Brett's Discernment

It's amazing how a new relationship, be it romantic, friendship, or professional, can change your outlook on life and God's "plan."

Schoolwork has continued to consume my time. I am stressed about club stuff starting because of the huge financial deadlines which loom very close - and being at a new school and things just starting to get up and running is putting me in a vise between school and state/nat'l club obligations. At the same time that my energy is drained by school, I manage to put off grading a fair amount. But my lessons have gone really well and teaching is so much easier in the second year. I love having returning students and knowing more of the staff.

So . . . one thing that I tend to be overly critical of people with is not using their turn signals or just cutting in traffic in general... I realize that this is a petty thing and I get too easily frustrated by this. Also, I generally think that when you go out of your way to let someone into your lane or let them go ahead, that person should give a wave of thanks and acknowledgement. This is not a huge deal or something I get too worked up about, but in Hanover/Mechanicsville where I grew up, everyone waved at this kind of traffic maneuver! I like waving. . .
Anyway, the other day driving my 10 min commute home from work, two cars cut into my lane abruptly, with little space, with no turn signal and - no wave. I became frustrated when this happened the second time, and called out loud to myself, "no wave?!" But then it struck me, a rather simplistic, juvenile metaphor within this daily occurence: God gives us all that we have, all that we are, all that we use, and often times we let these little frustrations work us up and cause us to sin - that sin cuts into God's plan and desire for our lives to be closer to him - and we sin day by day - and without even thinking for a second of acknowledging our God, whose plan for us we have cut in on - without even a "wave" to our God. So I was thinking as I sat there in traffic, this very small infraction against me and my driving safety, is so miniscule - how much more then, does God observe our actions and think - "What?! No wave?!" How much more is the sadness of God and Christ for each time we sin - and how deep and personal is that offense to our gifts, without even a "wave." This just reminded me how we cannot take our own sin lightly - but nor do we have any space to judge others who commit infractions of sin against us - "as we forgive those who trespass against us." I've thought of this each time I've been driving over the last week.

Pastor Bohannon preached a great sermon this morning about marriage - this of course was timely as I'm beginning a new relationship and still discerning and praying over what God's plan/will for me is in relation to marriage (and yes, I do realize this is nothing that I'll finish discerning or "figure out" this week or even this year). I'd really like to read Pastor Ballentine's thoughts on the readings, but he hasn't posted his sermon yet . . .