A Day In The Life

It was one of those days for me. You know the kind; so much happens it's hard to catch your breath! Yesterday was our last basketball game of the season so when we met this morning, we voted on awards and wrote thank-you notes. Two uniforms came in freshly laundered already which is a possible record! My chapel assignment was switched due to a teacher being out. It was the day to get my driver's license renewed and of course, since it had to be done in person, I messed up the online reserving of a place in line! My seventh period Gospels class hosted both of our third grade sections from 2-2:30 this afternoon, complete with snacks. Our younger students were giving the opportunity to choose the colors for our Honduras/Haiti collection bottles along with the color of the lid and the printing in a mock election. It was so much fun but took me over an hour to set up my classroom. (Ironically, my eighth grade Bible class discussion today was on Martha griping about Mary not helping her, having to do everything herself when Jesus came to dinner!) Then, almost immediately after the close of school, I jumped in my car and drove to the nearby DMV. I mentioned I tried to register my  reservation via the Internet and found out when I got there, I signed up for the wrong line. The kind lady moved  me to the correct line and informed me there were only 81 people ahead of me! The screen on the wall noted that I, identified by the last four digits of my cell phone, had only a ninety-five minute wait. It got better. Almost simultaneously, it was announced that the computer systems were down and there were no guarantees they would come back. Another kind lady announced some folks might want to try again tomorrow. Not me! I stuck it out after a number of people left and actually was out the door with with my new, temporary until the plastic copy comes in the mail in two to four weeks, license! I'm set for six more years!

You know, there are days like today a number of times per year for me and I would guess, for you. Amazingly, from my perspective, a great deal was accomplished in the orbit of one Stephen Wayne Hawley, as I'm officially known to the Great State Of Texas. There are times when I have so much going on that I just kind of wish the day/week/month would just hurry up and get over. When I wish that, what am I saying to the Lord about His design of time within the confines of my life? Ephesians 2:10 reminds me that God created works for me- and you- to do. It should be an honor for me and not a burden. I learned a lesson right before the holidays. I was in our apartment complex office, paying rent before I went out of town as I seem to recall. I was talking to one of the managers about plans for the wonderful time of year. There was a guy there who I know in a semi-passing way. He was asked what he had in mind to do. His response saddened me.
"I never go anywhere. I never do anything."
I know enough about his circumstances which he cannot change to surmise he is being brutally honest. Maybe he would love to swap places with me on those days I wish I had nothing to do because I can't get everything done. We make lives for ourselves and then we often complain about how we spend our seconds and minutes and hours and days. That's my weakness. I shouldn't have time to complain. But I should have time to rejoice that the Lord is entrusting me with good things each three hundred sixty five trips around the sun. Sometimes, I  just have to slow down to remember.

Applicable quote of  the day:
If ants are such busy workers, how come they find time to go to all the picnics? 
Marie Dressler

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com