Painful Teeth, School Online, Summer Vacation, and Elisabeth Elliot

I have discovered teeth in need of a root canal can be devastatingly painful. Nearly a week ago I discovered I need a root canal on an upper molar. The weekend before discovering this was one of the most painful of my life. I didn't know a tooth could hurt so much. I am grateful for the doctor and dentist, that I was able to see, who not only correctly diagnosed the pain but gave me medicine to deal with it. I am doing much better but wish that the root canal could have been scheduled sooner so I could take time to heal before I start school again. The way it is scheduled now, I will be getting the root canal done and going to work on the same day. Isn't summer vacation lovely. I am actually enjoying vacation, knitting, reading and getting to watch baseball. Right now the Cardinals are playing a losing game against the Cubs but it is only the fourth inning or so. Gracey will be pleased if the Cubs win, I, of course, will be sad, but such is baseball, a very fickle game. I have started working on a baby sweater for the first time, it is so tiny, if this works out well it could become as addicting as the blankets have been. I have now found 4 different things (baby blankets, scarves, shawls, baby sweaters) that I can knit without needing to know how to purl. Purling looks so confusing to me, although everyone tells me it really isn't that difficult. On Tuesday, I will have finished my fourth online class of the summer. I do not recommend trying to teach summer school, take 4 online classes and have some sort of a life. Insanity is me. I will say that I have learned a lot and have many new things to share with my colleagues and staff when we start school again on the 20th.
Gracey was kind enough to share a great teaching series by Elisabeth Elliot on how to simplify your life with me. I really enjoyed listening to Mrs. Elliot speak but also I appreciated the reminders of the importance of putting God first in our lives and, particularly for me, remembering that it is not about us and our wants or wishes, it is about God and what He wants for and expects of us. I have greatly appreciated Mrs. Elliot's thoughts, insights and writings, throughout my Christian walk. When she goes on to Heaven, the world will have lost a wonderful voice for trusting in the Lord and doing what we are called to do even if and perhaps especially if we have no idea why or where the Lord is taking us this way. Mrs. Elliot's writings and Gracey's friendship two more gifts of God's grace to me.