S-T-R-E-T-C-H!

     Well, once again it's been a while since I had a chance to sit down and blog a bit.  The second semester of school has flown by, and tomorrow is the last official day of school!!!  It is time for a break for students and teachers alike!

     As I look back on this school year, I realize that there has been a lot of change in my life.  As some of you may know, I am not a fan of change.  Which is probably why it has been a big part of my life the last few years....hmm...

     My life is so different now than it was only five years ago. I have gone from a house of littles to a house of bigs.  Big clothes, big shoes (that I trip over a lot), big mouths (!!), and big attitudes!  They have certainly jumped into the preteen/teen age group with full force!  I have decided that parenting littles brings a physical tiredness, and parenting bigs brings a mental exhaustion!  But it's good too...because you can begin to see the people they are becoming.  And this:

    

     In those same five years I went from being a SAHM to working full time in the school.  This has been challenging in its own right.  I admit I never had plans to work when I had kids.  I was content to stay home with them and do the mommy thing.  But God had other plans, which meant change for me!  And y'all...He has had to do it!  Because I have been the teacher for the littlest students, which means glitter, glue, paint, scissors, loose teeth, wiggles, and "accidents" of all kinds!  None of these things appeal to my OCD side, let me tell you! But it's good too... because you can see the light bulb moment when the words they are reading suddenly turns into a story.  And this:

     I guess I tricked myself into thinking that because I was approaching "middle age" that my life would be more of the same.  However, God had other plans.  And those plans involved me being stretched to my personal limits so I would be forced to realize that I wasn't doing it in my own strength...it was only Jesus working through me.

    You see, that's why God sends those stretchy moments in our lives.  Especially to those of us who "have the plan."  So we can come face to face with the truth that "not I, but Christ."  I can't juggle kids and work, but Jesus can give me the strength.  I can't fix all the behavior issues that arise, but Jesus can give me wisdom.  I can't heal the scraped knees or hurt hearts of the young ones God has place in my path, but Jesus can give me peace and the power of prayer.

     So, this week, as I face yet another new thing and I think to myself "There's no way I can do this!"  I will remember--"not I, but Christ."  And as you face the stretchy things in your life, I pray you will remember the same thing!  "Not I, but Christ!"  :)