Serving

This has been an interesting week. For four days, a group of 15 incredible leaders and I have been working with 80 kids to teach them about serving others and serving God. It has been amazing! It has been so much fun and so rewarding, and I have realized one thing--I am so blessed to have my family.

I look at my husband and my daughter...I see their hearts--my husband who works 50-60 hours a week, and when I make jokes like "You sure are going to have a lot of laundry to fold this weekend!" he just laughs and says, "Yeah, like 27 loads by then!" And I remember part of the reason I fell so madly in love with him in the first place--I see no greater joy in him than when he is helping someone in some way. Then there's Emma--yes, a typical 2-year-old in most regards. But I love the fact that one of her favorite songs is "Clean up, Clean up!" and that every time I get out the mop and broom that she grags whichever one I'm not using and starts cleaning. I love the fact that she freely shares with others (most of the time) and that you usually don't have to ask her twice to give someone a hug when they really need it.

And then I think about the verse that we've been trying to teach the kids all week: "For we are God's workmanship ("materpiece" in the NLT), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 We are God's masterpiece! I was thinking about that...You hear people sometimes use the image of God painting a mural, and on that mural is all of our lives entwined together on earth. And you hear people talk about how going through the bad things--they make up the browns and grays and other ugly colors on the mural, but that without them the mural wouldn't look so beautiful. And I wonder--is it loving God and loving others that makes up all the beautiful parts? Is loving others what makes up all the pretty colors and God's love for us that makes it complete? I would like to think so.