Food for thought

These both came from Sojourner Magazine's 'Daily Verse & Voice.' I thought they were each interesting and made me reflect on how they apply in my life.

"For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peacable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits without a trace of partiality or hypocricy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace."

- James 3:16-18

Yike. I know that I'm sure a sinner and a hypocrite. As a liberal, I love to criticize the Bush administration for global warming and pollution. I look down my nose at people who drive around in huge HumVees. I get angry at supply-siders who cut taxes on the super-rich and tell us that it's not the government's job to help the poor. But I covet and covet and covet. I wish I could replace my beat-up 200,000 mile tiny little Chevy S-10 with a big huge new Silverado. I whine to my wife about how our 87 year old house only has one bathroom that needs new pipes and a new floor and I wish we could win the lottery and build something brand new. And I am so unyielding on SO many things, being indignant is one of my favorite moods.

"At our best, we become Sabbath for one another. We are the emptiness, the day of rest. We become space, that our loved ones, the lost and sorrowful, may find rest in us."
- Wayne Muller
From "Sabbath" quoted in How Shall We Live by Joan Chittister, OSB.

I have always believed that teachers need to strive to be this for our students. Our classrooms should be havens and refuges from the social and emotional pressures and gossip and bullying and drama, let alone academic stress that bombards kids all day long at school. If for just 50 minutes, they can feel safe and feel like they can be themselves and be accepted- then I have served a vital purpose in their lives. If I can actually teach them something, that's icing on the cake. If I can influence them positively in anyway whatsoever, thank God. If even for part of that time I somehow represent Jesus (even without crossing that line between Church and State and overtly proselytizing) then Amen and Hallelujah.

Deal Lord,

Please help me to be contented in plenty and in want
Please help me to seek first Your Kingdom and Your promises
Please help me to empty myself of self,
empty myself of my ambitions, my desires, my agendas
In short, may there be less of me and more of You, Lord
So that You can use me to be a Sabbath, a place of peace and calm and rest and sanity,
set aside by You for restoring and reconciling You children.

In Jesus Name,
Amen