In Making Us He Set Us Free

Fall is here.  Apparently officially.  We've been here a year in New Freeland.  A full year at the Benedict school where I'm trying to beast what has thus far been a great school year with some stellar students. I really can't get over how blessed we are to be where we are.  Overwhelmed? Absolutely, but also absolutely blessed. 

We're all here surviving, up to our necks in living and trying to get through it.  The kids are growing and seem to be thriving.  Orbit runs.  Sweet Mint smiles.  Each one does his thing and is happy.  What more can we ask for as parents, Hazel and I? Our children are free and happy.  Each day is new and exciting.  There is some new adventure around every corner and every game of chase.  There are no worries. Its all a wonder.  G.K. Chesterton wrote, " Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony"  (Orthodoxy).  I think he described my children and we, their grownups, perfectly. When I look at my children I see both what I am and what I wish I was. I see all of the perfection and all of the potential of humanity.  This utter dependence on parents that echoes faintly my utter dependence on God.  This rebellion that manifests in screaming, flinging, world ending tantrums that I too take part in every day.  I see a sense of wonder that I can't even remember, the longing that still tugs at my heart strings.  
    
     We are so wrapped up in being busy.  Doing so many good things we forget what it means to be good, to totally be fulfilled in Christ and his goodness in us. I'm working with the youth at church now.  We're building this thing from the ground up. I mean from having no youth show up to whatever it is that this is going to be.  We're trying to scratch together this unity and a community for these students.  I guess you could say instead we're trying to build the kingdom between these teens and in some cases, trying to bring them into the kingdom in the first place.   One of the things we're doing is meeting together on Sunday mornings to dive into the word together.  We're working through Galatians 3 and looking at the way that God is working to bring us into his kingdom.  Its awesome.  It was a really cool moment to see kids without families talking about how we become God's family and what it means to be His.  Discussing God's love for us and how we experience it, not because we are good, but because He makes us goodIts a cool thing to learn.  A life altering, earth shattering truth that I've become too busy to live out.  This is my second school year now at the Benedict school and if I'm honest, I spend so much time and energy trying to teach truth, I forget to meditate on it and understand it.  I've become so obsessed with seeking to serve my savior that I've forgotten how to seek to love him. 

I want to be like my children.  Lost in the wonder of every day.  Completely in awe of God, not because of what He does, but because of Who he is.  Obsessed with Him because He's the center of my universe and every moment is in pursuit of Him; one giant and joyful  game of cosmic chase with the mirth of God's love for me, His child.