Under the best of circumstances, I’m not an overly patient person.  I really hate waiting in lines, being trapped by slow moving trains, and meetings that start late.  Throw a little sleep deprivation and anxiety into the mix, and things get ugly.  Uglier.

Today started with an alarm at 3:30am, meeting Nate and Rachael at 4:30am, flight leaving Indianapolis at 7:10am, and then we sat for a really long time in the plane at the gate at Indy.  And then we missed our flight in Atlanta.  The golden flight which would have gotten us into Guatemala City before noon so that we could have at least half a day of loving on some orphans.

Instead we flew to Dallas with the hope that we could catch a flight from there to Guatemala City.  We talked to many employees, and a few of them were actually helpful.  It’s been a long and frustrating day.  And even in that, knowing that I haven’t had the best disposition and the best attitude throughout the day, I know that God is in control of all of this.  There must be some purpose higher than my much-loved schedule which dictates the change and demands flexibility from me.  And there is some peace that even though we’ve lost some time, we will soon be with our friends in Guatemala, getting busy at the work God has for us there.

I hope that his work includes my luggage arriving in Guatemala City, too.

P.S. We arrived in Guatemala City on time, and with our luggage.  We were also able to be there when Scot and Shawn arrived shortly after our arrival.  It was good to see Amed and Berta waiting for us at the airport.  After a quick stop at McDonalds, we were safely installed in our home away from home.

It’s 8am, and we are showered and enjoying coffee as everyone types furiously on their respective laptops.  Rather comical.  Today we are visiting the babies’ home in the morning and Eliza Martinez in the afternoon.  Looking forward to a great time with my MCC community as we dive into this Guatemalan community.

Tomorrow is the start of my 7th trip to Guatemala in the past few years, and I’m looking forward to the chance to reconnect with my friends in that beautiful country.  We’ve built community with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Guatemala City, as well deeper relationships with the orphans we visit.  And if that wasn’t good enough, I get to travel with some really great friends.  Blogging may not be my biggest priority while outside of the U. S., so check out the written words of my friends Nate & Rachael, Shawn, and Scot.  It’ll be cool to recap at the end of the day and find out what gems we’ve each collected from our different views.

Thanks for your prayers for safe travels, for deeper connections with the great people of Guatemala, for God to teach us about the things close to his heart, and that He would be glorified and worshiped in the work we do.

Early in this summer, I took a class called “Discover Scuba”.  It was a chance to get in a pool with scuba gear, practice breathing under water, and decide if it was something that would make me freak out and have a panic attack.  I was surprised to find that I didn’t have any anxiety about breathing with a tank and a regulator.  So, it was on to scuba lessons.  Eventually.

I was vacationing with some friends when one friend went through scuba certification.  I didn’t understand all that it involved, but I know that there could be panic under water, problems with equalizing pressure in the ears and sinuses during descent to depth, and a great deal of excitement at the prospect of seeing a shark on a reef.  Being witness to that process started the wheels of my mind turning at the prospect of scuba.  Fast forward a couple of years, and I have some friends at church who have been talking about diving, encouraging me to take classes.  Peer pressure; it’s an effective technique.

I love water.  I love to swim, snorkel, fish, boat, etc.  Taking scuba classes are a next natural step to upping the ante in my love for water and fishes.  But it was also a challenge in that it is outside my comfort zone.  There are whole areas of knowledge regarding equipment, terminology, techniques, etc. that are well beyond my proficiency.  I am well accustomed to doing things that I feel some mastery around; it’s been a long time since I engaged in some activity that was so foreign to me.

It’s been exciting to see the fish underwater at such a depth, and equally exciting to learn at new skill and make new friends.  At times I feel like a child tying her shoes for the first time: “I did it!”  Still, I’m having a blast and ready for the next adventure.

Tuesday evenings you’ll find me at Lighthouse Mission serving dinner.  That time is some of the best time of my week.  I love the growing relationships, getting to know the men and women who call the Mission their home, learning their stories and their strengths.  I feel an excitement and an anticipation for the potential in their lives. And that’s only an inkling of the passion God has for them, the hope he has for their futures.

Several weeks ago we met Brittany and realized that she was pregnant, likely to deliver her baby with her first home as a homeless shelter.  I tossed out the idea of hosting a baby shower, and several friends leapt at the chance.  Tonight we had a great time with Brittany, as well as several other women in the mission, eating cake, playing silly baby shower games, passing around presents, and making connections.  Some of us live in nice homes, some of us in a shelter, but women can always connect over babies.  There was much laughter, as well as the traditional “oohhing” and “aahhing” at the sweet little outfits.  It was so good to be a part of helping her with some basic needs and watching a smile light up her face.

