Counting Up, Counting Down

Twenty-four years ago ...

John 13:31-38                                     February 17

87 days [to university graduation]    77 intern[ship, teaching] days!

Claire Weinstein                                  9402.17

Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 37

EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT; HOURS ARE FILLED WITH INTERESTING THOUGHTS.

When Jesus turned Peter's statement back on him, I want to believe that Peter was taken aback at what he had said. Jesus knew that Peter would fail the test when the disciple would deny that he ever knew Jesus. This did not mean that Peter would be cast out, which he was not. Rather, Peter was simply not ready to give up everything -- his position, his image -- and put it behind him to hear Jesus. Lord, help me realize that many if not all of my students will be that way too; I do not cast them out, but I will be there for them to learn from, whenever and however they do.

Lord, be with me as I start today; be with Claire Weinstein, an educational researcher at the University of Texas who needs emergency neurosurgery for a ruptured disk. Robyn Dehlinger who has a sore throat; Diane Mills is going to state soccer competition. Be with Micho, a Lake Mary [High School] senior who is now looking for the place to go to pursue her pre-med studies. Thank you, Lord, for Julie Davis who listens to me banter about my internship and student teaching; help me to be a little less critical. Be with Ivette as she chooses whether or not to be a FOCUS advisor and as she prays for her residence hall. Lance Starr has his research oral presentation tomorrow. John Nicholson has his violin recital tomorrow. Lord, I pray for all of these people and things tomorrow as well as for my own difficulties.

Wow ... you'd think I really needed to get a life in the nineties.

Which I did -- and some would argue I still do, but that's beside the point! I came through my thirty-third week working at Trinity Health's Material Management Warehouse and it seems I've gone through the gamut of emotions. That "being a little less critical" could be handy between my ears as well, now nearly a quarter-century later! I write this as we're getting spaghetti ready for dinner, Jeffrey's practicing on his trombone on day two of this four-day weekend for him and Sarah (Friday was an in-service day and Monday is Presidents' Day, the meshing of Washington and Lincoln's Birthdays I remember celebrating separately as a kid), and I've been home today from Breakfast with the Boys at Bethany and then our biweekly local writing group which meets in Minot State University's library. I brought some of my work ...

that really needs work, like I do.

David