Serving Is a Two-Sided Gift

When I first think or hear the word "serving," I immediately think of my own service in Mothers of Preschoolers ("MOPS") and in the children's ministries program of our church.  Then my mind begins to wander, and a conversation at my Bible study a few days ago came to mind.  There were only four of us there, and we were sharing from our hearts.  One of them asked what my parents were like and did they teach me to be the servant that my friends see.  I had to answer that it had not been watching my parents or hearing them talk about serving.  In fact, it was a surprise to my brothers and me to learn during our mother's early 80s that she had been a volunteer for 40 years.  It wasn't something that had been made known to us.  We knew she had taught Sunday School, but this volunteering was with a state agency for those who were mentally challenged.  She was even up for Volunteer of the Year for the State of Tennessee!  I will never know why she didn't share that part of the Good News with us.  I was saddened that it had been hidden all that time.

Perhaps knowing that and reading God's Word worked together to bring me to this passionate need to reach out and touch others.  One of the tenets of the MOPS program is intentional relationship building and as mentor moms, we are asked to reach out a hand to the young moms in our group.  A touch on the back or shoulder can be the simplest of acts, but it really does let that mom know she is loved.  And isn't loving all about who God is?  How simple it is to pass along the message of love.

I'm dating myself now.  In the 1970s and 1980s, Diana Ross had a popular song on the charts, and the refrain goes:

"Reach out and touch

Somebody's hand

Make this world a better place

If you can

Reach out and touch

Somebody's hand

Make this world a better place

If you can."



Songwriters: Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson.

Those words have always resonated with me because it doesn't take much to "make this world a better place."  Why don't we all try to do that today, tomorrow, and the next day, and on and on . . . . .

Are We THAT Old?

My husband and I have been struggling with some hip and back issues, respectively.  In a conversation last Saturday with our older son, he mentioned "dropping by" that afternoon.  I cautioned that the house he might find wouldn't be the house kept the way he remembers when living at home.  Instantly, we were offered help from son and his wife today to "help" us get caught up on things inside and out.  BAM!  That hit us both hard -- we interpreted it as a statement on our aging (we're 74 and 65!).  We've struggled this week about what to let them do as we all know that no one does things the way we do ourselves.

A friend pointed out that they are trying to do the only thing they can and know to do.  Our medical issues are beyond their control and assistance, so they are looking for a way to ease the burdens in our lives.  She is most likely correct.  We've prayed for God to shower us with gracious thoughts and attitudes today as we don't want to have hurt feelings among family, and we want to honor our son and daughter-in-law's caring nature. 

Our plan is to take them to lunch so that we can at least have some time of sharing about our recent days and weeks, and also to spend time with our son who travels out of town quite a bit in his job.  The reality is we don't see them often even though we live in the same town, so beyond the help offered this is a chance to spend quality time together. 

Father, I ask that you watch over our thoughts, words and deeds today that we will honor Craig and Gigi and their caring for us.  Give us quality time together and sharing around the table not only sustenance for our bodies but for our souls.  Amen.

Q4U:  What similar experiences have you had and how did you handle them?

On Receiving

Beck Gambill writes some of the most thought provoking and heart warming blogs on the planet.  My favorite day of the week is starting to be today, Thursday, because Beck has formed Sister to Sister, "a time every Thursday for Christian women to connect from the heart."  Beck provides us with a word, like today's word "receiving," and those of us interested write a 500-word or less post using that word.  Sometimes they're easy, sometimes not.  But as a wannabe writer, I've decided to use it as practice time.  So, here goes.

Receiving is definitely not the easiest thing I do in my life.  For one thing, I was taught to give -- give of myself, what I have, the talents God has given me.  That is one thing I remember about my mom that is a cherished memory -- her giving spirit.  For me to give is so easy, and often my calendar shows that I'm in "giving mode!"  I have trouble saying no to opportunities of sharing what I'm able to share.

However, when put on the receiving end of giving, I tend to play the game the slugs (they're abundant in Oregon!) play and I roll up and hide in my shell of "Oh, no, I can take care of that myself."  Good example coming up.  I'm facing surgery soon and offers have been coming in for meals to help my husband and me.  Do you think we've yet to accept an offer of a meal?  Nope, not us, we're going to be just fine.  We've done it before; we'll likely to do it again.

Why is it so hard?  I've pondered this word "receiving" all day and I've prayed to God about why it's so hard for me to accept something offered.  The day's almost over and I know what it is -- I think that it makes me appear weak, helpless, too needy, and so many other similar things.  What I need to do is work on that part of me and ask God to help me learn to be accepting and to put those negative thoughts aside.  Because in my not accepting, I'm not allowing another of God's servants to do their sharing.  Being a stumbling block is not what I want to be. 

Thanks, Beck, for offering up a word that has caused me to reconsider who I am when I have the opportunity to receive from another!