Meandering towards School Mode

Yesterday I was all too aware of how fast the summer is passing, and how soon my calendar will fill, and the pace of life will speed up.   Apparently, I'm not the only one thinking this way:  here's a free resource designed especially for  Christian middle school and high school students, (although I’ve found the helpful  to me as a mom and priest) as they move from the days of summer back to classroom schedules and the more active “program year”.

Back2School, a series of daily devotions assembled by The Episcopal Church, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and the Presbyterian Church (USA), is available August 4 - September 14, at this web address - http://www.d365.org/back2school

Daily interactive devotionals challenge readers to consider what their faith journeys will look like as they re-enter a new year of school or the increased activity that September brings.  It’s pretty, very user friendly, and includes reflective music.  The routine of pause, listen to Scripture, reflect, pray, and then take a blessing into daily life, can take as little as 5 minutes a day. The logic of “more is always better” is not always true of focused prayer—5 minutes is more than enough to plant a seed in your heart of mind that will bear fruit through the day.

Here’s a sample from the entry for August 13 (each day has a section for Pause, Listen, Reflect, Pray, and Go):

Pause:  Change is hard for everyone. Even when it’s obvious that doing something different is the better way to go, we always seem to encounter opposition. Sometimes that resistance comes from others, but often we find it welling up from deep inside ourselves.

 God has something new in mind for us, but we have to decide that we are willing to go there. No kicking and screaming!

 So get ready for something new. Hopefully, you will recognize its value and receive it—gladly!

 Listen: Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13–14

 Reflect:  Have you watched someone run in one direction while looking in another? It usually doesn’t turn out OK. Well, maybe for the spectators, but definitely not for the runner. One of two things is happening: The runner is looking toward a goal but running in the wrong direction, or the runner is running toward the goal but focused somewhere else. Either way, the runner doesn’t make much progress. . . . .

 Pray:  Dear God, renew my focus on Christ. Change my direction to move toward Christ. Help me make progress. Amen.

 Go:  Don’t be afraid.  The newness God is offering you is a very good thing!  Open your heart and mind to the new beginnings God has in store.  Get ready for a change that lasts—forever!