Pop the Bubbles!

If there's one thing I miss the most about teaching special needs preschoolers, it's the language lessons I used to conduct.  I would "reward" each child with bubbles after their language arts work was done. Now that I'm just an assistant in a 1st/2nd grade classroom, I don't have the pleasure of writing the lessons...and the students earn different rewards.  Little ones, though, loved it when I would take them outside on the classroom veranda and blow bubbles for them to pop.  It also helped them with speech (articulation) when I let them blow the bubbles themselves....they loved saying the word "pop" or blowing bubbles.  I used to tell them " make the bubbles disappear"...and they were so pretty in the golden sunlight. (I do confess that I don't miss the paperwork and meetings involved with being a Master Teacher though!:) )

Anyway...today I have been meditating on some Scriptures and words from the devotional book Jesus Calling.

First I was in Deuteronomy 31:6 which states:

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you;  He will never leave you nor forsake you."

and the words from 2 Corinthians 10 which talks about taking captive every one of our thoughts to make it obedient to Christ.

and Luke 12 where Jesus is telling His disciples to not worry about their lives..that we cannot add a single hour to our lives by worrying.

Even though the devotional book stopped at verse 26, I continued reading on to one of my fave verses:

"But seek first His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well"

The devo book explained that our worries and fears will bubble up to the surface of our minds when we sit quietly with the Lord...that this is good...that we need to let them bubble up so we are conscious of them.

It made me realize that when I hear about people's worries, or have some of my own, that I need to let those things 'bubble up" so they can pop in the Light of Jesus' presence.    I Have had to do this in the last few weeks....worries about the upcoming holidays and getting everything done, worries about the students I'm working with and their special needs, worries about my youngest and her workload, fears of the unknown as I begin to write a letter to a friend who is estranged from us right now, fears of the unknown regarding the job situation next year......WHY do we focus on the future when we need to live in the present????  I am forgetting about popping my bubbles........and then.......I came home and......

It's no coincidence that my oldest daughter texted me after work today, while I was busy preparing dinner.  She had some worries and fears about next semester and the courses she is signing up for.  She has to take a Drawing class (she's a graphic design major) and she has to take an Old Testament class, plus a Philosophy class (required core/themed classes for Gordon College).  She wanted to do a women's lit class but it conflicts with something else.  And.....here's the big thing: she was trying to get my feedback about what it might be like for her to take a French course. Now, this is a girl who took 5 1/2 years of French during junior and senior high schools.  The last 2 years of French while in high school were for college credit.  She sailed through these classes and earned a 4.0.  The college accepted her 8 French credits and said she didn't have to take a language while at their institution.  However, she is now thinking of NOT being a math minor and instead, being a French minor.  She doesn't "have" to minor in anything but she wants to.  I was immediately starting to worry about her future....shouldn't she be taking extra art classes rather than French? and what about the fact that she loves math, and excels in math, and 3 months ago wanted as many math courses as possible? (she does NOT take after me in this regard!!).  But then the Lord nudged me.....

I texted her back and encouraged her to take the French if that is what she wants.  And that it was ok with me if she didn't want to minor in Math.  She assured me she was still majoring in Graphic Design but couldn't take another art class due to a sequential thing for freshmen.  And...i was able to tell her to pray about it.  I told her the Lord cares about her future and she doesn't have to worry.  To give Him her concerns and allow Him to take the burden.  She is a smart girl. She said she would pray and that she understood.  I told her I would be praying as well, and would tell Dad to pray.

I think of her worries as "popping"...those little bubbles of doubt, worry, and confusion can just "pop" as she turns these things over to Christ.  His Light will guide her and her prayers will bring peace.

Do you have bubbles of worry or fears that need to come to the surface and be popped??

Give them to the Lord......let Him pop your bubbles!