sufficient

catching up

Today is my friend Graham's birthday. Actually, it's past her birthday now because Graham is in Thailand and they are way ahead of the East Coast. I miss her a lot- last year on her birthday was the last time that I talked to her. But I know that when she comes back to the States that we will catch up. I'm not really sure how you catch up on two years of a person's life, but Graham is one of those special friends who I will be able to pick right up with, as if we had seen each other yesterday. I wish I did a better job of keeping in touch with her, but how do you keep someone on the other side of the world really in touch? But I'm making excuses- I could, like so many of the things that I should do, but claim I don't have time for.

I intended this post to center around all the opportunities I'm about to have to catch up with people over the holidays, but it seems to be digressing into a discourse on my busy-ness. Someone at church said a couple of weeks ago that the church needs to make sure that they don't have so many programs that people don't have time to be involved in other people's lives. That rang true with me. Its so hard for me to figure out- I do feel that I have a calling to be involved in the lives of my students. Today that meant 6 of them hanging out in my classroom until 4:30, 2 of them until 6, which made it difficult to write the final I will administer tomorrow. They want me to sponsor a Harry Potter literary club and spent a good deal of time laboring over the proposal for said club. For the time I spend with them, my relationships with my friends suffer, because I am at work from sun up until sun down and come home worn out. Granted, there are 2 days until Christmas break, which I know contributes to my fatigue. What to do? The still small voice at the back of my mind/heart whispers, "His grace is sufficient for you- Trust God- be filled by Him so that you may pour into others." If I only I would listen.

Back to my original topic- 2006 will be my 10 year high school reunion. I have plans over my time at my parents' to meet with a few of them to send postcards to our classmates old addresses. Of those 10 or so people, I have seen maybe 3 since we graduated, none more recently than 3 years ago. I never thought I would feel this way, but I really am looking forward to catching up with them. The thought of the reunion is still overwhelming, but a few old friends over Starbucks sounds good. I hope to see some friends from camp while I'm at home as well.

Tonight, I went to a Christmas party, 2 miles from my apartment, at the home of a friend I hadn't talked to since September. Beverly is another special friend- when we're together, its like we've never been apart. Even my friends that I see every week, we're constantly talking about how we need to catch up with each other because we're all so busy. Community Group often seems to be more catch up time than anything else.

I could continue to lament all of this busy-ness, but really, it just makes me long for heaven. Sundays, the Sabbath, a day of rest, foreshadow the ultimate rest I will have for eternity in heaven. I try to keep Sunday as a day of rest, but it is HARD. But in heaven, we will have true fellowship, true community. There won't be any wishing for time to catch up or even any catching up because we will have eternity to be together, worshiping our King.

posted by CP @ 9:35 PM 3 thoughts