Friday, June 3, 2011

He gives and takes away

I haven't mentioned anything on here about this per the request of administration to keep things quiet, but by the time you read this, the official word will be out. After 19 years, the school where I'm teaching will be shutting its doors. Eastside Christian will be no more.

It's sad, but doesn't really come as a big surprise. For the last three years we've been below our projected enrollment. There are money issues. People behind on tuition payments. Students who've withdrawn and not paid up before they left. Classes combined. In fact, so many cuts have been made that there really aren't any more areas that could be cut. So on Sunday, the school board unanimously voted to close the school. We received the official notice on Wednesday at our staff meeting.

I guess since I've had a few weeks to kind of see the end coming, I'm not as worked up about it as I was when I previously lost my job two years ago. Not to say it isn't frustrating or worrisome at times, because there aren't exactly a ton of teaching positions out there these days and we're trying to buy a house, but I've been just trying to keep directing my brain to focus on a few things:


  • I've not been without a teaching job since I got married and moved out here.

  • God provided for us when I was in between jobs and Phil was on his death bed in the hospital, He'll provide again.

  • He already knows the bigger picture.

  • He has a way of closing and opening doors.

Yesterday morning on my way to work I decided to shut off the radio and just enjoy the quiet. Two songs kept popping into my head with basically the same lyrics. The first line of Laura Story's Bless the Lord says, "Lord, You give and take away for my good, for who am I to say what I need?" Mix that in with a little bit of the chorus from Blessed Be the Name , "You give and take away, You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name," and you see what I was singing for my half hour drive.


So I'm choosing to trust that He's going to give because He's taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.


2 comments:

Kellie said...

Wow, Wendy. I know this is so hard, but you are so on the right track with putting this all in the Lord's hands. I will be praying for you, my friend. God does see the bigger picture and it is prettier than you could ever imagine. :)

bmarquez said...
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