I watched the proverbial sunset.

My week has been insane, and I'm not exactly sure why. Probably because school has hit its groove of routine and busy-ness. I'm up at AHS every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9-10a to help Mrs. Stone's students with writing...I'm up there again 2-3 times to eat lunch with the fifty kids I know and love...and meetings seem to be popping up all over the place to fill in the gaps--student meetings, youth pastor meetings, Arlington Ministerial Association meetings, staff meetings, volunteer meetings, donor meetings, etc, etc, etc.

Last night, Grandma and Grandpa came up after a week at a nice resort on the Hood Canal to visit my home in Arlington and see bits of Northwest Washingon. By the time they arrived yesterday afternoon, I was on my third meeting of the day and trying to finish up all the materials I need to have ready for a church presentation on Sunday. I was ready to crawl into a ball on my couch and sleep for 36 hours. But--I also wanted to brag about my state a bit more, so we hopped into the car and drove up Chuckanut Drive towards Bellingham at sunset.

It was beautiful--and I was able to catch my breath, be inspired, and relax...

It's why I love Washington sooo much...because I can go non-stop for four days, exhaust myself, and then drive up Chuckanut Drive at sunset and remember that the world is bigger and more beautiful than I've stopped to notice this week.

This week I've also seen 50 AHS students gather around the flagpole to pray, and while I was so encouraged at their confidence, I watched 1450 other students walk past them, wondering what was going on...and my heart broke that there are so many kids that I see everyday that are not living for Christ and are making horrible decisions to follow other paths. And yet, at sunset on Chuckanut, God tells me that He's always bigger than I imagine Him to be. Soo....yeah....