what's your score?

My son brought home a syllabus for his freshman PE class.  In it the teacher clearly laid out his grading method. 

Daily grades are based on a 4-3-2-1-0 scale. 

4 –exceeds request and requirements of instructor –participates without being watched

3 –participates in class activities –meets the requirements

2 –cruises in neutral –participates only while being watched

1 –not prepared for class –shows little or no improvement

0 –no effort to participate during class

In Colossians 3:22-23 Paul challenges Christians to live a “4” kind of day.  “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” 

It's a daily grade.  Are you cruising in neutral?

choose your song carefully

I didn’t think he would take me up on it.

I raised my hands in worship at church, singing to God about how I would love him with all my heart and my strength and my mind.

I didn’t know that would mean…

-a few hundred hours spent writing Bible studies 

-teaching 70 children a Bible story at the end of a long day, every Wednesday for four years 

-laboring over a worship planning meeting –hashing and rehashing ideas, only to toss them in the trash and start over 

-giving up coveted weekends to plan and teach

-setting up the Lord’s supper instead of taking a nap 

-offering a listening ear when I really wish someone would offer me one 

          -giving away a chunk of savings account

I didn’t know he really meant all my strength... until I drop into bed exhausted. 

I didn’t know he meant all my mind, until my eyes are crossed at the computer and I need deep tissue massage for my aching shoulders. 

I didn’t know he meant all my heart, until I wish I could drop some of these ministry tasks and relax but care too much about the people involved to do it. 

The greatest commandment in the Law:  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”  Mark 12:30

Take it from me.  Better not sing it unless you mean it.

seventh semester

On February 15^th Matt and I will attend a scholars ceremony where our baby girl will receive her senior pin for seven semesters in a row of straight A’s.

I think of that proud moment in the future and remember…

An hour on my bed with flash cards trying to help her memorize the table of elements.

Matt quizzing her through list after list of current event questions.
Tears in the car because the CAD program in drafting seemed incomprehensible.
Hours of chemistry homework every night for a year.
Wondering if there would be a curve on a quiz.
Speech anxiety.
Hours of physics homework every night for a year.
Black circles under her eyes on the weekends.
School.  A snack.  At her desk studying until dinner.  Back to her desk until bedtime.

Somehow my girl mastered the day-after-day.

Matt and I sat on the living room floor last night.  Faces long.  Taking turns sighing with stress, listing the weight of responsibilities in just the next day.  So much to do.  We could use a lesson from our daughter in how to keep going. 

“The ransomed of the Lord will return.  They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.  Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”  Isaiah 51:11.

The seventh-semester pin for her. 

A crown of everlasting joy for us. 

But not without a few tears.  Hours and hours of work.  Dark circles under our eyes on the weekends.  Sighs of fatigue.  The crown doesn’t come until we have mastered the day-after-day.