No, this does not mean I'm going scuba diving...

Last weekend, I heard a speaker talk about a scuba diving experience she had with her family a few years ago. She said that she and her husband, along with their children, went through the training needed in smaller bodies of water before they went on the big dive in the ocean. She was feeling pretty confident about it when it came time to go out for the big dive. They had a dive master that went on the dive with them that would be there and help them through any problems that may occur. After experiencing some problems with her weights, she finally made it down to the bottom of the ocean with her husband, children, and dive master. But soon after she got down there, she saw a large fish (possibly a shark) swimming around them. The fear of being eaten by a shark took over her thoughts, and before she knew it she was throwing out her weights and floating back up to the surface of the water with her kids in her arms in a complete panic. When they got up to the top, the guy in the boat asked what happened. She tried to explain why she was afraid down there, and he stopped her and said, "you took your eyes off the master. He knows things that you don't know and sees things differently than you see them. You HAVE to keep your eyes on the master."

I have thought about this story so many times during this past week. Not because I wish to someday go scuba diving (because the thought alone gives me a little panic attack), but there's a bigger meaning here. How often have we felt like we were the ones in control, just to mess it all up and later realize that we left God out of the equation and tried to handle it ourselves? When we take our eyes off of the Master, life somehow seems to get all messed up.

A year ago I wouldn't have dreamed that I would be doing what I'm doing right now. I had no thoughts of going back to school. I had never wanted to be a teacher (unless you count the days of lining my dolls up and writing on my chalkboard for them when I was 7). A year ago I was at a point in my life where I had done the 'stay-at-home-mom' thing for 11 years, but no longer had kids to stay home with. I guess I wasn't ready to let them go yet, because my first thought of a job was to work at their school where I could still be close to them. I didn't know at the time that God had placed me right where He wanted me, at exactly the right time. At some point during the late winter/early spring, I began throwing around the idea of going back to school to get my license to teach and my master's degree. Things started happening to make this work that could only be explained by saying "that was God". I hadn't taken a test in 15 years, but passed the 2 tests I needed to start school on the first try. That was God. I was afraid going back to college was going to mess up my summer with my kids, but the schedule was changed at the last minute and it worked out perfectly for me. That was God. A first grade position came open, and that just happened to be the grade I worked with last year and knew the most about. That was God. My principal decided to take a chance on me and hire me for that position only months after I had made the decision to do this. That was God. And through ALL of this, I have tried very hard to keep my eyes on The Master. This past month has been crazy busy for me. Five days a week, I'm teaching 20 6-7 year olds, and on my nights and weekends I'm working on my master's degree, juggling football, church and church activities, soccer, house cleaning, laundry, bills, and everything else that comes up. But you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. I am completely overwhelmed with all that I have to do, knowing I will NEVER get it all done, but I know that God has put me where He wants me and I will be ok. There are many days that I think "OK, God will never give me more than I can handle", but then I worry that maybe He is giving more credit than I deserve! But I always make it though whatever it is that I'm worried about and always seem to come out better because I went through it. My heart is where it needs to be, and my eyes are on The Master. This craziness will pass and I'll be a better person because of it. I will praise Him in this storm. I absolutely love my job and the people I work with. My kids continue to amaze me with their kindness and love, and my husband has stepped up to help me in more ways than I can count. I am so very blessed, and all the credit goes to the One that is making it all happen. My Master.

Because I haven't been able to post any since school started, I wanted to put a few pics in of some highlights of our month...

The first day of 7th grade and 2nd grade.

 

We've had friends over to the house

and managed to have fun despite the fact that Jonathan got a bug in his ear.

 

We have fed the homeless

 

 

and tried to show them the love that Jesus would show if He were there.

I finally admitted that Aaron is taller than me :(

Austin got glasses.

We went to the fair

 

complete with fair food.

I praised God with 12,000 other women in the American Airlines center.

and spent the entire weekend laughing and crying and being sleep deprived.

And I actually broke down and opened my mail. The stack on the left is what I actually NEEDED and the stack on the right went straight into the trash.

 

 

It has been an amazing month!

Y'all have a good week, and remember...never take your eyes off The Master. He knows things that you don't know and sees things that you don't see.