2 Centimeters to spare

With a week to go til competition day, I remeasured the trebuchet. It had to fit in a 75 cm. box to be legal for competition.  I didn't have a 75 cm box so I measured as best I could. It was difficult as there was no easy way to accurately measure over all the bumps and latticed wood. However, it did not look promising.
"74.9999 cm," I said to Asherel.
"That's cutting it pretty close," she said.

We were in a difficult position. If we changed anything to make it fit without a doubt, all our data would be inaccurate. Accurate data was key to this event. But if we were over 75 cm in any measurement, we would be "second tiered." This means that while we would not be technically disqualified, it would mean no shot at placing.

I know what you all are thinking. Great coach that measures a week before the big day. But actually, I had measured many times. The launch pin was slowly bending and also, we had had to change our sling trigger position at the last minute when it broke. Thus, we were now in the position of being unsure if we would qualify.

So our partner made a 75 cm box, which would have helped except the box was really too floppy to be of any use. All it really proved was that our trebuchet would fit in a floppy box.
"Push it against the wall," said Asherel, "Then I will put a board on this end. We can get an accurate measure of its longest point then."
She was right. (Why had I not thought of that? Perhaps I am spending too much time in the Alzheimer unit.)
So we did and with a huge sigh of relief saw we had not one, but two, TWO whole centimeters to spare. We danced a little jig. At least I did. Asherel just rolled her eyes.

So we have our last hoorah of skiing today, to celebrate our year of discontent. Then we check our Science Olympiad list and gather supplies. We have final testing of our machines over the week, and then the big day that we have been preparing for 9 months to conquer will arrive Saturday.
This year of the hardest work we have possibly ever done academically will end with  a total of about 30 minutes of contests between our 3 events.

At least Noah got a good few months to use the boat he struggled so mightily to build. Our labors will end with maybe a two minute helicopter flight (if we are very lucky), and a 16 meter toss of the trebuchet that will then have no more reason to exist.

Sometimes a moment is long enough. Sometimes it is all you get. When Ezra the prophet finds his people returning to sin, after being granted a reprieve from God to rebuild their temple in Jerusalem....he notes that all they had was a moment, a brief moment to shine....to do the right thing. They did not, but he begged them to leave their backsliding life, and make that brief moment a holy one before God.

And so my prayer for our team is that our moment, our brief moment will be the best moment we can give, consecrated to God. All we have are 2 cm of wiggle room and 2 minutes to make an impact. I know God probably doesn't much care if our helicopter flies, or if our trebuchet flings, but I am quite certain He cares that we live the moment He gives us fully and righteously in the space allotted to us. And as always, leave the results to Him.

Ezra 9: 8-9
⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.