Saturday, August 17, 2013

stepping outside my comfort zone

Earlier this week I got a phone call from my good friend (who also happens to be my CC director).  When I had seen her earlier that day she had been having a one of those days where you just want to crawl back into bed so that nothing else "bad" can happen. The first thing she said when I answered the phone was "this day just got a little bit longer".  She then asked if I was busy on Saturday (today). Sadly, one of our tutor's had to step down last minute b/c of some health issues. There was going to be one last tutor training today in Richmond.  "Do you want to tutor, and can you go to the training?" She asked.  The idea of me tutoring wasn't a totally new topic for us- I had told her I would be a substitute this year and honestly I think she has asked me every year for the last 4 if I wanted to tutor, but up to this point the answer had always been no- either from me or my husband or both.  I was caught so off guard by the whole conversation all I could do was say we would talk/pray about it and let her know in the morning.  Of course I had to call her back 30 minutes later and ask all the questions that I was too shocked to even think of when she called. :)
Before I go any further, let me back up just a bit. The last few months I have been feeling God prompting me to slow down and let go of a lot of the things that occupy my time.  I have been so busy trying to juggle being a wife and mother,  homeschooling my kids, teaching sewing,  expanding my business, sewing/product development... (the list goes on) and the truth is, I never have been able to juggle.  The one thing that should be most important to me, my relationship with God, seems to suffer most, closely followed by my commitment to homeschooling.  That said, I have been quietly contemplating what things need to change and how to implement those changes- although I will say, I have not done the best job of actually implementing them, but God is gracious.
You might at first think that adding in another pretty significant commitment doesn't seem to make much sense, but instead I felt like God had been prompting this desire to simplify exactly for this purpose.  I could have never considered tutoring if I was still determined to be expanding my business, sewing more, teaching more sewing classes etc.  And today, as I sat in training God just solidified something in my heart that has been a long time coming- when I was younger, I always though I would spend my life in another country on the mission field- I was ready to give up everything and go where ever God led me.  The reality is though- I have my mission field right here, but I have been unwilling to fully give up myself and serve God right were he has planted me.  Sometimes the big sacrifices are easier to make then the small ones.
So, this fall I will be tutoring Foundations.  This is a big step outside my comfort zone, but I am excited to see how God uses this in my life and in our family and the CC community.
More about our plans for this home school year are forthcoming :)

1 comment:

Sandy said...

I know you'll do great! That bit about loving God, but not serving right where you're planted really spoke to me, as He's given me the same revelation in the past. I think it's a constant battle. Keep pushing forward, I know you'll do a great job, and the kids will LOVE you!

 

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