Sunday Afternoons....

There is something about Sunday afternoons--both last Sunday and today I went to the library after church in order to do some grad work and was thoroughly blessed by how productive it was. I've gotten more done in the three or four hours I've spent there these two Sundays than I usually get done on my Mondays off. I have been so stressed this week over my grad work and many other things that seem to all be taking place at the same time. The stress was so bad that Tuesday morning when I started the day, I was at the point of almost lashing out at the kids. (It usually takes quite a bit to ruffle my feathers that much!) So I don't understand what is really going on, or what the Lord is trying to show me. This is the first time in a long time that this has happened. I've also gotten into this vicious cycle of not sleeping enough, therefore I'm too tired to absorb what I read each morning, going through the day without any refreshment from the Word, and then stressing & worrying at home and not being able to sleep.

My adviser wants my whole proposal written for my project by the end of this coming week, and this is after we recently revamped the whole project, so in some ways I had to start over with my writing. It was almost a month ago that we last met, but between me being sick, and general craziness teaching wise, I have not been able to work on the project very much. But today was very encouraging as the Lord gave me what I needed in order to keep a major section of my first proposal and incorporate it in my second proposal. So now I am quite hopeful that the Lord will give me the grace to get this done.

This all comes in the midst of extreme stress due to proposed budget cuts for next year. The superintendent wants to make cuts in the music program, specifically the elementary instrumental (band and strings) program. If these proposed cuts make it into the final budget, there will be major changes in our music program next year. Right now I am teaching a four day student load in three days. If my time is cut more, my program will be basically ruined because there is no way you can teach 80 some kids in two days and still have quality. A worse possibility still is that I would be transferred to another school. What to do with all that? Please pray that I would surrender these things to the Lord, because in the end, His will will be done no matter if I've stressed over it or not. The possibility of change is scary for a number of reasons. But who knows, I suppose if the Lord wanted me there full time next year, He could work that out in the midst of all these budget woes. So..."be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).