Multitude Monday - 1000 Gifts ~ The Seeming Forever Weekend

It's kinda weird. We went home from school on a Friday afternoon... and now three plus weeks later, we've still not gotten to Monday. I guess some (certainly students, maybe teachers) might rejoice under those circumstances. But then I think of a Sesame Street episode where Elmo (Rebekah used to LOVE Elmo) learned that Christmas every day wasn't nearly as great as he imagined it might be - it lost some of its unique special-ness when it became a common thing. I think the same thing is true, at least for my kids, who at first found the reprieve from school and the Herculean work efforts exciting and stimulating, but are now ready to rediscover routine and almost anxious to return to the classroom environment.

This has gotten me to thinking about time - and how much we complain about it. Have you ever noticed that?

I find myself moaning about the fact that time is either flying by, leaving my head spinning... or dragging so sloooowwwwllllyyyy... Ever wonder why that is? It's not like time isn't constant, always marching forward, or ticking down - depending on your perspective. There are still 24 hours... 1440 minutes... 86 400 seconds... in one day. We continue to name 7 days as one week, 365.25 days or 52 weeks are called one year. It is a true statement that 10 years makes a decade, while ten decades totals one century and ten centuries equals a millennium. 

As far as I know, there has only been one time in all of history when time actually stood still and that required direct, divine intervention stopping the sun from moving.

“Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity." (Henry Van Dyke) 

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” (Harvey MacKay)

So, I've been theorizing as I've been thinking about time this past week, and a few things keep resurfacing. 

1. God does tell us some specific things in regards to time... He says there is a time for everything, a purpose for every season... He also gives us the charge to redeem the time... It is appointed (i.e. a specific time) unto a man to die and after that is judgment... No man knows the day, the hour, the time of Christ's return and so we are to be continually preparing, watching, waiting... There are certain things we are commanded to do and each time we are so engaged, they cause us to remember and think of Him... We are moment while He is forever... In His book, every one of our days is written... (This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but simply the thoughts to which I've continually returned over the past several days.) 
2.  When I'm feeling like time is passing too quickly, my heart is usually gazing backwards. That can be remembering and celebrating what has happened - but is also sometimes wishing I could return to a different season or preferred time, trying to escape regrets or discomfort in the present. When I'm feeling like time is dragging or standing still, my heart might be gazing forwards. When this anticipating of the future hopes in God, it is great - but sometimes I'm really just trying to escape a difficult or unpleasant present.

I'm challenged to remain thankful and to treasure time, not in a hoard-ish sort of way, but because I grasp in the tiniest sense its amazing value. To best appreciate time's worth, I must find a balance between full engagement and contentment in those present given individual and accumulated moments - as well as thankful remembrance of the previous gifted time and wonder and excitement for the seconds, minutes and hours yet to come. I need His Spirit to make the most of every moment, for each moment in time is a beautiful gift, a precious manifestation of God's infinite love, captured and contained in a finite instant. And that thought takes my breath away. 

this week's gratitude list:

(#'s 3076 - 3096)

a hugely encouraging conversation with some Nigerien educators about meeting the needs of exceptional students

a follow-up conversation with one of those teachers who thinks God is directing him to think more about the potential of special education

time shared skyping with a friend

lots of friends for dinner this past week

homemade biscuits and gravy before church on a Sunday morning

we began moving into the new elementary building

Elementary administration and staff there on the balcony

working together as a community to get much accomplished in just a few hours. Truly, many hands makes light work.

Jonathan's teacher hard at work in her new classroom

Tori's teacher with some student helpers

hot, sweaty work, but smiles were abundant while complaints mostly non-existant

adding and spreading sand to make a suitable playground

 we've seen the new secondary building. It wasn't our original plan, but it is God's plan!

might be nice to have class outside on the terrace

nice big room for assemblies as well as the larger, multi-grade subjects like choir and dance

the dorm has two side by side homes to move into

still on schedule to start back to school in one week

rest before the crazy busyness that will ensue as we prepare for that restart to the school year

the best peanut butter EVER

this blog post: "The great testimony of the Christian faith is not our perfect circumstances, but it is when outside observers say, 'Oh, how they loved one another.' ”

Credit goes to Shannon Maxwell and Linda Watt for the photos in this post.