Dragons in My Lunchbox

I've been encouraged and challenged lately by Psalm 37:23, which says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way."

The steps of a good man [strong man, warrior--emphasizing the ability to fight]  I was fascinated to discover that "good man" has the connotation of a strong warrior, able to fight. Life is often hard. I need discipline, courage, and strength to live faithfully engaged in my spiritual battles. 

are ordered [to be set up, established, fixed, stable, secure, enduring, prepared, furnished, directed] Knowing that the LORD orders, establishes, prepares, secures, directs my steps  infuses me with confidence and hope.

by the LORD, and He delights [takes pleasure in, pleased with] in his way [path, journey]. If the LORD is taking pleasure in this way that He has ordered for me, then I'm convicted that I should enjoy it more, too. Rather than bemoaning my current step, regretting my past steps, or fretting about my future steps, I need to delight more in today's step--in the grateful acknowledgment that He has designed my steps for me and is Himself delighting in my way.

One of today's little delights was finding dragons in my lunchbox. It always warms my heart when any of my third graders make me a drawing. Today one of the boys folded up a dragon picture he had drawn for me and hid it in my lunchbox as a surprise. Awww!  Later this afternoon, another boy presented me a colored-pencil shark attack.  It never ceases to amuse me that the artwork I receive from girls almost always has hearts and flowers, whereas the pictures from boys are of snakes, dragons, monsters, sharks, and other deadly things. ;-) Those dragons and shark have been making me smile all evening. What a gift God has given me this year to be a teacher's assistant in third grade. =)