Pain & Posture

I love general revelation. I love it when God reveals Himself through ordinary situations. I love finding God in everyday events or in random objects. (I actually did a project in seminary where I wrote curriculum for a retreat that dealt with this topic alone :D) I love it when an ongoing circumstance or repeated phrase or lesson finally sinks in. The light bulb comes on, and I suddenly have no choice but to stop where I am and thank God for revealing Himself in ways that are available to everyone yet so meaningful on a personal level.

Last night, God once again used an ordinary event to teach me something about Himself. But I also learned something about myself this time. I was reading about suffering and came across a quote that said something along the lines of 'suffering corrects your posture and adjusts your gaze.' Over the past year I've had quite a few back problems - I know, I'm getting old. :) But I've learned many things due to this pain, one of which is the fact that I can eliminate the pain if I make myself have perfect posture. If I can sit straight, pull my shoulders back, and basically make my spine rest in the way it was created to, I find comfort and relief from the pain. Likewise, returning our gaze to God by adjusting our perspective on a situation and correcting our posture towards Him can help lessen the pain of the situation. When we correct ourselves and return to what we were created to be, we see from a new perspective, allowing us to see the situation in a way that makes it somehow easier to bear. It's also important to remember that God may send trials for that exact reason--to make us fix our posture and adjust our gaze.

I've known this fact in my head for years. But for some reason, relating the truth to a physical feeling I had recently experienced somehow made it more real than in the past. My favorite part of the whole lesson is how it came out of nowhere. I love that about God--that He's always there but at certain times when you're least expecting it, He reveals Himself in a way that can't be ignored. We're forced to turn our gaze to Him. It's almost as if He's offering comfort even when we don't ask and when we don't even realize we need it. And now every time I have back pain, it will be a reminder that we are to continually adjust our gaze toward God and try to get back to what we were created to be. Correct your posture, and you will find relief.

So True

Jeff Foxworthy on School Employees:

~ YOU might be a school employee if you believe the playground should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick. (this one is my fav!)

~ YOU might be a school employee if you want to slap the next person who says, 'Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off.'

~ YOU might be a school employee if it is difficult to name your own child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bring high blood pressure as it is uttered.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, 'Boy, the kids sure are mellow today.'

~ YOU might be a school employee if when out in public, you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you think people should have a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you wonder how some parents MANAGED to reproduce.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

~ YOU might be a school employee if meeting a child's parent instantly answers this question, 'Why is this kid like this?'

~ YOU might be a school employee if you would choose a mammogram over a parent conference.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you think someone should invent antibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for that matter!

~ YOU might be a school employee if the words 'I have college debt for this?' has ever come out of your mouth.

~ YOU might be a school employee if you know how many days, minutes, and seconds are left in the school year!

Ode to David

Yes, I realize I have posted this link everywhere, but I truly love David Holmes and his mad rapping skills :) This was the announcement on a southwest airlines flight - (Southwest really is fun to fly with).

David, I want to be you when I grow up...(not a black man...you'll see what I mean & totally understand) :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivjybzdXVmI

Finally!

After 3 weeks of having every second of my day scheduled with nonstop activity (literally), I FINALLY get to have a night where I can do what I want...or do nothing if I want. Yay! I actually had overlapping plans, but I decided for the sake of my sanity, I'm taking the night off. I'm also making a very unexpected trip home this weekend, which will be fun--even though it's pretty packed full, also. But that's ok, because after next Thursday, life may be back to semi-normal. :)

I'm definitely not complaining, though. Life could be a lot worse. I could have this job...

Gross! So I will NOT complain about all of the things I have going on. I will be satisfied with all I have, including the opportunity to have a busy life :)

Also, Happy Bday to my grandmother, who is 84 today!!! Love you!