I didn’t know praise band practice had been cancelled last Thursday, so the nursery caregiver I had arranged arrived early rather than going home only to wait for several hours before realizing what was happening…er, not happening. In my other role, I’m responsible for the church calendar and space reservations.
The children’s moment is presented each week in both services. But I didn’t know something else would be happening at that part of the service. Something else absolutely awesome, and I mean awesome, but I didn’t know. Somehow it didn’t get to me that I’d not be presenting the children’s moment. So I stood prepared with props in hand to come down at that point in the service, just to sit back down in my seat. In my other role, I am responsible for communications and preparing the printed order of worship.
And only one student came to Sunday school. I and our faithful Sunday school team prayed and prepared and only one student was present. Our faithful Sunday school team is made up of grandparents…active, dancing, Lego-building-on-the-floor, faithful, Jesus-following grandparents. Our kid’s parents are amazing people. They’re busy, weary, and committed to so many other amazing and wonderful things. I don’t even know when they have time to do laundry. Sometimes it’s just life.
It is our human tendency to focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. This is when I realize I don’t spend enough time thinking about how good God is. This is when it’s better to go with what I know rather than how I feel.
This I know:
(1) God made me and Jesus loves me.
(2) When I am called to keep pushing the boulder, it isn’t just so the boulder moves, but rather that I will be obedient in the boulder-pushing.
(3) In the opening words of The Purpose-Driven Life, “It’s not about me.”
(4) Preparing for one as I’d do if there were 300 is a sign of my trust in a very great God. Jesus did…Nicodemus, the Woman at the well, etc.
(5) According to Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, “Some days are just like that.”
Before you think this is a Debby Downer blogpost, it’s far from it. That evening at CLUB345’s orange night, kids and their families brought bags of fresh orange fruit to share with the residents of Elizabeth Inn Homeless Shelter which operates under the guidance of MUST Ministries.
It’s times like these that cause me to pause…to pray…to love…to rest. The freight train has been running fast and furious. It’s time for a DAWG Day…Day Alone With God. A Day dedicated to the Lord of the Dance and a VBS can in my house clothes. Watching music videos of kids singing and dancing before the Lord. Reading leader guides with fabulous ideas to impress God’s Word upon His children. And that will be today. This is the best part: It’s been scheduled and on the calendar for three weeks.
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26