Back to school

It's that time of year again.  Everyone is talking about Back to School.  Facebook has been covered with post about heading back to the classroom.  Some are happy,

"The kids are going back to school and we will finally have a routine again!!  6 more days :) " 

posted one friend. Most of my teacher post are like this,

"Ready for a new school year and ready to meet my students."  

 Some post are filled with sadness as we see our babies are growing up. 

"I can't believe it's Sally's first day of kindergarten.  Where has all the time gone?  How can she be old enough."  Or "I can't believe it's Tommy's LAST first day of school.  How can he be old enough to be a senior in high school?" 

Or maybe it's the child that is sad,

"Summer vacation is over and I am heading back to school.  No more sleeping in, no more swimming all day!!  School work here I come. :( " 

First Day of School 2008

No matter how you feel about school, I have learned that we are always in school.  Always learning something, always being taught, always being tested, always sitting in the classroom of life. 

I find that I am much like the Israelite children.  I sometimes complain about where I am. "Why are my kids always arguing with each other?"  Complain about the water being too bitter. "Oh, I can't believe that this happened." Complain about the manna I have been given. "I wish I had a car, a better bike, a bigger kitchen . . . "  Sometimes I think back to "Egypt" and wish I could just go back, even though I was not happy in "Egypt". 

 I don't always pass my test that God gives me.  I don't always listen to the lessons.  Sometimes my heart and eyes wonder off.  I take my attention off the Instructor and focus on something else.  Then, uh oh, it's a pop quiz.  Something comes up in life, kids get sick, I have a bad day, husband has a bad day, dinner gets burned, laundry does not get dry and now smells sour.  How do I handle this?  Do I take it to God?  Do I tell my Jesus about it and let him fix it?  Most of the time, NO!  Most of the time I take my mess and I work on it.  I try to fix it.  I yell at the kids for arguing over Lego's, I blame others for my mistakes. 

After a while, once I have made a bigger mess, I take it to God.  I hand over all the broken pieces of the day and say, "Jesus, can you help me please?"  And each and every time He does.  He take the pieces and begins to work on them.  Sometimes this means I have to go tell my kids, "I'm sorry, I didn't handle today very well."  Sometimes it may take a while for God to fix the damage that has been done. 

But again, I pull myself back up to the desk.  Grab a pen, a notebook and my Bible.  I turn my eyes back toward the Instructor and listen to what He has to say.  I try very hard to pay attention and be ready for the pop quizzes of life.  I try to be ready for the big test too.  I know that God has a plan and a purpose for me.  I am trying to be less of me and more of Him.  This is what Jesus meant when he said,

And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

 let him deny himself, and

 take up his cross daily,

and follow me.Luke 9:23

Are you currently in the middle of a pop quiz?  A big test?  Are you giving it over to God to handle or are you taking care of things yourself?  Today my goal is to give it all over to God.  Every thing that comes up, big or small. 

God guild me in your ways.