Pretty Provision

When I was in the fifth grade, I took tap, ballet, clogging, and piano lessons; I also participated in girl scouts, 4H, and church activities. I may have been a wee bit over-scheduled.

My point is, though, that I distinctly remember clogging lessons being $5/month and piano lessons being $24/month. I think ballet and tap were another $25/month or so. Most of the other stuff was nearly free. So while I may have driven my parents crazy with the schedule that year, it was only costing them $54/month.....a small price for keeping a busy bee occupied.

Fast forward 20+ years, and go from a town of 5,000 to a city of five million. Wow. The price of piano lessons ain't what it used to be. For one of our children to take only piano now would be $140 - $175/month!

Needless to say, we nearly approach choosing extra-curricular activities with prayer and fasting. (We DO pray.....we haven't fasted about lessons yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see that come down the pipe.)

Our oldest daughter is the same little busy bee that I was (probably more so) and has narrowed down her desired list of activities to: soccer, girl scouts, piano, violin, ballet, art, gymnastics and sign language. And I feel sure I'm forgetting something. So we are constantly putting her off or flat-out saying no to her because of both the cost and the time involved with all of these activities.

However, at the beginning of the summer we decided to try ballet for this school year. There is a lovely Christian ballet program not too far from our house which is relatively affordable. Both girls would have been in the same class, and S. would have had the chance to meet some more girls (she's one of only two in her grade at school).

I excitedly emailed the teacher, asking about the details. I was going to put them in the week-long summer ballet camp in order to catch them up a little, and it was going to work out great with our schedule. It was all a 'go.'

As the sign-up deadline approached, though, I felt a hesitancy. It was unexplainable. It was all working out on paper, but for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling that I was rushing ahead of the Lord in this matter. I felt like I was taking matters into my own hands instead of waiting for His provision. Of course, this was the provision as far as I knew, but inside I kept hearing 'wait.'

Well, we were coming down to the wire -- one day before the ballet camp deadline, and I was thinking, "I just need to sign them up. What's the big deal?" Was I just procrastinating?

Then I got the call. This sweet lady in our church called to tell me our church was starting a ballet program. Would I help? The cost would be $80 for the entire year -- for both girls. "Hmmm......," I thought. "Yes. Yes, I think I can swing $80/year for ballet lessons five minutes from our house." (And the short commute is a big deal in this neck of the woods.)

As it turns out, we had a pretty big response to this new ballet program, so instead of just helping with a class, I am 'teaching' my own 4-6 year old ballet class. And I'm actually getting paid a little for it! But the rewards of teaching these precious girls is payment enough.......look at these faces!

I am so thankful that the Lord said, "wait," even when I didn't understand why or what. And it is only by his grace that I listened and obeyed (I am usually all too eager to rush ahead with my own plans). If I had just followed my own plans and ignored that still, small voice, I would have not only ended up spending money I don' have (due to an unexpected appendectomy in the family), but I would have missed out on all these little toes. And what cute toes they are!

PS -- My husband just read this post and said, "Yes, you forgot that S. also wants to do tennis and cross country." Guess he'll have to coach one of those next year :-).

Orphans

Last Friday morning Trent and I had the rare opportunity to go to the gym on campus together. S and L were at school. K was at parents' morning out. And Trent and I actually had a conversation or two. It was amazing!

After we had worked out hard for thirty five minutes or so (we're total animals), we strolled through the gym lobby which overlooks the fitness area.

I took a deep breath and said, "All of our kids are in school right now. Wow!" And Trent looked down at the empty treadmills and said, "Yeah. I guess they all have ten o'clock classes."

I laughed. "No, I mean our biological children are in school. But yes, it looks like our Georgia Tech children are somewhere else too."

Our exchange reminded me of God's specific ministry call on our lives. Why did He compel us (the McEntyres), four years ago, to leave a great neighborhood and lots of friends in order to live one block from Georgia Tech? Was it just for the 'cool' city life? (We actually prefer the country.) Was it for a better house? (Our current house is older than our first....and has bars on the windows.) Was it for the 'night life'? (Umm....I'm in bed by 10pm.)

God moved us down here to be spiritual parents. He called us to be father and mother to students who have no Christian father and mother. He called us to pray for students who have no praying parents. He called us to preach the Word to students who have never seen their biological parents open a Bible.

God moved us down here to minister to the spiritual orphans of Georgia Tech. He sets the lonely in families (Ps. 68:6).

Of course we won't even meet all the spiritual orphans on this campus of 20,000, but we are called to meet many. Just like caring for biological children, we are called to love these children and lay down our lives for them. And we are thankful that we don't do this alone......we are just a small part of Go

d's plan for this campus.

Please join us in praying for the spiritual orphans of Georgia Tech. Pray that by the time they graduate and become the leaders of our city, nation, and world, many will know the love of the true Father.

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." Galatians 4:4&5