Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Hello, taxi service

I just printed out the schedule for the Easter Pageant. This event will consume our lives for the next week or so, but I suppose if a family is to be consumed that's one of the better ways to do so. Get ready for a ton of pictures . . . in August, probably.

I just got the okay for Kade and Konner to join the Pageant in the children's parts. They go running up to the front when Jesus starts performing miracles. They run, calling His name, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!" Then, at the end, they have a part, too, when He is resurrected, and they come running up to the front yelling, "Jesus is alive! Jesus is alive!" Both parts make me teary-eyed every time. And it just makes it all the more emotional to see my own kids participating. Christ's suffering and ultimate victorious resurrection is, after all, the crux of a Christian's faith.

I didn't get a call to sub today. When I don't get a call, I have a mixed feeling of relief and dejection. Relief because I can sit back and relax for a solid eight hours of complete solitude and dejection because our school system doesn't seem to love me. All was made better, though, when Keith called me to say he'd taken the rest of the day off from his work and would I like to go to breakfast with him? So then I had a mixed feeling of acceptance and love. : )

We ended up having lunch at our favorite Mexican place and then we had a huge debate about Jesus at Gethsemane when He asks the Father for the cup to pass from Him. (Matthew 26:39) Let me say at this point of my narrative that I should have been born Jewish, because two Jews are known for getting together and having three opinions. I LOVE to argue Scripture. I love to look at various issues and try to figure it all out. Scripture is so very richly layered, so beautiful, so perfect. Anyway, we argued about what Jesus meant by asking the Father to let the cup pass from Him. Was Jesus afraid? Was He asking the Father to change His mind about the plan? Was He merely showing His human side? What in the world is going on at this moment? I'd love to hear some thoughts from you all in the comments section!

Yesterday, I did sub at the high school. I subbed for an art teacher, which is probably the most cush job for a sub that there is. The kids just worked on their art projects while I sat at my desk and wrote, read, studied -- all the things I love to do when I'm just at home on the couch. All I needed was my own portable TV and computer and maybe a couch. I did finally put in a little effort in the last class of the day. Matthew, one of the special ed kids that I'd worked with in his special ed program was part of the art class and not getting the art project at all. So, because I'd gotten a chance to get to know him and knew about his general abilities, I set to work to help him draw his two-point perspective art project. By the time we finished it (which means I held the ruler while he drew from one point to another) we had a couple of very cool 3D buildings. It was one of those moments of pure satisfaction.

I've been playing Taxi a lot more lately. Keri Lynn is involved in the senior play at school. She's part of the dance ensemble for The Wizard of Oz, so she hums a lot of the songs throughout the day. This means that I also have the songs stuck in my head. Then, Kristofer has started wrestling. He's not on the school team yet, but joins them for practice. He can sign up next fall. In the meantime, he's able to build his skills two nights a week. I'm glad that they are getting these opportunities, but I sure wish gas was cheaper!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey where's the photo of the "bob" haircut?

Mary Blaustone said...

You sure do have a blessed, full life, Jackie. Haven't stopped by in a while and wanted to say hi.

Happy Spring!
Mary B.

Anonymous said...

So what were your two positions on Matthew 26? (You don't have to tell us who believes which.) :)

Jackie said...

Holly -- It's all about what the cup means. One position is that it is the physical suffering of Christ at the cross. The other position is that it's the suffering caused by being separated from His holiness when Christ takes on the sins of the world. Either way you look at it, though, it is amazing that Jesus follows up His words with "Not my will by Yours." Love that!

Anonymous said...

You're a kindred spirit, Jackie! I love discussions like this, too.

I think it was both. Imagine "becoming sin" AND going through a Psalm 22 experience like that. My guess is He was in such agony over it that, since there were some things the Father knew that He didn't, He went ahead and asked if it was really, really necessary for Him to do it. And apparently it really was the only way.

It's so humbling to think about all of this.

Anonymous said...

A side note:
When I looked up "crucifixion" on the internet today, I learned something new (though very grim). Did you know that about 40 years after Jesus was crucified, the inhabitants of Jerusalem were crucified by the thousands? It was part of the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

They'd said "We have no king but Caesar," and "Crucify him!" but it was Caesar's own armies who ended up killing them and destroying their city and temple.

No wonder Jesus said what He did in Luke 23:28-31.

Um...was that too depressing? :)

Jackie said...

Depressing? Hardly especially coming into Passion week. Thank you, Holly! Good words!