Why I know God has a sense of humor

I learned last April that God really does have a sense of humor. I was called to be a seminary teacher this school year. This entails teaching a group of 14 & 15 year old students about the scriptures. This year is the Old Testament. The entire Old Testament! And...the class is at 6:30 AM every school day for the entire school year!

 I need to interject here that I am a great lover of sleep. No really. I really, really, adore sleeping! Ask anyone close to me. It's a super day when I am able to curl up for a nap in the afternoon. But more that anything, I love sleeping in late. Late as in what a teenager considers late. I have been a very happy night owl for 38 years. I accepted this. My family accepted this. All was well.

Houston, we have a problem.
Ever since receiving this assignment to teach, I have had an incalculable amount of thoughts and feelings about it. First I was very surprised, okay shocked is a better adjective. I was in shock. Well, part of me was in shock. The other part of me felt totally peaceful and excited. Then I found it humorous/exasperating that my sweet, early-bird husband couldn't stop chuckling about this new development in my life. Lately, I have alternated between giddiness at the store buying my very own school supplies, to serious self doubts about my ability to prepare and present the Old Testament to a group of sleepy adolescents. Although I have no real idea of how this will all work out and how this experience will change me, I am ready to jump in and give it my best effort. I look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of the Old Testament and sharing the amazing stories of this book with my students. We are going to learn about the creation

Enoch's city raised into heaven

Noah and the Flood

Jonah, Nineveh, and the whale

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednago surviving the fiery furnace

I distinctly remember last spring (before learning about seminary) driving home from the grocery store and feeling like I wanted to give more to my community in some way. I was also feeling very bored as my church's librarian and was feeling a desire to really search the scriptures. I was NOT feeling like my sleep patterns needed to change. I believe God hears our desires and that He knows our needs, even when we aren't always aware of them. As I bid farewell to nachos and a fun television program at 11PM, I am hopeful that I will gain something better in return. Maybe a deeper understanding of God's plan. Maybe some new friends that just happen to be 23 years younger than me. Maybe the ability to say "I can do hard things" or "I can serve others, even at 6:30AM".
In all of this, I still believe God has a sense of humor. Luckily, so do I.