I absolutely love hanging out with teenagers; they are great, and I learn so much from them. I'm also really blessed by the faithful saints who have lived a couple decades longer than me who share life with me. This afternoon I spent time with some precious Jesus followers who gathered together and talked about God and life and cupcakes and lots of other things in between. All of them happen to be older than I am, and one of them is half way into her ninth decade on this planet.
I have incredible respect for this gathering of friends who are all highly educated and intelligent people who choose to put more attention and effort on living like Jesus than bullying people with academic words. It's a humble and faithful to Jesus kind of crew, and they make me more like Jesus as I share food with them and listen to stories of how Jesus shapes them.
Tomorrow I'll go back into my classroom as the one in charge who has studied the Scriptures more than my students, but to be a faithful witness of Christ, I have to teach with humility and show that I'm still learning about this Creator God who knows me better than I know myself. This morning I sang loudly about how this awesome God is higher and stronger, and how he is healer. I hold firm to that truth in the face of the extra leg spasms and blister I'm battling this week. I can't explain why my body has had extra pain and muscle cramping the past two days, but I have asked a number of people to pray with me for a miracle in the next nine days. I have a doctor's appointment next Tuesday that would be significantly more convenient if I were not disabled. Obviously that's true of every appointment, but why not ask for a miracle this week?
I would love to have an update that's more than a cryptic "leg spasms suck; send prayers" vibe, but that's where I'm at right now. I have so many other wonderful things going on in life, but that's what's taking the focus right now. I'm going to post this and try a foot bath to see if that helps. God can do miracles, but I'm also responsible for taking care of myself. This morning's long reading was John 9 - the man born blind who was healed after Jesus spread some mud on his eyes and told him to wash. The guy had some agency involved in his healing. I'm very much willing to have agency in my healing, but like Namaan who Caroline mentioned in her sermon this morning, I want to humble myself to have agency in obedience with what God is asking of me. Namaan first wanted to try his own version of washing rather than going where God sent him. I'll have to listen carefully to learn where God is sending me to be healed. If anyone hears something from God on that point that they would like to pass along, feel free.