Don't touch my sand art!

Sand art is a very delicate thing. If you want it to look right it takes time and effort. You don't just dump all the sand together and hope that it looks nice when you are finished. No. It's best if you plan ahead and know what colors you are going to use. How much of each one that you'll layer before you finish. This will insure that your vase/animal/ etc. will look the best that it can.

Scheduling 5 Day Clubs is very much the same. You have to plan them out. Call and recall the hosts to make sure they remember that you are coming, plan drivers, schedule teams. It takes a LOT of time and a LOT of effort to get it right. I can't just show up at the beginning of the summer and be like, "I think I'll just throw together some clubs..." It just doesn't work like that.

The worst thing that could happen to sand art is for it to be shaken. Suddenly all the layers are mixed up together and the colors combined. It doesn't look the way you envisioned.

That's the way my summer has been. I have spent countless hours planning clubs, calling hosts, scheduling drivers and teens so that it all works out great. I can't tell you how many times I've prayed for the kids, hosts, teens and drivers. But even with all that preparation and effort, Jesus still finds ways to shake my sand art. I get sick, someone calls to cancel a club, a driver can't make it, there was no communication to someone now everyone is confused, hurt feelings, rain, you name it - it's probably happened.

Today has been a typical day of things just not going according to plan.  I feel like I'm watching Jesus take my sand art and shake it all around then set it down in front of me and ask, "What are you going to do now?" Not maliciously, but curious. What will I do now that all my plans are changed and I have to be flexible? Will I turn to Him? Will I try to fix it on my own? What am I going to do in response?

I have to admit I'm really good at trying to fix it on my own. I am so good at looking at the situation and saying, "Nobody panic! I got this!" When I really need to turn to the one who can save me all the frustration and worry.

But He's teaching me - slowly but surely I'm learning this lesson as He continually changes my plans. Jesus is teaching me to find the beauty in everything. Even some messed up sand art.