We are half-way through the school year.  I'm not sure whether to cry or celebrate.  It's one of those classic "cup half full  or half empty" moments.  All about perspective!  While we are more comfortable in our daily rhythms we can also become complacent in doing the same thing day in and day out.  It reminds me of what I read in Nehemiah 2:13-18 (MSG)

"Under cover of night I went past the Valley Gate toward the Dragon's Fountain to the Dung Gate looking over the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken through and whose gates had been burned up.  I then crossed to the Fountain Gate and headed for the King's pool but there wasn't enough room for the donkey I was riding to get through.  So I went up the valley in the dark continuing my inspection of the wall.  I came back in through the Valley Gate.  The local officials had no idea where I'd gone or what I was doing- I hadn't breathed a word to the Jews, priests, nobles, local officials, or anyone else who would be working on the job.  Then I gave them my report:  'Face it:  We're in a bad way here.  Jerusalem is a wreck; its gates are burned up.  Come--let's build the wall of Jerusalem and not live with this disgrace any longer'  I told them how God was supporting me and how the king was backing me up.  They said, 'We're with you.  Let's get started.' They rolled up their sleeves, ready for the good work."

Nehemiah arrives and takes stock of the situation.  He then calls the people together and reports on what he found.  Did the people need his report?  They lived there, perhaps they walked past these broken gates and walls every day.  Couldn't they see for themselves the decay and destruction?  Had they become desensitized or blind to the reality?  Or perhaps they knew and recognized that it was a mess but they didn't know where to start or how to begin the repairs.  Nehemiah comes and tells them his report and calls them to action.  Immediately we see the people respond.  In the beginning of chapter 3 the priests begin to work and repair that which is broken.  From there it becomes a chain reaction among the people, joining together in the work.  All because of one person, who saw the need and moved to fill it.  I wonder in what areas in my life do I need a Nehemiah to call attention to and push me to action?  Are there spaces that are not easily entered and so I just prefer to walk past and not deal with them?  

We've been living in this house for almost 4 years now.  One of the faucets has always sprayed all over the counter instead of straight down.  4 years we've let the water spray all over the counter.  Recently Ivan took the nozzle off and cleaned it and put it back on.  It took maybe a whopping 3 minutes from start to finish.  The faucet now sends the water down into the sink instead of the the counter.  Why did we let ourselves live for 4 years like that?  Laziness?  We knew it should be fixed.  We even knew it was a low investment of energy and time to fix it but we never fixed it until now!  It sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud.  But I think we all do the same thing in some form or fashion.  We'll get to it later.  It's not a priority.  It's "fine".  We learned to only open the faucet a little bit to reduce the spray on the counters (our temporary fix) instead of taking the time to address the real problem.  Is there a broken faucet in your house?  In your heart?  As we go through this season of lent, a time of confession and reflection, I am asking myself these questions as well.  

At a friend's wedding... felt good to get dressed up and go somewhere!

February YL Update