with personal hygiene products like toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, hair items, soap, hard candies, trinkets, school supplies, small toys, stuffed toys.  THESE are the things that will thrill the children that open them.  They will feel so fortunate and blessed.  We were blessed today by the grace of God touching our minds, hearts and hands to prepare a special gift for a special child somewhere in the world. 

 

And so, I relax and unwind at the end of a very fulfilling and fruitful day.  I am thankful that God uses me to help encourage and enlighten other people’s children in their faith life and awaken them to a life of service to others.  As many of our youth group children prepare for Confirmation they are taught to look beyond themselves, and even their families to their church and civil communities (hopefully they already have an established life of faith and service within their family unit),  By taking their Christian belief system and putting it into practice beyond the confines of themselves and their homes,…they are definitely growing in Christ, and I look forward to seeing them blossom in that faith.  Today I witnessed some of that blossoming and it was sweet indeed.

I am feeling so blessed to know these special young people and being able to be a part of their formation and spiritual growth this year.