The Magic of Ordinary Daze

I don't know about you, but for me life has a way of whizzing by at lightning speed! I cannot believe it is already mid-October. With all there is to do each day and each week, it is hard to slow down and actually enjoy all that I do. A typical day for me begins early - usually between 4 and 5 am. I get up, curl up with my Bible and coffee for a few minutes to start the day off right and then quickly transform myself into a stylish masterpiece...er...or at least something that doesn't hurt someone's eyes to look at (hopefully!)! :) Then, depending how early I got up, I practice piano for an hour or two (after I shut everyone's doors!). The more I can squeeze in in the morning, the better because it is hard to get all of my practicing work done in the evening when I get home. At seven, I grab a quick breakfast and then run (literally!) out the door to leave for work. I work from 7:30- 3:00. My job includes teaching computer, Spanish, and library to the elementary students, cataloguing and organizing books, helping with computer and other media issues, and other random tasks such as planning the book fair. At 3:00, I either rush home (Tuesdays and Fridays), have a faculty mtg (Mondays), or teach a piano student at school (Wednesdays and Fridays). On Tuesdays when I get home, I teach two piano students.  Whenever I do get home and am finished teaching, after changing clothes and grabbing a snack, I buckle down to some serious practicing. I take a break to go running with my siblings and to eat supper. Sometimes, if we can persuade Mom, she lets us eat in the family room and watch a show like Get Smart or Hogans Heroes. We love the old shows! After dinner, I go back to practicing. I try to get in between four to six hours of practice a day (hopefully closer to six). I also try to squeeze in studying some music history, music theory, and ear training because I am thinking and praying about going back to school to get my Masters degree in Music, in which case I will have to take entrance exams in those subjects. I am trying to figure out how to squeeze in Zumba, but that hasn't worked out very well yet because I am usually exhausted by this point in the day! This is what my week days look like. On Saturdays, I leave at 6 am and drive 3 hours to Macon for my piano lesson which usually ends up being around an hour and a half. Then, I drive back and spend the rest of the day trying to get everything that didn't get done during the week completed, in addition to those special weekend activities like cleaning house and doing laundry! :) I try to spend some time with my family as well. Sundays are busy with church, finishing up weekend projects, and occaisonally, an afternoon nap, trip to the beach, or family activity. Whew! Just like that, my week is gone and a new one has begun. I am beginning to see why 90 year old people always say their lives went by just like that. My goal is just to find a way in the midst of all the stress, craziness and pressure to enjoy what I get to do, to cherish each memory-in-the-making, to really "see" the beauty all around me, to appreciate the little things like coffee in my favorite mug, to love with all of my heart, to infuse each moment with all of my energy, passion, and joy, to take time to notice all the little gifts and surprises God sprinkles in my day, and to glimpse  the magic behind the mundane.

Higher than Mine, Part 2

So, when I went in to the school on that Friday afternoon, they explained that one of their enrichment teachers had unexpectedly had to quit. They spoke with me about what was involved in the job, and amazingly, all of  the things that she had done were areas I had experience in through either my actual "job" or through times when I had just volunteered at the school to help out with tasks that there was no one else to complete. The school offered me the job and told me to come Monday to sign the contract. Praise God! I could not believe it - He had truly answered my prayers! I mean, I knew that He could - I just was not sure that He would answer them the way I wanted them to. I thought He might want me to go through something that would be good FOR me but I might not really like. I mean, I am sure that I would build a BUNCH of character working at McDonalds. Sometimes, God does answer our prayers in ways we do not particularly like. However, this time, He saw fit to provide me with a good job and answer my prayers in a way that was quite satisfying to me.

Of course, it has been hard leaving my friends, school, church, and life in Albany. However, I have enjoyed starting this next phase of my life. God has taught me so much through this entire experience and built my faith in ways I would never have expected. In addition to this job, I also have four piano students, and God has opened other doors with music that I would not have had if I had stayed. I cannot believe all that God has done and I look forward to what the rest of this adventure will hold. A few months ago, if you had told me all that was going to happen, I wouldn't have believed you. God didn't do anything the way I expected Him to. But, I guess that shouldn't have surprised me. After all, He does say "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways  your ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." His plan for me? Better, higher, more wonderful than mine could ever be.