Sunny Sunday...

I really like those days when you go into church and it is cloudy and then when you come out the sun is shining and the whole world feels brighter than when we went in.

It's kind of like what happens in our spirits too. You know those days when everything is dark, cloudy and dready, then you pray, read or listen to some music that makes you think about God and suddenly your spirit feels uplifted, happier and ready to face the world again. That happened to me this week and the encouragement/lesson came in the most peculiar way- from a cup of tea.

A few days into school, feelings of frustration were increasing about one of my colleagues. The frustrations were so consuming me that I could tell I was getting bitter and hating him for his lack of interest in motivating and helping his students learn. I could hardly focus on my work but told myself that the administration is aware of his abuse of the system and that I simply had to force myself to let it go, even if I saw my former students suffering a bit for it. It is the admin's job and they have to keep him accountable. My despise would not leave me (boy I sound like a bitter person!!) and it was interfering in the planning I was to do. I felt a bit guilty for having such negativity but it was hard to give up.

Then the message came- I went to take a sip from the green tea I brought with me to school that morning. As I tipped the cup up I got a glimpse of the little paper that was attached to the string of the tea bag, it was right in front of my face and turned in such a way as to let me read these words.... "If you cannot see God in all, you cannot see God at all."

Hmmm, well there it is! That was a clear message! And it was actually quite an encouraging rebuke, I felt more calm and capable to letting it go and I was also encouraged to know that God can speak to us through ANYTHING even tea bags.

So, as you all enjoy this sunny, late summer day know that God is all around and communicating with you- sometimes in blatantly obvious words (like my tea bag) and sometimes he communicates love through the hugs of little ones- all of these things are in place to bring us peace and to give us hope and purpose.