Single Digit Days!

Can't believe how fast the time is going! Now we're down to single digit days! The closer we get to leaving, the more I've been thinking about what we will do while we are there. I'm not a Bible teacher or minister, don't play an instrument (although I did attempt to learn the violin MANY years ago!), don't have any special talent to speak of and don't speak the language. However, I can work with my hands, know my way around computers and can usually find something that  needs to be done wherever I am. Need a toilet cleaned, a trash can emptied, a room painted, furniture moved, yardwork done? I'm your girl! The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 9:10,"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going." (NKJV) The truth is, I think that's what matters...not so much what we know how to do, but that we are willing to do whatever needs to be done and maybe learn something in the process.

Someone asked me recently to use just one word to describe myself. The word that came to mind was servant. I simply enjoy doing things for other people and I get a kick out of helping people with projects they can't or don't want to do alone. There is something satisfying about being useful! In our recent history, that word has a much different connotation than the way it is used in the Bible. Nowadays when we think of servants, we think of rich people employing poorly educated people who were forced to put up with their employer's abuse because they needed the job. In Bible days, however, a servant (sometimes also called a slave) was one who willingly chose to serve a master and put the master's need above their own. A servant was responsible for making sure the master had food, clean clothes and whatever else was needed. This was especially important to the men of God like Moses (Joshua) and Elijah (Elisha). Even the twelve disciples could be called servants to Jesus. After all, they left everything behind to follow Him, took care of His physical needs and were devoted to him.

I've been reading this awesome book for class (Life Christian University) entitled The Ministry of Helps Handbook by Dr. Buddy Bell. I have been in church nearly all my life, but I've learned more in the first 4 chapters than in that whole time. If you are a volunteer or even a staff member at your church, I highly recommend this book! Although I have always been involved in volunteering in some way, I never understood why so many people sit on the sidelines and let others do the work. When I was younger and my dad pastored a small church, as the pastor's family we didn't have a choice of whether or not to "volunteer". It seemed like we were the only ones who could be counted on to do the work and if we were lucky a few others would occasionally show up! Even when volunteering wasn't really volunteering, I still liked to help other people. I'm so thankful to attend and be involved in a church where volunteering is the norm rather than the exception!

Anyway, back to Thailand...I'm so excited to be able to go and be a part of this project, no matter what we end up doing. Keep our team in your prayers!