Perspective

In life we are taught to expect the unexpected and always be prepared. Sometimes, the unexpected sucker punches you in the stomach and takes your breath away. This week we learned that Boudreaux has cancer. Sunday we were playing as normal, Monday morning she could not even get off her bed. It's hard to explain the feeling that encompasses you when you think about such a large part of your life extinguishing without notice. Luckily, with the medicine she is taking, she is much more like her old 'Boudini the Great' self. We continue to pray and enjoy every single moment with her. She is truly the best.

These days seem to pass like a blur. Last weekend, I ventured over to McAllen to take my certification test. After four hours, everything ran together. I somehow managed to pass it with a little help from above. This week has been a whirlwind with the TAKS. Yesterday may have quite possibly been the most stressful day of my life. For six hours, I could only watch the students from my chair in the front of the class and circulate the room every ten minutes. I could not read, write, or do anything other than monitor. There's a specific script to follow and you can not say anything other than that. The kids can't talk all day, even at lunch- which left them on the brink of explosion by 3 p.m...Not to worry, they made up for it today. During the test, in my hours of time, I prayed for each one of them that they might remember all they'd learned and not be nervous. In the midst of it all, I began to wonder just how many of those students know the Lord. Do they go to church? Are they taught the Bible? Do they believe? In a country where our ability to minister as the Lord has called us to do has been taken away from us in the public schools, how could I reach them for Him? I continue to mull that over.

Our lives unfold so differently when you think about it. Ten years ago, would you picture yourself doing what you are doing where you are doing it? Life is about perspective. What you focus on becomes the pinnacle of your happiness. If stress smuggles itself in to become an inhibitor of happiness, we must refuse it. This is difficult, I am learning. I am pretty sure that hair loss due to stress should be the point where the bus starts backing up and the levels start lowering. In the grand scheme of things, sometimes beauty can emerge from tragedy. Even though we are devastated by the news of Boudreaux's health, it places the puzzle pieces of life in a different order. Does it matter if things are perfect at work when you leave, or if everything in the house is just so? Or does it matter that we made the most of each day even if all we wanted to accomplish has to keep until tomorrow. I aspire to be more aware of my time, and how to spend the most of it with those that matter the most.