Eyes Up!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith… Hebrews 12: 1-2

Oh golly, my head is so full of thoughts, my hands are so full of tasks and my heart is so full of emotions!  It’s not  a surprise; it’s the week before school starts, I just forget what it feels like until we get here again.  There is so much to organize and plan and prepare.  I looked around my classroom this afternoon and realized I had 3 bulletin boards started, a scrub bucket of water that made it to about half of the lockers, six feet of lamination that had about a foot cut out and I was looking for something on Teacher Pay Teacher!  

It’s easy to get sidetracked when you loose your focus.  Being overwhelmed can make me forget which direction I’m headed.  As I prepare for a new school year I am so hopeful that it’ will be a normal year; but what if it’s not!  As we all get ready to begin there are dozens of voices yelling directives.  There is still fear, worry and that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.  There are still voices arguing about what’s right and what’s best and if I try to take it all in things get fuzzy.  But then I remember, God is still in charge and he’s bigger than all of it.  As Fr. Ricardo says, “God isn’t worried about any of this!”

As I stepped away from everything, I made a list of the top ten reasons I love my job and why I’m ready to  go back to a new school year.  As I was finishing the list, I remembered this quote I read earlier this week from St. Jane Frances De Chantal that helped me catch my breath and smile.  She said, “Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to him.  That is all the doing you have to worry about.”   It’s easy to look at our world right now and find the bad and get caught in the crazy. Without too much effort we might even think things are worse now than they’ve ever been but St. Jane Frances wrote these words to encourage believers in1640, when they believed they were in the middle of the worst times.  I suppose it’s all relative!  The truth isn’t really in the circumstances, the truth is in the Father.  No matter how sidetracked or fuzzy headed or overwhelmed we feel, all we have to do is hold our eyes on him and let him do the doing!  I was also reminded that his “doing” is  pretty amazing!

A Seed To Plant:  Make a list of all the things that have you rattled, worried or discouraged then take that list to prayer and ask the Father to help you keep your eyes on him.​

Blessings on your day!