In His Wll

Sunday afternoons have become my time to blog.

So,  here I sit at my laptop and for the first time in over four years, I am blank. In the past, thoughts came throughout the week concerning possible topics of which to write. 

This week, I had none.

So, here I sit. 

Thinking.

And waiting.

Hoping.

(Insert dramatic pause)

I bet you thought I would launch in to an exciting retelling or revelation. Nope! 

Maybe I am stuck today, because my life is not that much different from the average Ohio mom who also happens to teach at the local school; I wake up, go to work, come home, eat , and back to bed.

Well, there may be a few differences.

Most mornings will find me at the school aquatic center, preparing to jump in and swim laps. I can be pretty sure there are few,  if any,  outdoor pools still open in Ohio in November. If there were, you wouldn't catch me any where near it in a swimming suit.

With our previous pool, there were no heating options, so once the nights dipped below seventy degrees, so did the water. I think the latest I ever swam laps in it was early November. I decided to stop when after six laps, my teeth were still chattering.

The new pool sits above a room. This pocket of air helps keep the water warm through short periods of coolness. I swam Saturday morning and the water was about 77 degrees. It only took three laps for the goosebumps to disappear. 

Another improvement  was the installation of solar heaters on top of the adjoining gym. When first opened last spring, these provided the necessary heated water to keep the pool water comfortable. Not too long after, the comfortable stage was surpassed by the tepid, and eventual bath water stage. I never thought it possible to sweat while swimming laps, but then again I usually don't swim laps in my bath tub. Subsequently, the heaters were disengaged.

Hopefully, someone will throw the switch back the other way, soon.

So, besides that, my life is typical for an Ohioan teacher. 

Except, maybe my commute to work is slightly different. 

Probably shorter.

And requires no mode of transportation, except for my two feet.

If I leave my sixth floor apartment at 7am, I can literally be at my desk by 7:05, depending on the availability of the elevator. Living on the school campus does have its advantages. 

 Some days, I run into past, present, or future students while walking to work, not to mention fellow teachers and several administrators. Twice in my previous employment in Ohio, I experienced commuting issues at its worst- the dreaded accident. I never fear rear ending, or being sideswiped on my current commute. If I'm running late, there's no worry of being stopped and ticketed!

But, once my school day begins, my day is just like that of my Ohio counterparts. Well, except, maybe that for most of my students, English is a second language. Not to mention, with the exception of South America and Antarctica, every continent  can be claimed as a birthplace for one of my twenty-four students. So many cultures, all together in one place. 

When I chose the multi-cultural strand of elementary education at Ohio State, I didn't have a clue what God had in the plans for me. But God did.

I guess I can say, with bold confidence, that I am exactly where God wants me. So whether my life is similar or different to yours, is not what's important. Finding and following the will of God, no matter where that leads you , is that elusive ingredient to joy.

Don't get me wrong; I have good days and bad days. There are days where I am tired and not feeling successful, either as a teacher or a missionary. Days where I desperately miss Nick, Ben, and Abbi. Days where I miss cleaning, cooking, and laundering being at the top of my to do list. But, when it all boils down, I am at the center of God's will.

And there is where I will stay, no matter where He leads this average Ohio mom. 

Jeremiah 29:11