So between the last seminary teacher training meeting two weeks ago and last night’s meeting, I was supposed to have read 30 days’ worth of material. I was supposed to journal each story. We’re not reading the entire New Testament, so each assignment was a matter of verses. It wouldn’t have been a lot of work if I paced myself.

I didn’t pace myself.

The first day after the first training meeting, I read over the first two stories, events around Christ’s birth. Then, the next day I didn’t read. Then for the next thirteen days, I didn’t read. The Church Education System coordinator sent us an email Monday evening reminding us of the next night’s meeting and where we should be in the reading. Thirty days? I figured I’d go into work early Tuesday morning and throw my scripture-studying gears into overdrive.

That’s what I did. I came into work, sat down, opened the notebook for journaling, accessed the scriptures online, and kept a pen in my hand. As I read each story, I’d jot down thoughts or short summaries and made sure to write neatly enough for later reference. Scenes of the stories would form in my imagination, which was no small blessing.

I finished through story 21 before work. The plan was to stay late and read the remaining nine. What I did instead was go to a Starbucks near the church, unload my scriptures and journal and continue with the process. I arrived around 6:00 and read and wrote until 7:00. I didn’t think I’d be able to concentrate in such a busy place, but it wasn’t bad. I tucked myself in a corner and no one bothered me.

30 stories in fourteen days, except it was more like  2 stories in a day and 28 stories thirteen days later. My thoughts danced with familiar stories from the New Testament. We’ll be starting off with the Gospels, which we’ll teach using a harmony approach. The life and ministry of Christ. The shepherds, the temple, the miracle at Cana, the healing, the forgiving with the same pronouncement as the healing, the multitudes, the parables.

Having crammed so much of the Word in my head, my mind spun, but it managed to find focus for the meeting. It somehow found a way to participate in the discussion and understand the feedback from the CES Coordinator. The meeting was small - only five other teachers showed up. But it was a good meeting, and I picked up some teaching tips that I know the students would appreciate.

Procrastinating is generally not a good practice. I wouldn’t normally do it. While the consequences of this instance of laissez-ness have humbled me, I also consider it no small deal that I was engaged and contributive in this meeting as I was. It probably had something to do with the material. If this was a meeting for work, I probably would not have fared as well. Just saying.

This is going to be a good school year.

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