I don’t know exactly what God will do next with us and with the women we spent time with this evening, but I can see great things on the horizon.  I know there were rumblings all around us tonight about the shower, with word getting around the building.  People said “thank you”, and my response is “it’s a pleasure”, because it truly is.  It’s a pleasure to bring glory to God and love people enough to share their burdens, even when the journey includes something as unassuming as a baby shower.

(The gorgeous blanket in the picture is courtesy of a women’s group that is learning to knit together.  The blanket is lovely, but it’s also lovely to see a bunch of women coming together around something they love in order to serve someone else.  One of the ladies said “That’s my square”, and Brittany’s baby will be covered quite literally with the prayers and efforts of many women.)

Many years ago, my boss was talking about staffing issues, and she said, “If you don’t want ten of them, don’t hire one of them.”  It really grabbed my attention, and I’ve found myself thinking of it as it pertains to ministry in the church, as well as basic business.  We make many excuses for people (he’s tired, she’s burnt out, that’s not his gift), as well as for ourselves (someone else will do it, that makes me too uncomfortable, I’ve served enough).  What if we hired ten of you?  Would that be a good thing for our church and our community?  Would a lot of people be impacted, many needs met, many people see Jesus in action? 

Or do you bring the average down?

What if everyone served like you?

Tuesday was a great time serving dinner at the homeless shelter.  My two faithful friends (Shawn & Wendy) who I normally serve with were unable to make it, but another friend was called off work and found herself with a chance to serve with her children.  Amy brought her son and daughter, and we were able to pass out ridiculous amounts of ham & beans, corn, salad, pudding, and watermelon.  The kids had a blast…Gavin wore enough pudding to provide an entire dessert for one.  Gracyn wanted to keep her hair net and asked if she could come back and serve again next week, it was so much fun.

It was also great to continue to build relationships with the men and women who call Lighthouse Mission home.  Bobby cooks dinner for all the guys, and he takes his job seriously.  I was glad he cracked a smile tonight when I joked with him; it seems that he’s more comfortable with our group, growing in trust.  There’s a young woman who is pregnant, and I’m plotting how I can grab some friends and bless her as she brings her baby girl into the world in a few weeks.  There are so many interesting people there, with their own stories and strengths and histories.  God has a plan for their lives, just like he has for mine.  I’m excited to see the steps in the journey as God fleshes out our stories as they intersect with one another.

A couple of weeks ago, we had another of our “Crash Sundays” at church, wherein we cut the sermon short in order to break into small groups and serve in the community.  We visited nursing homes, painted buildings, served food and water at parks, etc.  It’s a great way to worship through acts of service while we serve others, following Jesus in literally offering a cup of cold water in his name.

In our preparations before church that night, I overheard some teasing between one of our staff and a little girl.  The woman was teasing the girl that she was going to be sent to clean toilets that night, and the little girl responded, “That’s not a good fit for me.”  It cracked me up, to hear such an excuse from such a small and sweet little girl.

At the same time, we are quite full of excuses to put off serving or pass that particular buck to someone we deem more suited to serving. 

“I’ll pray about it and see what God leads me to do.”  I think that we need to be in constant communication with God, but we use this as an excuse to avoid serving when we’d rather do something else.  I’m not sure we need to pray about sharing our resources and time with others when the Bible already lays out this dictate very clearly. (Matthew 25: 35-36; James 1:27; Proverbs 14:30)  I don’t need to ask God’s will in regard to taking care of the hungry and needy; He already told me to do it.

“That’s not my spiritual gift.”  It doesn’t require any special gifting to clean a toilet, serve up chicken and noodles at the soup kitchen; play bingo with an elderly woman in a nursing home.  Those believers with the gifts of mercy and helps certainly find themselves more comfortable in these settings, but that doesn’t absolve those with gifts of teaching, administration, etc. from engaging with hurting people in need of God’s love and grace.

“Even Jesus withdrew to rest and spend time with God.”  Before Jesus withdrew to a lonely place to pray (Luke 5:16), he was tempted by Satan for 40 days, preached through the countryside, taught in the temple, drove out an evil spirit, healed many, and called a few disciples.  He worked tirelessly surrounded by hundreds of hurting and desperate people before seeking that rest. We are quick to leap to the resting part and bypass the whole serving part.

When is the last time we dodged serving in an uncomfortable place by using a spiritual-sounding excuse?  Conversely, when is the last time we encountered Jesus and his passion while we were serving someone else?

