Resting in Christ

My Sunday school class is having a retreat this weekend.  Acreage, campfire, sprawling house, no television, dirt roads, running water, swing sets, volleyball courts...you get the idea.  Nature in a civilized way...my favorite retreat.

I have a paper on preventing bias in young children due Monday night at midnight.  There was quite a bit of reading in preparation for this paper and I realized on Thursday afternoon that I had read one of the wrong books.  Yikes!  Saturday was spent finishing the correct book and also watching a required film.

Due to this assignment, I wasn't able to go the retreat, but I did pop out there for a brief time during the praise and worship/campfire.  Julie and Dan are finished with their leadership roles and we presented Julie with the gift we had collected for her. (Dan had to make a sudden trip out of town.)  We also prayed for her and spent time in prayer for our new leaders as well.  It was a sweet time for sure.

The part I wasn't expecting is the reminder to rest in Christ.  Josh had prepared a short devo and he focused on sharing our yoke with Christ...resting with Christ.  I remember him saying, "I don't ever think, at the end of a day, 'Man, I shouldn't have spent so much time with the Lord this morning.  I didn't get enough done at work.  But there are definitely times I think 'I wish I had spent more time with Christ today.  I think today might have gone better, then." 

I haven't been spending time in the Word lately.  I haven't been going to Christ with my struggles.  My soul is weary from trudging through.  A friend mentioned something to me on the phone awhile back about making sure to have quality time with Christ and I remember thinking "You just don't understand.  I don't have TIME."  I know better than that.  As I'm typing this, I'm shaking my head at my own stupidity.  Seriously?  I'm 30 years old and have been a child of God for 22 years.  You would think I would have learned something by now!

My paper is rough, but I'll get it finished today.  I feel pretty good about it.  There are two more papers to write.  They WILL get finished.  I'm choosing to rest in the Lord instead of worry about it.  I realize that will be a daily battle...especially closer to the due date for each one.  Feel free to remind me if I slip and start stressing.

(I know I'll regret typing that last sentence, but I'm still not going to take it out! )