Three gifts in working...
Well, I was not working at my paid job today...it is a Saturday. And while I do love my job and the paid work I do there, there are often times I feel that the working for a living, just gets in the way of the living. I have a busy life outside of my job, and it is the true work of my life and there are many gifts I find there.
1. I actually had a pretty lazy morning at home, but I was having people over after church today for a potluck dinner, so I found myself baking buns and putting together a beef stew for the crock pot. I do love to feed people, and it's not just about the food. There is something about coming together around a table or in our living room that brings everyone together. Food is a great equalizer. We all must eat. So I take joy, great joy in bringing that together...It's a gift to be able to gift it to others.
2. My other volunteer 'work' right now is putting together a team to take on a mission trip to Belarus and this evening I interviewed a young woman, now almost twenty, that I used to sponsor in high school youth who had applied to go on the team. What a joy to hear and see God at work in her life. She is much more calm and peaceful; she explained that she trusts God so much more now where in past years, through many family trials, she had been so anxious and fearful about many things. What a gift to be able to see her trusting God to meet her needs....and that I get to spend more time with her preparing for this trip.
3. I was subbing in tonight as a small group leader for some junior high girls and it's February and the LOVE month, so the topic tonight centred around sexual purity. There was a lot of giggling going around the room in small group discussion time, but in the end when asked what they could do to stay pure, they had some great answers and know what they believe. I think the gift here is that at thirteen they are even thinking about this stuff and preparing themselves for the years ahead when they will be sorely tempted to cast aside the beliefs they hold to strongly now. Just opening up the conversation with them was a gift and a privilege.
I really really love my volunteer work. Each time I step out to fill a need, I am always a hundred times more blessed than what my effort has been. There are great gifts in the work we do for others.
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