On "Determining Importance"

We're teaching a new reading comprehension method these days; a series of strategies designed to help kids better interact with what they're reading. One of the strategies is called "determining importance," and it pretty much helps them do just that--figure out what the author wants them to know and why (find the main idea). So for the past couple of weeks, we have been scouring texts, poems, articles and literature and wondering, "Why do we read this? What should I learn from this?"

It's funny, though--I'm finding that I'm internalizing the strategies, too. I'm looking at the things I need to finish, and then "determining importance" of each one, prioritizing, etc. The thing is, though, sometimes you lose your plumb line. Like, what's important to me today may not necessarily be the most important thing in the big picture.

That's how the past months have felt. I'll find myself all worked up about the state of our political landscape, or because I'm behind the pace I would like to keep in my writing unit, or because teachers in my building are about to be shifted, or because people can be so casual about life, or because of fractures between people in our country/churches/schools, or because my children like TV too much...oh, goodness, you fill in the blank. And then I'm hunting again for that ever-elusive plumb line, the line that points to true North, and keeps the rest in perspective.

I found it today. Out of God's immeasurable grace (again), He gave me a glimpse. You can imagine that in all of this chaos, I would not describe myself as being the Christian with the most peace, or the most grace toward others exuding from my pores. Many days lately, I have fallen into bed exhausted, and woken up just the same way. In recent weeks, I had been spending my lunch breaks doing quiet time with my Bible, but this week I spent each lunch break in meetings...and my soul needed the rest badly! Today, though, I had lunch with my team in the cafeteria, and this good friend of mine leans over and says to me, "I'd like to talk to you about God." Well, that was a funny opening statement to me, and we had about 8 minutes left in our break, and so I said, "Ok..." and waited. And then my friend said, "No, seriously, I'm thinking I need to be back in church. I haven't been since I was a child..." and proceeded to tell me all these things that basically let me know that the Holy Spirit had begun drawing her unto Himself.

I will tell you what, and this is so stupid but true, it was like the words "determining importance" just hit me in the head; like God said to me, "This, beloved, is important and all that other stuff? Eh... not so much..." We proceeded to have the best conversation, and tonight as I've prayed, it hasn't been the sleepy kind of praying. It's more like the kind that goes, "Lord, please keep me awake. And aware. And keep me a part of your plan for me, even though I get so numbed by the stuff that doesn't really matter at all. And please, Father, bring my friend into your family. And if you'll let me help, I sure would love it."
That's the important part.