Rest

I am tired! This was a tiring week at work. Difficult parent to deal with, difficult students to work with. Autism just confounds me! I feel like I just plodded through each morning, managing these little temperaments, little quirks, strange behaviors...and yet...God gave me a glimpse of what we must seem like to Him at times. Do we appear to be autistic to the Lord at times, I wonder? Unwilling to change behaviors, unwilling to bend, not liking change at all, continuing to not look Him in the eye when He is trying to get our attention! Ah....I really am not complaining about my position at the school. I actually like my job. I enjoy the challenge of these special needs kindergartners. I enjoy assisting the teacher with the typical kids, too. It is a fun, positive classroom. I am just tired! Physically and mentally! But....the Bible, in Matthew 11: 28 says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." This is a promise from the Lord! I need to give Him my concerns for these students, I need to give him my anxiety about getting everything done for the Christmas season. And I need to rest.
How is that possible this weekend? Claire, the 3rd grader, has dress rehearsal #1 at church tomorrow from 9 a.m. until 1 pm. I need to pack her a lunch, get her costume bagged and drive her there. Then I need to help my husband choose a Christmas tree and get it up! Meanwhile, Courtney, the 14 year old, wants me to take her to the library and help me wrap Claire's birthday gifts (she turns 9 on 12/21). She also wants to plan my birthday dinner which is in a week. I still need to finish decorating the inside of the house, begin my cookies (I did manage to make the dough this afternoon while Claire was on a playdate), and dash over to the craft store where they are selling spiral trees that my children want to put up in the front yard! Plus, I really need to mop my kitchen and bathroom floors as that chore did not get done this week. Courtney needs to show me what she wants to wear to the orchestra concert and I need to approve it! If it doesn't meet approval, it is off to the mall to search for a black skirt and white top. (in my day, we just wore nice holiday style dresses for our holiday concerts....her high school requires black and white for ALL concerts...I thought that was just a college and professional group thing!).....The one good thing is that her orchestra concert is not until 12/19, AFTER the musical that Claire is in at church. Did I mention that Claire has FOUR performances in one weekend?? And we only have 3 full rehearsals left! After church on Sunday, I was hoping to rest and read while cookies bake in the oven, and then teach Claire her next piano lesson, but.....Claire has a dance rehearsal from 1-2:30. Needless to say, we decided to stop the piano lessons until after the New Year...she has no time to practice and I cannot homeschool her in piano if she doesn't practice....I have no patience for it! She wants to stop them anyways so.....I told her that is a great idea for now! Oh, and I need to figure out which formal dress attire I am wearing to my husband's company xmas party on 12/6....yikes...that is coming up fast! The party is a class act at one of the fanciest places in our part of the state....it is loads of fun, awesome food and a great band...but...it is just one more thing on the calendar!
What is the point of this post? Well, it got me to realize that I do need to keep calm and rest in Him this weekend! I need to prioritize my home management chores as well! If my floors don't get mopped, who cares? I can just vacuum and spot mop if I really need to. Laundry is caught up and most of the dusting is caught up. Courtney can wait to wrap Claire's birthday gifts...they are bought and hidden and once the church and school obligations are over, evenings are free for wrapping.....I can let it go until after 12/19! I can assign Courtney some easy chores once her homework is done.....she is more than willing to earn extra money by doing extra chores. (She was so motivated to go out to dinner and the movies tonite with a good friend that she came home from school and started right in on her math and it is a Friday...she NEVER does homework on a Friday!) That was a pleasant surprise and a great choice on her part since she wants to do some fun stuff this weekend as well as earn money! I can also try to get my husband to help me finish the outdoor lights although he is busy too with having to listen to interviews for the hiring process of a new youth pastor that our church is hiring. Dave is on the hiring committee as he is one of the junior high small group leaders...so...that takes up some of his time now on weekends! Are we too busy??
Maybe, but that is the season we are in right now. 2 active kids who love their church events and ministries. Thank you Jesus for our church! (and that for wed. nite's youth group meeting I don't have to do a thing....the senior high teens are decorating the youth center so my husband just needs to get her there....I don't need to drive across town to bring her to her life::group...yeah.....(church is just down the road and up another road....literally 4 minutes away!) I am praising God for these small things!
"Come to me...I will give you rest!" I will heed these words this weekend and put my trust in Him to renew my body, soul and mind! Thank you Jesus........now......about that snow/freezing rain that might be coming our way on Sunday nite.....do you think He could arrange for us to have a snow day??! And around our house....that would be a treat right about now!