Time After Time

6 months ago I spent 2 life changing days in Eugene. It was beautiful in a bunch of different ways ... but probably one the best things about it, was the time spent worshiping and studying the word of God with just a few of my most beautiful friends!

You never know what Beth Moore is going to talk about when you sign up for her conference - but you do know that whatever it is, it's going to be a-m-a-z-i-n-g, God filled, and worth every minute you have that weekend.
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6 months later and here I am re-reading my notes from the message focused around {time}.  Funny how God brings you back to the basics at just the right times in your life - this Sunday in October of 2013 being one of them - when I've been letting time control me rather than just doing what I can with the time I have.
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Did you know that time is what keeps everything from happening at once? It's true. And yet, how many times have I felt like one more thing couldn't possibly happen in my life at the same time without the world coming to an end.   Key words:  I've FELT like.  Feelings are different than reality.  Time doesn't go - time comes!  We should not be depressed or anxious about all that seems to be counting down around us... we are on a "count up!" We are on a mission to live life well each and every day - without worry, without fear, without knowing what might happen next, but trusting that this time we have is going to be spent well.

As a teacher, I hold a timer in my hand almost every day.  I time kids on math facts, I time them on reading passages, and I time their recess.  It's all a count-down to zero.  But over the course of the past few months, I've caught myself remembering Beth's powerful words that said "quit counting down!"  Grab a stop watch - start at 0 - and gain all the time in the world!

My lesson plan book is filled with appointed times for every day and every subject, and as I sit here tonight with a new week of blank pages in front of me, I can't help but smile.  Those appointed times have never been worth so much.  Rather than being discouraged about the shortened schedule, I'm going to focus on doing great things with the time that's been appointed.  My kids are learning, I'm learning, and the time we have is being counted up rather than disappearing.
Here's the catch ... the most beautiful place you can possibly be in your life is knowing that you don't have anything at all if He doesn't come through for you.  You see, God knows the end from the beginning.  He sees it before we do, and simply asks us to trust.  Trust.  Trust. Trust.

Teachers are notorious for feeling like there is never enough time.  I was one of those teachers last week.  But I do know that I have a dash that I'm living right now, and my students do too. The"dash" that represents everything you do from your birth until your death. The dash that whispers - "Hey, it's up to you if it's a mad dash {angry}, or a sad dash {torn up}, or a bad dash, or a glad dash that simply says I'm glad I was here."
I cannot be enslaved to a schedule.  I have to buy up the time I've been given ... redeem it ... and move from dark to light every single day.  God didn't have light first and then say "hey, we need some darkness."  He said ... let there be light!

And so, as I begin another week of school tomorrow morning, I'm going rise in the dark and move forward in the light - carrying 23 little 2nd graders with me as we count up the time we've been given rather than count down.

Who's with me?  These ladies are ... and I hope you are too!  Let the world know you by your love and live your dash well!!