Day 1: Taking Recess and A Challenge

My sister and I have a digital clock in our room that displays messages in red letters. Besides the fact that it is really a neat clock, I love it that right now it is displaying "HAPPY? HAPPY!" I can honestly answer that at this moment, I am happy.
Of course, I'm only on Day 1, so everything is peachy keen. There were a couple of instances today where I had to choose to be happy. You have no idea how big of a deal that is. First of all, I went to bed at 1:30 am and woke up at 5:45 am. That's only 4 hours of sleep! What am I thinking? Do I spazz? Do I become miserable? If I wasn't focusing on having joy I might. I decided, though, that God would give me grace to work through the tiredness, and I even got the chance to take an hour nap after I came home from class.

Then, there was dealing with snotty fifth graders who are not interested in school at all. Once being a fifth grader myself, I can relate to that. However, there is no reason for being disrespectful. Did I get angry? No, I was firm (one student is spending recess with me tomorrow..haha), but I am not angry.

Then there is a challenge. I have a professor who has decided that on top of all the stuff that I have to do in my mini-internship at an elementary school, we need to teach a demo English lesson and have a test! It was crazy! I studied in my car right before class. Amazingly, though, the lesson went well and the test seemed easy!

I am looking back at today and realizing that everything worked out. I am happy, but everything worked out today. I think the true test will come when everything doesn't work out.

Something to think about...

My mom and I were talking about why I refused to live life without anger, frustration, and sadness. Instead of dealing with things, I would just get angry. She was telling me that she thinks (and I agree) that it boils down to being afraid to settle with life the way it is. Life isn't great right now, but it isn't great for a lot of people! Yet, the irony is, Jesus Christ has joy for us to take part in even though life is rotten! I've got to learn to rest in that joy. That is the challenge of this fast. That is the point.

So, how do you stay content when things don't work out and when you are in a place that you don't like? That's my question. I'm trusting that God will provide the answer.