TGIF

Or more to the point, Thank God it's Sabbath! It's been a long, hard week. It always is after a Week of Prayer and Youth Church. If you teach in Christian schools, you know this is one of the rules. The week after an intensely Jesus-focused week is always the most difficult. The devil goes out of his way to try and tempt.

This week was no exception. Every day was an exhasuting challenge. I had students in my office every single day, all day long--except today, when I was dealing with teachers instead. At one point, I just closed my door and cried. That's the first time since I took this job that I've done that. And I couldn't even enjoy it as, within minutes, I had to go put out another fire with a hysterical girl upset over geometry. (How many times has that happened over the years? More than I can count, most likely.)

The only thing that kept me sane today, well, I guess the two things, was the beautiful view out the front window of school (we had a hard frost last night and it changed up the colors of the leaves one more time...it took my breath away every time I looked outside!) and knowing that Sabbath was coming and I could put it all aside with a clear conscience and just revel in the peace that always comes at sundown, the weight of the week rolling off my shoulders and falling with a thud at my feet there to stay, at least until Sunday.

So, now, the Sabbath has come. I made a grand effort to resolve all the conflict around me before leaving school and determined to make my escape in the morning to Maine. Meanwhile, though, the lights are low, the music is on (Beethoven piano sonata at the moment), and I am in pure relief and release mode that always comes when I let myself fully appreciate and experience the Sabbath. I don't know that I could survive without my Sabbath respit!