Truth takes time... or, hit me please.

Have you ever noticed how difficult it can be to make the best decision, especially when life-changing issues are at stake... or a ton of money? 

I've been racked with worry over house-buying issues for the last few days, trying to figure out the best course of action for the family. Do we move? Why? How will this affect the budget?

Then there are those questions that we should have asked, but really didn't: Can we serve the kingdom better from another location? Is this move going to benefit ONLY us? How much? In what ways? (These questions link back to something I mentioned Tuesday: I'm starting to think along the lines of Christ, but my actions don't necessarily reflect it. I know I should be considering things beyond my family, for my family is to serve the kingdom of God... yet I get more concerned/wrapped up in/obsessed with my immediate, personal needs/wants/cravings.)

Anyway, regarding the house, we finally came to a resolution Tuesday afternoon. We'd buy the new house, continue to work to sell our current house, and let the financial issues work themselves out when they showed up.We would push. It. Through. It didn't seem like the best financial decision, but it could work out--we'd make sure of it. It would please my wife and I could live with the decision.

Then, while running errands last night, I came up with another option, one that I just couldn't see until then. It was like I was blind to it, blind in sight, intellect, and imagination.

I came home, told my wife about the idea... and... she agreed! She. Agreed. I was surprised. But, after all, it is the best decision for us, short and long term. Thankfully, neither of us needed to be hit in order to "get it." (A hit to the head might have helped me. Seriously.)

~~~*~~~

I don't mean to just blather about my discovery and our house-hunting/purchasing/moving woes. But I do think that what we observe in this example is true to so many of us. It goes back to the old "forrest for the trees" analogy. Sometimes we just CAN'T see the best route or decision, even after seeking counsel (which we did). Counsel helps and should be sought, but sometimes we just need time, space, breathing room to see the truth, to see wisdom.

A friend of mine once told me that if you ever need to make a big decision, use all the time you are given. It's good advice, allowing for perspective to adjust, imagination to kick in, knowledge to percolate, counsel to simmer.

Do you find yourself in a place in which you need to make decisions? Take your time--all the time you're given. Seek counsel. Breathe. Pray (which I haven't mentioned yet). You don't really want to be hit on the side of the head or shaken by the shoulders in order to get sense and perspective into you. It usually doesn't work anyway.

Have you noticed it, though? Truth, sometimes, takes time.

Graduation... two days ago

Fifty of my friends graduated last Saturday.

The "Mob" is what they were called, at least about eighteen or so of them. They had the reputation of being rowdy and rambunctious. Quite frankly, I was dreading the prospect of teaching them. Well, I was until a parent graciously set me straight while this group was in their sophomore year. So I had two years to warm up to the prospect of attempting to "deal" with this group.

But "dealing with them" was never an issue. They began the year as students in my various English classes, and over the course of the year we have become friends of sorts.  As I've said before, I know there are some questions about whether or not a teacher and a student can be friends. I know all about the teacher/student relationship and I know that it can get blurred and then problems can happen.

Even so, the "Mob"--along with their classmates--has become one of my favorite group of students.

I will miss them.

They won't be walking the halls this week. They won't be pranking (well, not at Brook Hill) this week or laughing or playing Spike Ball down in the Student Center. They're done. They've had their name called, their bio read, and they've walked the stage to receive their diplomas.

And I am sad about it, just as I was a couple of years ago when that group of seniors left. Not quite wistful, but a little empty. It feels like we were just hitting our stride, starting to connect, starting to understand each other. Yeah. It feels like we need more time together.

Ah, but they're done. Not done with me, I hope, but certainly done with this stage in their journey, and this is where I reside. At this stage. I am pleased for them. Pleased I got to be a part of where they're going, to have been a part of where they have been.

And so, to the Brook Hill School graduating class of 2012: blessings. May the Lord bless and keep you in your journey. May you live life with all your might. May you live it well and honor God in your living. May you find yourself taking Mr. Fletcher's plea to "live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the king."

So long, friends. Stop in some time and let me know how you are.

Procrastinating... or planning and preparation?

Jitters? Didn't really have any. Plans? Not sure I had much by way of those, either.

You see, school started today and you'd think I'd have worked more intentionally, more precisely--with more focus--than I did to get ready. But I just couldn't keep a steady enough thought to get things in place for the big day.

So what did I do instead? I tried to help my colleagues get their things together. I wandered about the school taking care of random bits of department business. I spent hours in conversation, getting caught up and discussing intentions for the school year.

But as for personal planning and prep for the classes I teach, well, there wasn't much of that. Yesterday afternoon I figured out why.

Here it is--are you ready? I hope so, because this relates to you, in that this is a fairly common experience. Here it is: I wasn't ready yet. I wasn't ready to do the planning and preparation that needed to be done. All the pieces hadn't connected or fallen into place yet.

Ah, but this isn't the only part of it. I added new books and had some new ideas about teaching my course. The time I spent not planning was really spent figuring out how to incorporate the new books and ideas. Putting the pieces together to make the picture of the new and varied school year wasn't working for me, so I busied myself with other work. Time and distraction--and conversation--allowed me space and perspective to step back and see the whole of where I needed to lead my students.

So, in actuality, I've been experiencing what all sorts of people before me have experienced as well: while not working (i.e., supposedly procrastinating), I was readying myself and being readied (by God and time and circumstance) to actually address the task at hand.

Do I recommend this approach to handling challenges and problems and deadlines? No. I do not. (I'm a teacher--why would I recommend this?) Still, though I do say that waiting until the last minute isn't really a smart move, sometimes it's what's needed... sometimes it's what's best.

This time it worked and the picture pieced together is looking promising.