Dread is Not Gonna Happen Today

It isn’t often that I dread going to the CCD office; my job there is often more creative play than work. I feel guilty for accepting a paycheck. Well, maybe just a little. 😉

But there are days we all open one eye hesitantly to the morning sunbeam, feel the weight as our husband sits on the bed’s edge to tie his shoes, hear him tell us that a thunderstorm should be passing through by evening, hear the door tell him goodbye, and welcome to our mind CCD classes entering the Twilight Zone.

The image I had this morning was one of thunderclouds racing overhead, rain and thunder orchestrating a symphany about the churchgrounds, tornadoes dancing on the wings, buckets of water pouring off the CCD building’s awning, and me held hostage in a building with 200 students.

I was wishing it was Thursday instead of Wednesday so I could chunk the covers back over my head, grateful for the serendipity of thunderstorms on the day following hump day.

Wasn’t gonna happen today.

True to this orchestration, teachers began calling in their notice for the day. I began calling substitutes to the rescue.

Then I did the best thing ever. I hit the dreaded day with two feet on the floor and a fresh pot of coffee on its heels. Then, enamored by that pot of fresh coffee, I put a batch of laundry to wash, balanced the checkbook, seasoned creamed chicken in crockpot, and went over lesson plans for the day.

Out the door I (with a fresh cup of coffee), headed to the office to print teacher’s papers and student lesson sheets.  Teachers and parents called about the storm. Parents called not wanting to get out of their houses. Can you blame them?

What would we do about the meeting and 1st penance practice supposed to happen in the church? What about the Baptism presentation scheduled for the Atrium? What about the 4th graders’ scavenger hunt in the church? What about the prayer garden walk for the older students?

What about…???

Bump. Bump. Bump. I mentally filed all these thoughts into the following weeks and left to get some lunch then take a breather at home.

I called the neighboring churches to see what they had decided. They were continuing with classes as scheduled.

My ten-year-old whipped up a bowl of French vanilla pudding and brought me a bowl.

Sweetness in the face of dread.

A peek at Facebook.

The visionary behind this wonderful webcorner, (Thanks, Lisa 🙂 ) left a 3-minute soul walk that promised to give me 24-hours (or maybe just the next 5-hours?) of peace. And it did.

Through Scripture comes the words of Christ: “Do Not Be Afraid!” and I realized I wasn’t troubled at all this day. I got out of bed this morning and did what had to be done, knowing God’s grace would sustain me. Peace was with me the whole day.

I love having a job that is more a calling than a job.

I love having a calling where God is my boss.

I can rest in peace over any decision, any choice, any plan that is made by my human weakness because I know that God is in charge of this job.

Gotta love a job that gives you peace.

{Update: Catechism classes went very well tonight. Very well. God’s Grace!}