On the Edge of Exhaustion

What a busy week.  VBS wrapped up on Wednesday night and overall it went fairly well after the few hiccups the first night.  Sara and I had a great time with our 3rd graders and already look forward to working with VBS next year.  This summer's experience was different from those I've been involved with in the past though.  I guess I just expected more.  I thought since it was a big congregation that there would be more resources to put on more of a production.  I don't want to be negative though.  I think it was effective, I just had different expectations.  It was a blessing and such an encouragement to work with those who were involved.
 
Well, beyond VBS I still had a lot of other things to occupy my time this week.  I had to take advantage of any spare moments all week to prepare for teaching and preaching this past Sunday.  So that kept me very busy Thursday and Friday.  But more on Sunday's outcome in a minute.
 
Friday night we were invited over for dinner with the Wiggins (a family from our small group).  It was a refreshing blessing after a busy week to visit with them and be entertained by their little bundle of energy (their daughter Kennedy).  We shared some good fellowship along with some great ribs!  On the way home (on our bicycles) we decided to ride over to campus and catch the end of a Kadesh camp devotional.  Sometimes there is just nothing quite like the sound of a couple hundred teenagers singing their hearts out to God in praise!  Even if it was just for those few minutes, that was a moment to remember.  Makes me want to be a camp counselor again.
 
On Saturday, Sara and I had decided to go to Dallas mainly to go to the Texas Ranger game that night because ACU was hosting some Alumni event.  During the day though we got to have lunch with a friend of mine, Daniel, who was in town from Orlando.  After lunch Daniel and I went to go see the new movie King Arthur while Sara happily went on her way to do some shopping.  I thought King Arthur was a pretty good film and some of the parts that were most interesting to me involved the tension between religion and war and Arthur's desire to serve God even in battle.  Thus, there were plenty of thought-provoking scenes and lines.  Later that evening the ball game was great fun.  For some reason summer and baseball just go well together.  The horrible part was the long drive back to Abilene after the game putting us home around 12:30am.  The older I get the more I realize that late nights and long drives simply don't go well together.
 
Then, today was a great but long and tiring day.  We drove out to Maryneal Church of Christ which is about an hour west of Abilene.  We had a full house of about 12 people but both the class and the sermon went well at least from my point of view.  I spoke on Grace and maybe I'll post some excerpts later.  The people were very gracious and after church we went over to the George's for lunch and to spend the afternoon with them.  We were blessed with a great home-cooked meal of which I will never complain.  I did have one surprise though.  Later in the afternoon Sara asked what time we were supposed to be back at church.  They answered saying, "we have class at 5:00pm."  Sara then asked, "well who is teaching class?"  They both pointed at me.  The problem with this was that I was told I had the class and sermon in the morning and then a short devotional talk at 6:00pm Sunday night.  I didn't know about evening class and guess what time this conversation took place?  Yep, 4:30pm!  I had 20 minutes to put together something for class.  Thankfully it all worked out okay but it probably only helped that I had spoken on grace just that morning!  Even though everything went great, by the time I finished I was sure ready to get home.  Four talks in one day is enough to wear anyone out!
 
I just pray that in all things God was glorified!  Now I think I'll get some rest...
 
Blessings