If there's nothing else to burn... let Him!

I was listening to a CD I haven't heard before in the car yesterday. It was an O.C. soundtrack (which probably explains why I hadn't taken the time to play it earlier hehe... sorry to those who're attached to The O.C; if it's any consolation I enjoyed their play list!)

The opening line of one song really struck me.

"If there's nothing else to burn
you have to set yourself on fire"

I don't know if this is everyone's experience or if everyday things are the only way God can get through to me, but I find it amusing to see what he uses when he wants to say something. What do you think this line means? What do other bloggers think?... the person who wrote it?. I did some research and am fairly convinced that I'm nowhere near the most valid interpretation of this line. In the blog world alone it has been quoted by a firefighting gay rights activist, a comedian and computer chair philosophers. To me it was clear direction, or at least reiteration on what should perhaps have sunk in long ago.

Yesterday was the school swimming carnival. My voluntary role was to supervise the students in my house area. There were supposed to be 4 teachers on duty but for various reasons I was stuck there on my own most of the day. I was seeing red for most of the morning, then I realised that I was actually really enjoying the day. If you know how I feel about anything related to sport this is quite surprising!

And the reason?... I'd spent the day with the kids! By cheering with them, listening to their stories, sorting out disputes, chastening the over-affectionate, and chasing lobster skinned monkey's with the sunscreen tube and cheeky year 11's who thought it was funny defacing each-others torso with zinc outlines of male genitalia, I had been given the opportunity to 'bond' with them and get into the spirit of the day. It never would have happened had I been sitting comfortably in my deck chair with a colleague, nibbling the edges of the latest gossip and discussing the antics of our students from our position 'above'.

In the car on the way home I had this feeling that this is what teaching should be - what life should be, for that matter. But how do I leave my set of crutches behind, the behaviours and habits that give me a false sense of security when I'm facing something difficult? Just as I asked the question the old man's voice boomed; "If there's nothing else to burn you have to set yourself on fire"

So the gist of what God was saying to me; "You know your not getting any satisfaction out of the things you turn to outside of me, you have to choose me and be consumed by my life in you".

I felt like I was on fire yesterday. I'm sure it was because I didn't have anything else to distract me. As a result I chose to get involved and obviously that's when God things start to happen. I want to keep making that decision on every level!

We won by the way.... GO HENTY! GO! ;)