all as it should be

Do you ever have those days when you look around the tiny world in which you live and think to yourself that all is as it should be? Today was a day of pleasant tranquility where it actually did appear that everything was richly graced.

A meeting with our worship director Ted ignited my day. Ted is positively amazing. He is a man of stunningly deep musical talent with a boundless knowledge of different genres that is enlightening to my incredibly finite awareness of artists. For the first half of our meeting we discussed favorite music and he introduced me to a collection of new names that partner with my personal taste (which is acutely defined as ‘chill’). The latter half of our meeting encompassed photography. See I had the divine privilege of doing the photography work for Ted’s up and coming instrumental cd holding the ancient hymn “I can feel the winds of God Today” as its title track. The entirety of our meeting encompassed all that interests me. It was an open discussion of music, art, and dotted with our latest literature readings; such topics I thrive to share with others!

After this meeting I transitioned into yet another. This time the focus was on how to incorporate students into main worship services, which is a hurdle I have had a great hope in seeing come to fruition since the day that I got here. Ted was in on this meeting as well because he is longing to invite students to take leadership during worship services whether through art, music, or prayer and it is this additional facet of inclusion that has also been a great desire of my own. The meeting was of youth and worship and it provided a dazzling hue of possibilities.

Upon completion of meeting number 2 the remainder of my afternoon was relaxed and horribly unproductive – which I was content with. There were tidbits of teaching preparations, contact information updates, a few emails and phone calls to redeem the day from being a complete “waste”. I was fortunate enough to close the afternoon with a 5:00 dinner date with 2 very lovely students at souplantation (which is one of the most amazing restaurants in san diego with endless salad, frozen yogurt, breadsticks, muffins, and piles of deliciousness…yes please!). Our time together was sweet and we made our way back to the church for Wednesday night program. And program was…program tonight was a picture of the reason why I do what I do. It was a gathering of approximately 50 students where we enjoyed dinner together (pizza of course), played crazy games, had a teaching that focused on the beauty of asking questions, and then had thoroughly rockin’ discussions in our breakout groups. Discussions that blew away every preconceived expectation ever held regarding the mind and thoughts of a teenager. As I facilitated our discussion group pride was the key emotion. It was here specifically; in our small breakout group where I thought to myself, “This is it”.

Driving home tonight with the tunes of David Gray softly guiding my way and the warm late summer breeze caressing my skin I reflected on the long day and realized that all is as it should be and found that my cup, as they say, floweth over.