Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Time Flies When You're Not Having Fun

Wow, three weeks since I've been here. In that time, I have been ill, which turned out to be an ovarian cyst. It's not as scary as it sounds, but it did have me out of commission for a while.

I have also been struggling mightily with my emotions, namely anger and depression. I have wanted to resort to my coping mechanism of old, which is to avoid everyone and sleep a lot. The thing is, God won't let me get away with that anymore! We are in a battle of wills, He and I. I know good and well that He will win in the end and that I will be glad He did, but right now, I'm struggling. I want my own way. Thank goodness that just as we never stop loving our own children during their tantrums and testing us, God loves us all the more. In fact, He loves us so much, that He tells us to have at it with the tantrums, then come to me and see what you needed to learn.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

A Greater Need

I haven't been to church three of the past four Sundays due to taking care of my nephew and another temp job. I thought tonight would be a good time to go to the much smaller evening service for a spiritual shot in the arm. Imagine my surprise when I walked in, and our pastor pulled me aside and asked me to....babysit. I had been doing that all day!

A man came to the service tonight with his four sons, thinking there would be childcare. He has only been to our church a couple of times. Our pastor, wisely sensing that the man's need to be ministered to was much greater than my own, asked me to keep an eye on the boys for the hour.

God is so wise. He provides for my needs before I even know what they are or can vocalize them. He also gives me a push when I need to be serving others and letting Him worry about my own stuff. I got two pushes this weekend alone.

Yesterday, I was called to visit two sick church members in the hospital who are older people I don't know well. I didn't want to go; I didn't know what to say. Yet, awkward as I felt being out of my comfort zone, I was also humbled to have earned this level of trust amongst my peers. It took just minutes of my time to let these two people know that their church family cares about them.

I can't wait for my next opportunity to serve others by being the hands and feet of Christ. What an honor.