Back to School, Back to School

After a week-and-a-half of waiting, I am once again, up at 5am preparing for a big day in the "real world."  Unfortunately, this is not enough real world to actually get paid for, even though I am doing more work than I will probably ever do as a paid teacher.

Over the past few weeks though, I've gotten the great opportunity to see just how much God has blessed me and my family.  Once again, though Baton Rouge has some severe damage in some places, my family and I were protected through a rough storm.  If postponing a no-name football game is the only sacrifice that had to be made, then I guess we came out okay.  During the time "off,"  I was able to catch up with some friends I don't get to see often, and watch the Red Sox play for the second time this season.  I'd call that blessing. 

We were then told that we probably wouldn't get to start interacting with students again until the 15th, which broke my heart.  We knew we'd have to report to school today, but the kids wouldn't be around until at least Monday.  This is bad, very bad, for those of us who have to log x-amount of hours in front of a class.  Then, the news reported last night that my school would be reopening on Thursday!  

In the midst of the extra couple of days "off" I got,  I took the opportunity to catch up on my running and biking, you know, get back into the routine after my week hiatus in Shreveport.  Last night, I was in the middle of one of those really really rediculously great runs, clear mind, good pace, etc...  I stopped to do some arm workouts on the big steps downtown that go from the top of the levee to the river, and to get some water at one of those nasty water-fountains.  Upon the start of my return run, I realized that my car key was not in my key pocket.  I frantically searched all over the area, thinking it must have fallen out while I was doing dips or something, but it was nowhere to be found.  So on the 3.5 mile return run, I kept my eyes on the ground, and thought of the extra distance I was going to have to run home to use the phone if my car-key was not around, and how angry my parents would be that they would have to drive to Baton Rouge to bring the spare.  About 1/4 mile before the end, there was my key, shining on the pathway, in the most obscure of places.  What a blessing.  It really helped me to refocus, and realize how amazing God's grace is.