Faithful Friday: Loving Others

God's timing often amuses me.  In his infinite wisdom, He set in motion a project for me that would need a lot of time, focus, and commitment at the end of the year.  From now through December, I'll be deep into the planning and execution of three major events at our church, all the while also recruiting a team of volunteers for 2014.

Ironic that I'll also be jobless around the same time?

I think not. 

Rewind many months ago, to me sitting in the office with my pastor.  After having the extreme honor of being asked to lead a new ministry at the church, I was there to say yes and discover the next steps. 

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?            Then said I, Here am I; send me.”  Isaiah 6:8

With his help, I would begin building a mission-focused group of volunteers to be known as the Loving team.  This group will oversee all of the outreach from our church.  It will combine several of our current projects, but we'll also be in prayer about God's plan for our future.

Amid the chaos of the summer, this is what has kept me grounded.  This is where I've counted my blessings.  The Loving team allows my spiritual giftedness, as well as experience and background, to be used by and for God. 

I stepped away from missions the year we lost Austin.  Actually, about two months before, when something told me to decline coming back.  While we've helped in certain projects and events at the church, I yearned to do more.  I'm beyond thrilled to lead missions as a whole for our church.  There's no better feeling that to be on task for God and feel him leading you.

^"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

 

And what better way to keep me from dwelling on a temporary glitch in my life

 than to stay busy helping others.  Something we should do daily anyway, 

but what JOY it brings me to have a purposeful project this season -as well as the year to come!

Cleaning the Big House

We signed up on the church cleaning rotation this year.  Tim and I figured it was a family activity we could all do together.  I'm not sure the kids were thrilled at the idea, since that five letter word usually gets groans and eye rolls around here.  I've enjoyed it though.  But then cleaning and organizing is kind of my thing.

Or rather, I take it at spurts.  My sink may be gleaming from a recent scrubbing but laundry is hiding in the other room.  I can never fully manage to keep everything clean at the same time.  Tim says our house gets only really clean for company or the holidays.  He also jokes I never feed him well, except on those occasions mentioned above.  I'm pretty sure he's neither starving or that I'll appear on an episode of Hoarders anytime soon.

The kids would say I'm a neat freak.  This was a hard life change for Tina when she first arrived.  To her, putting up the dishes meant swinging open a door, tossing it inside, and shutting it real quick before something fell down.  A few broken dishes and serious conversations later, I think I've trained her to do better.  When Noah was little, I'd hoped a little of my OCD had rubbed off him, as he liked things a certain way too.  Over the years though, he's dusted most of that off.  Or rather, maybe that's the only thing he's dusted!  Seriously though the kids do decent.  They know how to walk a fine line between messy and good enough not to get fussed at by mom.

Our first time on the rotation was a learning experience.  It probably took us double the time of anyone else, but we wanted to do a good job and really didn't know where anything was.  I truly found joy though while cleaning.  The scripture, "whatever you do, do it for the glory of God," just kept whispering within me.  Scrubbing counters or floors, wiping down walls, and taking out the trash, I felt pride in my church.  I felt blessed to be a part of this family.  Cleaning reminded me that is our church too and I felt grateful.  Later I joked that every member should be assigned a shift, just to experience that feeling.  Somehow I don't think it will pass at a business meeting though.

And honestly, being told to do it, rather than sincerely wanting to, probably makes all the difference in the world.  When you love something, you freely give of yourself.  Volunteering at church is an honor for our family and one that blesses us each and every single time we do it.  Whether it is helping in the nursery, at VBS, delivering meals at Thanksgiving, or cleaning the floor!


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