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chaos of #back2school


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 another thing all together.  This is the type of chaos that gets you somewhere.  It take time to work through, time to share, to live through and to deal with.

Our back2school event is now less 2 days away. REALLY!  Our church building is not the same as it was last Sunday.  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 will be talking to each child about their dreams and about God.

--- There are boxes full of socks heading in the same direction.  Hundreds of pairs of socks that will be lovingly put on feet of precious kids are ready.  I love the feel of new socks.

--- Leaning forward I see rows and rows and rows of backpacks full of school supplies.  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 a bunch of chairs behind some make shift walls where kids will hear stories about Jesus and how He could change their lives forever.

--- Then down the hallway of the church I get a glimpse of one of our clothes closet rooms busting at the seams with clothes that kids will be able to wear to school.

The faces of friends, volunteers, people working hard are all around.  No tears.  Seemingly very little concern.  Just confident, excited, expectation people that have joined for a common cause.   I am excited and pumped about what will be happening all around this place in just a two days.  Many people are praying for all 12 locations and all the students that will be served.  The finishing touches go on every thing in the next day or so.  Then the children and their parents will arrive Saturday, some special students will arrive on friday.

What often distracts us are the details that get us to where we need to be.  There you find the organized chaos.  Call me crazy or tell me I have OCD.  Whatever the case, I have to look at what is around me knowing that there will be lives changed because we pushed 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 their lives and loving on them?

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.

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 children and others come to know God.  It's worth a little organized chaos!

NOTE: much of this devotion was first shared before back2school took place in 2009, and it remains true today.
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