God's Sufficient Grace

Boom's Violin

And speaking of 5th Grade strings... (It seems like that's all I've been speaking of on this blog recently!) We have a problem. (Translation: we have a situation in which I and others have been shown to be powerless and therefore we have an opportunity for God to show Himself powerful in our midst!) "Violin Boom" came to me after school 2 weeks ago saying that his violin was not in the string room when he went to pick it up. The music faculty at ICS has been requiring this year for the students to all label their instrument cases and keep them in the music rooms during the school day so as to keep them safe. Well, somehow our plan faltered. Boom, being the good student that he is, labeled his violin case outside and inside and left it in the string room after class. At the end of the school day, it was gone. I have no idea what happened. In the past couple of weeks we've questioned the students, teachers, maintenance/cleaning staff - no one has seen it. I thought probably someone picked it up by mistake - there are 26 other violinists in that one class! - but no one has admitted to that. I hate to think of theft, but I really don't know what to think anymore. Sadly, Boom got in trouble with his parents when he got home and his Dad has come to school asking about it several times. We (music faculty and administration) are currently discussing our policy on instruments and who is responsible in a situation like that (I think the school is...) but for various reasons, haven't made a decision yet.

In the meantime, I've been praying. Alone and with my students during class. And the more I pray, the more I'm convinced of the fact that the omniscient God I trust in knows exactly where that violin is and saw it when it left the room and that the omnipotent God I pray to is able to bring it back! It's been a really neat teaching opportunity to share these facts with the kids as we pray together and I'm almost excited that God has brought up this situation. However, the more I pray (especially with the students), the more hopeful I become that God will work mightily in this situation, not merely so that Boom will have his violin back, but so that the 5th Graders will see that God really is omniscient and omnipotent and able and willing to answer our prayers. I'm no longer concerned about Boom getting a violin - it looks like if it doesn't show up in the next few days that the school will most likely pay for him to get another one. (If they don't, I might!) Right now I'm afraid (in my flesh) that God will miss this opportunity to reveal Himself to the students. (I know that's silly. His way is best and if He chooses not to work in the way that I currently think would bring Him most glory, I'm sure He has other plans for making Himself look good in this...) Would you please pray with me for a great demonstration of God's power? And further, that hearts in my class (and in Boom's family) will be changed because of it? Not sure if I'm crazy or just excited but I want so much for this to happen! : )

posted by Catherine Rogers @ 4:55 AM