I can't believe we've almost reached the end of October. It seems like only a week or so ago that Matt was heading back to school, Declan was starting daycare, and RU students were trickling onto campus (and stealing beloved parking spots, but I digress).
Time has eluded us, as it often does, and part of me feels like I've wasted the majority of my favorite season being preoccupied with other things. This week in particular was really trying for us, but as I sit typing this, I feel only thankfulness toward God that he's given us peace and that he always provides.
For those of you who don't know, Matt had the opportunity this year to teach in a different environment than he did last year. Whereas last year he was a traditional classroom teacher of seventh grade math students, this year he's working with two other teachers and a counselor on a project called "a school within a school." In many ways this project is more ministry than teaching, as the students he works with are considered to be "high-risk" by the school system. As you can imagine, this project has been no easy task, especially for a person like Matt, who is genuinely sensitive to the hurt and struggles of other people, and who so longs to help even when he can't.
We are very thankful he has this opportunity, and he prays for and loves his students daily, but man has it been a challenge in some ways. As every teacher gets at times, Matt has been feeling really worn down-- especially so this past week. Which was tough for me to see, because it also happened to be his birthday this week.
In fact, on the day of his birthday we woke up knowing that not only was he going into a full day of teaching (both math and science), but that he also had to leave directly from school to Salem in order to tutor until 7:30, and that he wouldn't be back until past 8:00. It was a long day and not very fun for Matt, despite my best efforts.
We woke up the day after his birthday to find that our plumbing was basically rendered unusable by a clog in the main drain. Which meant that we couldn't take showers, could flush the toilets sparingly, use only enough water to basically wash Declan's cups, and that we couldn't do laundry/run the dishwasher, etc. And that we were going to have to pay to have it fixed, which was a big headache. Oh yeah, and that our bathroom and basement were slightly flooded. Clearly feeling beat down, and just wanting one bright spot left over from the previous day's birthday, Matt asked for his brand new Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt his mom so thoughtfully gave him for his birthday, only to find that, not even having worn it once, Fenway (our puppy) tore the sleeve.
Not a good day. As Matt, honestly close to tears headed out the door for another day of hard work, I could only encourage him with these words, which became our mantra this week: It's time to put our money where our mouths are.
If you know me and Matt, you know that we make no secret of proclaiming the name of Christ. We believe wholeheartedly that He is not a distant and disconnected God, but that He loves us and provides for us daily.
But those things are so much easier to believe in theory. They are easy to say and less easy to feel when daily life feels like just getting through another day with your head above rising water. It's easy to say that Christ will provide for you in every way when you don't have to think about how you're going to pay an unexpected bill and grocery shop all in one week.
And that is why I am so thankful for this week, because God has taken my faith from what was in many ways theoretical, to what is in many ways practical.
In the Sunday school class Matt and I lead (College and Career at Cambria Baptist-- come check it out!), we're going through the book of Hebrews. Recently we've been examining Hebrews 4, which has been really interesting. During this chapter the author describes how God promised the Israelites wandering in the desert rest, but how that rest was really just a small and local rest before the ultimate rest He delivered through Christ. In that same chapter we find out that God's word is alive and active, which means when we read the Bible we don't just see historical events that meant something to the people at the time, but which no longer mean anything to us now, today. God is real and longs to be engaged in our lives, and, contrary to what culture teaches and what Christians unfortunately sometimes affirm, he desires this with everyone, now, today, just as you are.
Even if you disagree with me (I know a lot of you probably do), I just want you all to know that I don't believe in a theoretical God-- one that loves and longs for good and holy people, but who spurns others. The idea of making yourself pure for Christ is preposterous, because we are incapable of it. That's not what he desires. There is nothing too dirty or different, too big or too small for Him.
Our plumbing problem was not too small for God this week. Matt's torn sweatshirt was not menial in his eyes. We have peace not because our problems are solved, but because God does not just exist in the clean-cut aspects of life, but in all of it. And he calls us to have a faith that exists in the same way.
