Summa Cum Laude

The title, "Summa Cum Laude," is Latin for "with highest praise." I know that every time the phrase "Cum Laude" comes to mind, it's about academics, like your GPA, your honors, and so on. You can, however, use "Cum Laude" in your personal life, too. For example, you can have "Summa Cum Laude" for a person, or in my case, something more divine, like the One who created me. My Creator and my God. Here is just a little bit of what my journey has been like for the past couple weeks:

I started babysitting on occasion as of two weeks ago. I had posted an add and a profile on Sitter City not too long ago; about six months ago, to be exact. I got a call at work the day before asking if I could babysit this child of the age of 5. A boy. So, I did. After having babysat the boy, even though I was as tired as can be (because, let's face it, children are not quiet beings), I felt accomplished. I didn't feel accomplished because I made $30 dollars an hour, I felt accomplished because someone greater than me did it through me. Summa cum laude.

Before I started babysitting, I started sitting in a Sunday School class as a shadow teacher until I can have my own class to teach out of. After my day of babysitting, I went to Sunday School to find out that the teachers that I am under needed me to teach the following Sunday, (which was yesterday.) I accepted. As the accompanying week occurred, I became overwhelmed with school work because I fell behind. Even though I spent all week on my school studies, I was still able to pull my lesson out of the air on Sunday morning to show the love of Jesus to those sixth graders. Summa cum laude.

Prior to all of the aforementioned text, I had recently taken a break from my relationship with the person I was seeing for a few months. You know how it goes, it wasn't the right time, right place, etc. I went through it, the whole break up spiel. Meanwhile, I spent time on school and prayed that God would turn school into something that I loved. So far, school has been enjoyable and even though I did fall behind, I did catch up and get done with what I need to do to stay ahead. As of yesterday, my relationship with the person that I was seeing before, has fallen back into place. Although I do not know for certain if it will work out in the long run, I shouldn't really matter. It should really be in God's great hands. Summa cum laude.

Earlier today, I spoke with someone who is very near to my heart. This person and I had a falling out, a break up if you will, three years ago over numerous offenses. We had recently talked about our stances and the situation when the falling out was fairly sore; about six months after the fact. Between that time, and today we had not spoken of it on decent terms. Today I finally got up the nerve to send her a message and ask her why it felt like she still held on to the anger and resentment that we had held each other accountable for causing in us so long ago. Her words were this:

"To be bluntly honest, it's not really a grudge. I'm just over you and the whole situation. I've moved on. I hardly don't talk to anyone from back home and I have a few friends/family there but all of my best friends are here (her exact location now). I'm happy."

Normally, this would hurt a sensitive person like myself. But friends, it liberated me! I felt no longer stressed, anxious, hurt, nostalgic about the situation any longer because I got the freedom and closure I needed. God provided that through her. My one prayer for her is that she finds someone along her path that causes her to realixe the greatness of our God. Summa cum laude.

Now, even though this was a stressful week, and while I am fortunate that everything worked out peacefully, I  honestly though would have to say it was just God's everlasting grace that allowed it to do so. Should I have studied harder for my Sunday School lesson and put forth a  little more effort? No doubt. Should have I have thought it through completely before allowing my relationship with my significant other to come back? Sure. All these things could have been prevented or worked out better. But they happened the way that God worked them out for them to happen. 

If I had not have had a single ounce of faith, I don't think I would have made it.