For the past several weeks, I’ve been praying and pondering about what it means to surrender yourself and give your entire self to Jesus in service.
We want to live frugally…be generous…think more of other’s needs…
This week, I was so busy pondering how I could serve better…that I almost missed the fact that God was saying…”Uh, Laura…I’ve got some opportunities right here for you. You wanna stop thinking so hard about it…and just get up and start doing something?”
Funny how God works sometimes, isn’t it?
I was literally sitting at my computer working on a blog post about surrendering myself…and the phone rang. The caller was a gal who is… well…high maintenence. She calls often, has many negative things to say…doesn’t want to hear anything positive that I have to say…and she’s hard to get off the phone with.
So I’m listening to her go on and on…while looking longingly at my computer (you know, so I can blog about surrendering myself)…and my husband walks in. I give him the look…the one that tells him who I’m on the phone with. (With my look, I was trying to communicate something like, “Start the house on fire…so that I’ll have an excuse to get off the phone!”)
My sweet husband smiled sympathetically, shrugged, and whispered to me, “Compassion.”
Boom. Just what I needed to hear.
Thank you, Matt.
Maybe…since this gal I’m listening to has so few people in her life who care about her…I could just relax and think about what this phone call is doing for her…and just surrender myself and be an encouragement…
The next day, I hesitantly signed up to deliver Meals on Wheels…thinking about how difficult it might be to lug all the boys around in the van…but knowing that there were slots to be filled…
(Why is it that I was only thinking about how it might inconvenience me…)
Well, it ended up being such a great experience. The boys took turns going up the the doors with the meals…and the folks were so happy to see my handsome little servants…
We enjoyed it so much that we signed up to do it again yesterday…and we plan to do it again next week.
(Now, I will pause here and say that there are certain seasons in our lives that make doing certain things more of a stress than anything else…and family comes first. And…while I was happy to listen this time to the gal who called and talked for way too long…it’s still okay for me to screen my calls so that I’m not on the phone with her too often…because again…family comes first.)
But here’s what I’m learning:
Sometimes you just need to stop wondering about what God might want you to be doing…and just get with it and do something!
[tags]frugal friday, being generous, encouragement, giving[/tags]
Great post, thanks for doing meals on wheels. My grandmother is in that program and she really appreciates the meals.
Thanks for the Pepsi encouragement.
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can….
I am always ask God to make things loud clear for me.
I had the same sitution like your long winded friend. We babysat for them. I suppose it could be a new blog but I quit b/c the kids were always sick do to their lifestyle. Now I enjoyed the kids but my family comes first. I don’t want my kids sick. She wouldn’t listen any of us about it. There is a point that you have to say no. What good is it going to do if you get burned out doing something for others if it gets to be to much.? I have another chance to help out by sewing a blanket hem on some blankets. I can do this when ever or as many as fits my schedule. This may sound to easy but it is something at this time.
What a great way for your boys to contribute. I love it when I include my kids.
Thanks for being real, and sharing some of your internal struggles. Good lessons, all the way around!
That’s awesome Laura! I think that is a wonderful opportunity to minister to others alongside your kids. Blessings upon you and keep up the good work!
Laura, I had just this same experience on Tuesday/Wednesday of this week. I was feeling very run down with my pregnancy and finally spent an afternoon in prayer asking God to help me surrender to Him. I began to feel much better and had an optimistic view. Then, next thing I knew Wednesday morning, little Zoey came to make her appearance! Good things happen when we are able to surrender.