More Bricks! Less Straw!

I used to mutter this phrase, "More bricks! Less straw!" sometimes when I was at Camp Wawona. Those were typically the times when we had big groups there and we were short-handed, trying to be everywhere at once...and then something else would come up, and it would seem physically impossible to do everything that our jobs demanded that we do.

Well. That phrase has been coming back to mind over the last week. Without sounding like I am complaining, let me paint a little picture of the way things have been.

A week ago, we thankfully gained five more staff members. After arriving in the early morning hours, they slept for a few hours, and then we all met in the school computer lab (with air-conditioning) for orientation. That meeting lasted until 5 p.m. THEN we got ready to teach the next morning. I found out only a few days before, that I would be teaching 4th grade for a week, until their teacher came from the Philippines. So I frantically did some basic cleaning and planning, and got to bed by 12 a.m. or so. We woke up bright and early, and I began the day with supervision at 7:30 a.m. while the others had staff worship. Then...the week began.

In some ways, I loved the week. How amazing to see little 2nd graders transformed into big 4th graders! They didn't fight as much, they listened to directions. I also learned how to implement the most important rule of the first day/week of teaching: PROCEDURES! Teaching them HOW to do everything helped tremendously. They were so sweet too, and it has been a special time. God gave me the strength, even as the week got a little tougher as they got more comfortable and used to being in school again.

But as much fun as I had, I was ready to turn them over to their next teacher, who was supposed to come tonight. But alas, a typhoon seems to be in the way in the Philippines, and they cannot come for at least another week (since there is now only one flight in from Palau a week). When I heard the news yesterday, my heart was heavy. More bricks...less straw. I'm so tired, God, I thought. How in the world am I supposed to keep this up, AND do anything that I am SUPPOSED to be doing as the registrar? I didn't know. I still don't. And I've still been praying for a miracle--you know, maybe an angel or something to mysteriously appear to teach them on Monday. But I also have felt God telling me that it's going to be ok. We'll just keep taking it one day at a time together, and He will help me catch up with my "real" job as the registrar when it is time.

In the meantime, thanks so much for your prayers. Maybe that's why I don't feel as overwhelmed as I could be feeling. And I'm pretty sure that's how I'm going to make it another week as a substitute teacher.

"But for those who are righteous, the path is not steep and rough. You are a God of justice, and you smooth out the road ahead of them." Isaiah 26:7

P.S. This doesn't count church, where I have also been pseudo-in-charge of coordinating vespers, typing up the bulletin each week, being the pianist, and today, teaching youth Sabbath School. :)