Short School Stresses

Father, I long to make this a day of listening. It seems to me that I also need to make this a day of responsibility. At school especially, I have let things become frustrating and overwhelming. I don't like the lessons that I'm teaching, and unfortunately this year I can't just say, well, it's math class so no big deal of they don't like it. I feel like I'm letting You down when I can't make the interpretation of the Bible an alive and real thing.

Another thing that encroaches on me right now is straight up tiredness. I want to fall asleep while I'm trying to teach a lesson to the students. It doesn't make for good teaching. In the morning, I need time to rest and not rush. In the afternoon, I need more time to plan. This combination of tiredness and school stress paralyzes me as far as school stuff goes my Lord.

Now, to You who has all power and extends all grace. I've poured out a new morning concern, I'm asking that You hear my cry and have mercy on me Lord. Thank You for Your blessings.

Another Round of the Hours

This is how my next several weeks of Bible reading is going to go. I'm going to do another round at praying the hours, trying to worship God at morning, noon and night. I am going to pair my prayer with some Bible reading, more in the morning and less in the days and nights, because of time issues. I will also post poetry again at matthewshours.blogspot.com, as a way of creatively engaging the texts. God, please bless these efforts to pursue our relationship. Please help the fruits of our relationship to bless others.

Plan for Devotions

Week 1:
--> Mornings - Romans - 2-3 chapters each day
--> Noons - 1 Thessalonians - several verses each day
--> Nights - 1 Timothy - several verses each day

Week 2:
--> Mornings - 1 Corinthians - 2-3 chapters each day
--> Noons - 2 Thessalonians - several verses each day
--> Nights - 2 Timothy - several verses each day

Week 3:
--> Mornings - 2 Corinthians - 2-3 chapters each day
--> Noons - Titus - several verses each day
--> Nights - Colossians - several verses each day

Week 4:
--> Mornings - Galatians - a chapter a day
--> Noons - Philemon - several verses each day
--> Nights - Philippians - several verses each day

Week 5
--> Mornings - Ephesians - a chapter a day
--> Noons - prayer - listening
--> Nights - Philippians - several verses each day

If I Could Stop Thinking

Last night was a restless one. I'm not sure why, but I kept waking up in the middle of the night and thinking about tennis. Last Friday, headed into Sectional, that wasn't true. But tonight, moving into Regional on Tuesday, it was. I think there's probably a combination of things going on, like that I don't know who we play very well, I don't know if the guys will stay fired up and play well, and I'm not sure how to get them fired up to play well.

And there's this: I know that there is a lot more going on in my world than tennis. I wrote last week that in this time that we want to have intense self-focus heading into the state tournament, we really need to have intense others-focus. Tennis teaches a lot of things about life, but one thing it doesn't teach is that there's a lot more going on than you. So I wish I could stop thinking about tennis and begin to think about everything else that is special in life.

I do have to offer up my thanks once again. You answered prayer in a way of blessing throughout the weekend. Okay, sure, again that has to do mostly with tennis, and how You took bad situations and turned them good. But I feel like I must say that You were so involved in what happened, I don't want to claim any credit without acknowledging Your hands.

Thank You for my Sunday with Gideon as well, Sunday night it was fun to chase him and tickle him and hold him. I am going to miss him being a baby. Thanks for these memories though.

Thank You for my church. It does my heart very good to see everyone band together to help at Joel's house. So we didn't all get together for a hastily planned candlelight service at the school. We did all get together to provide for the needs of one of our members, and that is what is better, right?

I don't want to minimize the praise that You should get though. Behind the scenes and despite my frustration with people and situations, You're changing them. So that's what I'm asking this morning, keeping changing situations for the good. Keep changing people for the good. Be with me, change me to become more people oriented and not so self-focused. Keep bringing Exodus closer to You, where our hearts long for what Your heart longs for. Keep helping me "make disciples," that the people I teach will long for life-long relationship with God.

Thank You once again! I love You.