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve served dinner at the local homeless shelter, Lighthouse Mission, on a Tuesday night.  A friend and I have been talking for some time about being involved with people who have needs in the community, building relationships with those people, and actively seeking opportunities to give of our time and money.  I’ve been listening to some Francis Chan podcasts, and very quickly, he has me by the throat in regards to my lust for my own comfort.  And that is absolutely not the mission of Christ.  Scripture speaks to me over and over about taking care of the widow and orphan, providing a coat/meal/drink for those in need of those items, pursuing justice, becoming angered at injustice, and on and on.  And I’m a fool if I think those needy people are going to drive to my church at 6pm on Sunday so it’s more convenient for me to help them.

There are some very specific and personal reasons why I am passionate about serving others, why I continue to do so with consistency:

1. It’s biblical.  Without question.  It’s all over the Old and New Testament, and not offered up as a suggestion.  We are commanded to take care of the needs of others, and to avoid doing so is sin.
2. I meet interesting and strong people.  How can you be homeless and not be strong?  I’ve met many elderly, disabled, and poor people who have found reserves of resiliency that I haven’t had to dig to find in my own life.  People are created in the image of God and those people are fascinating.
3. I learn about God in a way that adds layers of depth and understanding to what I read about him in the Bible.  I think that I know (cognitively) God because I read about him in the scriptures; I think I know (relationally) God because I serve with him when I minister to others.
4. My best friends are people I serve with. Tonight I spent time with Shawn, shoulder to shoulder, him slinging corn on the cob and green beans, me with the cucumbers and tomatoes.  Shawn can tell me a lot about himself, but I know that he is respectful to others, compassionate, and hard working because I’ve witnessed that.  Plus, we talked about ministry, work, movies, and how good we look in hair nets.
5. Time flies when you’re serving others.  When I take my focus off myself and my junk, time flies.
6. It’s a better use of my time than the ways I’d waste it if I didn’t intentionally and purposefully do good.  I shudder to think of all the time I waste on the internet, in front of the TV, buying things I don’t really need.  When I fill my time with serving, the other things fall away.

Not every serving experience is great, but that’s okay.  God takes my paltry efforts and does what he does best with them: redemption.  I’m not always faithful, and I goof up as much as I get it right, but it’s good for me today to take stock of where I am and where I intend to travel, as well as the importance of making the steps in the journey count.

I was unloading groceries from the car this evening, when I caught a turtle trying to sneak into the garage.  He did sneak in, and then he hissed at me when I tried to shoo him out.  I carefully picked him up and found a spot for him in the yard, pointing him in the direction of the woods. There’s another interloper behind the house;  a little brown bird has built a nest in one of my potted flowers, and I see him bringing back more nest supplies, as well as treats for the babies in the nest.

I love living here in my unfancy house in the middle of the woods.  The poison ivy taunts me, but I love that there’s a raccoon on my deck some nights, and that I see deer grazing in the yard many mornings while I pour my coffee.  In the fall, the turkeys come with their baby turkeys, and there are at least 4 squirrels who have a meeting in my driveway in the late afternoon.  There’s something immediately soothing about watching nature do it’s thing…no matter how bad the day, it all melts away when you watch a family of animals wander through their home.

I haven’t written in a while, not feeling as if there’s much to say.  No international trips, no vacations, no crises or celebrations.  Just the usual days, one after another.  Work, housework, dinners with friends, etc.  Those are the things of life. 

Today is Sunday, and the sun has been shining after days and days of rain.  I tried a new recipe, curried eggplant with tomatoes and chickpeas.  It was good, but needed something.  I’ll play with the recipe later.

Then there was time to mow, though the ground was still soggy in places.  There are always sticks and limbs to pick up and burn, and who doesn’t love to set things on fire in the backyard?

There’s the garden surrounded by an anti-rabbit, anti-deer fence.  The lettuce is coming up with tiny leaves barely visible, but I am encouraged to see a line of green in a sea of mud.

I’m not finished with the planting, and it occurred to me that I should have flowers in pots before putting a picture out there of my half-finished product, but that’s the way it goes.  If I waited until the house was clean before inviting friends over, I’d never do it.  I can’t wait for the laundry to be caught up before going to a movie.  Things are never finished, but it’s in the journey that satisfaction comes in a series of small ways.  Today I’m happy with my yard and my budding garden.  Next week I’ll be smiling at newly planted flowers.  Next month I’ll be eating lettuce fresh from the garden for my Sunday dinner.  I can taste it already.