Wednesday, August 25, 2010

New Beginnings

I've always loved August. The sun rises a little later... sets a little earlier... evenings are a *tiny* bit cooler... the first "Fall Storm" (mmm... popcorn and novels, with the sound of rain beating the windows)... back to school shopping...

Wait a minute! I didn't have to do that this year, for the very very first time in literally 20 years -- 2 years of preschool, 1 kindergarten, 12 grade school, 5 college. I'm a nerd. I always waited all summer for school to start again. I begged my parents for workbooks and educational summer camps (our district only offered remedial summer school, not enrichment). The night before the first day was almost more exciting than Christmas, knowing my backpack was filled with crisp notebooks and freshly sharpened pencils, with a pretty new outfit waiting for the first morning's light. Once I hit college I took classes every summer.

I think I'm going through withdrawl. I actually got a little teary-eyed at the site of a bus yesterday morning.

But life at the Preston's is never boring. I started my first "grown up" job on Monday morning -- I'm officially a bank teller at a local bank here in town! Monday we read all about how to do the job, Tuesday we played with Monopoly money, and today! Today I actually get out of the back room and onto the teller counter with real customers and real money! It's almost as good as going back to school (but only almost). I do get the pretty new outfit laid out, even if the backpack is missing.

It's a strange transition, all the sudden feeling like an adult. Working 5 days a week (but only 30 hours), staying on top of the house, continuing my volunteer postions. About that -- I got my group assignment for the Bible study class where I volunteer. I'm a group leader this year. All of my ladies are in their 30s - 70s: I'm more than a decade younger than my youngest class member! I know it's God-ordained and He wouldn't set me up to fail, but the words of Nickie Gumbel are ringing in my ears: He explained that when HE thought he was ready for a certain appointment within the Church of England, GOD knew that he still had a long way to go. It was only when Nickie began to doubt his own abilities that God had room to work. I very much feel the same way.

Add to that our search for a new house, with all the "grown up" stuff that comes with that (can anyone say 'mortgage'?)... I'm going through a bit of a culture shock.

And all I can think of is Paul:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect
in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so
that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when
I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

May God bless you all this August, no matter what paths you may be starting!

1 comment:

Rachael said...

I know how you feel! My husband and I are just starting to look into buying a house as well. All that money scares me. I feel like a little girl whose been playing house all this time and now I have to start dealing with the real world! =)