Ministry

Thoughts on me and the ministry.

Maybe I should call it ministry and our excuses thereto

 I was thinking Wrongly of course but still

 Here I am a wife so I don’t really get to choose where I live and such. I mean I might want to be a missionary in a foreign land working with kids in an orphanage or maybe with folks needing help as a nurse or whatever.

But that’s not really true. Firstly Mark and I always make decisions on where we are going to live together even if his work does dictate to that somewhat. He doesn’t have any more choice than I do as to where the work is etc.

Then as Mother Teresa said you don’t have to go anywhere to be a missionary you can be one on your street.

You see it seems it will be easier if you are labeled a missionary and so are expected to do missionary work right?

Wrong. In fact taking some friends of mine as good examples yes they are missionaries in what is to us a foreign land but it is their home now or they would not be good missionaries to it as they wouldn’t understand the culture and language etc.

 Then again yes he is the missionary that goes out to tribes and such but she ministers to the leaders and their wives in her home all the time and then he has to do mundane things like get the oil changed and car fixed. So tell me what is the real difference. And by the way yes her first job was and is to raise her kids and take care of him.

 So Back to me and my mess. God said have tea parties for the folks on your street. That is your mission field.

SO I said I can do that but did it sort of and only for a while

 I mean we were about to go on a cruise or I had a sore hand or the kids were coming or the house wasn’t clean or I couldn’t vacuum you name it I had excuses

Then I had the thought if I was a real missionary I could do it as it would be my job right?

Then I remembered My friend still has to clean her house and go “home” to raise support and has been way more ill than me and somehow she manages and oh oh there went the excuses. In the meantime God said and by the way and sent some Jehovah’s witnesses who come often and we talk and pray together and then he sent some Mormons and lo and behold I didn’t mind if the house wasn’t that clean and just apologized and went about the business. So then I realized it’s not God it’s me who doesn’t want to get serious about it.

 So I need a plan of action

I need to pick a day a month it doesn’t matter if some folks can’t come on that day if God wants them here they will get here.

And I need to just set that time aside and then I will know when it is coming up and can plan to clean or get help. Hey every time I ask for help with things like vacuuming or the like someone always very willingly helps and Mark often even offers to do things if he knows I am having a tea. SO having a set date will help that and if I am out of town it can be moved.

 Then there is the question of traveling we love to travel and well God said so what is wrong with that can you not shine for me there too. SO now I just have to realize I am there and let him use me when and how he wants I just have to remember I am not allowed to act all yucky and entitled. (which when I think about it I don’t want to anyway so it is a good time to work on that flaw and I get prissy way too much) The main thing is just to remember these folks working in the shops or ship or bus or whatever are folks God loves and they need to know that. SO it is not my job to preach to them or try and convert anyone. It is my job to love them, now how about that for a fun assignment. My job to see if I can do something to show them how special they are how important they are. I mean God loves them enough to have sent Jesus to die for them I can at least let them know thy are loved by Him. No I don’t have to preach either just love them maybe treat them like they are a human instead of a robot. Listen if they are having a bad day give a hug now and then Hey this is the biggest fun thing I can think of and if God can use it Go for it.

 SO I am going to get more serious about it. I have been taking a few things as specials for the “kids” on the ships and such but maybe I can do more. Maybe I can include folks around me like in the pharmacy or maybe the grocery store why wait for a cruise to try make someone smile. Then about those kids in the orphanage, How about being more diligent with the kids in my life writing to our sponsored child more often. Maybe just making more contact and time for the kids on my street. Teaching kids to knit or paint from time to time. Ahhh and then there are all kinds of fun stuff like the tea towel lady who buys those cute cheap tea towels and hands them out from time to time with a ribbon around them and a smile.

 The worst thing is all these things bring me great joy to do them. SO why am I not doing them more often and more diligently. Hey that way God can laugh and say see I told you so I knew you would love doing this so why didn’t you. Sort of like when I had to drag my son to the birthday party when he was young and he had so much fun when he got there.

 SO the key is really realizing this and making some concrete plans so

 How about  a tea every second Friday

How about making up some cute things like the tea towel bundles or a stock of love boxes ready to go. Maybe even just pick up a few extra things like the cute rose soap’s and take them to the Pharmacy or even buying some cookies or a special box of coffee’s or tea’s Maybe having a few non melting things like tea towels in the car so when you notice someone having a bad day you can dash and grab one. And most of all how about buying an extra treat at the grocery store or two and giving it to the checker and the bagger on the way out the store.

 Sorry Lord I am such a slug and you had to use the 2 x 4 to get my attention.

But thanks for your patience with me and your love to and for me