back2school --- organized chaos

Proverbs 4:25 (nlt) --- Look straight ahead,and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Hebrews 12:13 (nlt) --- Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Headaches.  Stress.  Decisions.  But a reason for it all.  I'm not complaining, but I have a hard time with chaos.  Organized chaos is a another kind of deal.  This is the type of chaos that gets you some where.  It take time to work through, share through, live through and just deal with.

Our back2school event is now less 41 hours away. REALLY!  The Community building is not the same as it was last Sunday morning.  It is almost like a tornado came through (a good tornado if there is such thing).  But through the chaos there are some tremendous things shaping up.  Oh I have to share with you a bit of what I see and hear:

• I heard chairs being moved into place for kids to have their feet washed before they get new socks and shoes.  The entire time someone is talking to each child about their dreams and about God.

• There are totes full of socks heading in the same direction.  Way over 600 pairs of socks that will be lovingly put on feet of precious kids.  Love the feel of new socks.

• Leaning forward I see rows and rows and rows of book bags / backpacks full of school supplies, a brochure about our church and some other items.  Can't wait till those kids walk into school with what they need for another year of learning and have more hope than ever before.

• In another direction I see an area of about 120 chairs behind some make shift walls where kids will sing loud songs about Jesus and hear the story that could change their lives forever.

• Then just to the left of my computer screen I catch a glimpse of one of our clothes closet rooms busting at the seams with clothes that kids will be able to wear to school and beyond.

It is at that point that I look back at the window just above my computer screen.  I see a reflection looking back at me.  No tears.  No concern.  Just something like a confident, excited, expectation looking back at me.  Yeah, it's me.  Folks, I am stocked, excited and pumped up about what will be happening all around this place in just a few hours.  Tonight our volunteers gather to learn and pray.  The finishing touches go on every thing in the next day or so.  Then the children and the their parents will arrive early Saturday morning.

What often distracts us are the details that get us to where we need to be.  There you find the organized chaos.  Call me ADD or tell me I have OCD or that I am just plain AR.  Whatever the case, I have to look at what is around me knowing that there will be lives changed because we walked through the chaos.  By the way, some of these kids are walking through chaos in their own lives or in their homes and beyond.  Can't we spend some time speaking into and loving on the little ones?

My heart is set.  The chaos won't distract me.  The kid's lives are in my eyes and on my heart.

2 Chronicles 34:2 (nlt) --- He did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

Matthew 19:14 (nlt) --- But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

Never let the chaos or the stress distract you from what God is doing.  In fact, fall in love with the organized chaos so you and I can spend more time letting the little children and others come to know God.  It's worth a little organized chaos!