I know that it is important to see life from the micro
perspective of observing little things happen day to day. I also know it is
important to see the macro perspective where goals and plans over years go from
ground zero to completion. It is exciting to see the pieces to the puzzle of
community development continue to happen. I don’t think there will ever be any
short cut to seeing a person go from brokenness to wholeness. I’m privileged
and blessed to be in the middle of many people’s lives. I get to work with
wacky teens, wild little guys, college interns that range from 30 somethings with
lots of life experience to ‘green’ newbies and then my army of volunteers that
help impact our community.
I was ticked off a couple of days ago when one of my future
painting grandmas decided to back out from getting her house painted. She had
called last week and said there was another group that was talking to her. She
was confused and clearly forgot that she had signed up with another
organization to get help with her house. I did my best plea to get her to stick
with us for obvious reasons. We will partner with you in the coming future but
this group will paint and then be gone and never reconnect. I’m still waiting
for her call back to see her decision. This then got me to ‘shaking’ the bushes
for another house but will end up doing Marina’s house in Guadalupe instead.
I know there will be days where I will get frustrated with others
and myself. It is always important to see the flow of life. I obviously have
favorite people and kids that I’m around. I too often take something personal
when something happens. Last night one of my key older teens throws a little
tantrum when I ask him to let a little kid use the iPad. He was looking for
cleats for his soccer pursuit. He walked out in a huff and probably said
something that he will regret later. I do remember how this one teen in the
past had a real bad temper and has slowly become more capable of controlling
it. Last night was a slip back into his past.
I am not surprised when little kids leave their ‘stuff’
behind after tutoring or other events. It’s when my older college student
types, I’m thinking of one specifically, leaves their keys, wallet, phone and
charger at my house or in the truck all of the time. I’m ready to get a chain
that I can permanently attach to his neck so his keys and wallet won’t be MIA
all of the time. This becomes a comical setting where we joke about this all of
the time. Yet, when you truly think you have lost your license, bankcard and
keys you panic. You quickly get a duplicate of the license and pray that the
card hasn’t been used.
One of the most exciting parts of my life is watching my
Anne grow in her spiritual and professional pursuits. I do think it is often
unfair that the guys always get the opportunity to do things as pioneers or
entrepreneurs. Anne has always chosen to be in the background to do her
motherly duties without ever complaining, working at transcription and always
being the servant leader who gives me the ability to look good when I don’t
deserve it. I know that her years of ministry work and educational
accomplishment would at some point ‘pay off’. She has decided after job hunting
and wanting something different and more people driven to become a hospital or
hospice Chaplin. This actually requires
a lot of education and on the job training. She will actually get another
master’s degree and become a certified Chaplin that can work anywhere. I’m so
proud of her work and now the possibility that it will produce something that
she can ‘brag’ about! YES!
I know that over the next 6 months of training and classes
that it will stretch both us. Yet, this is what often makes us grow and gives
us the spiritual ‘zing’ that makes life awesome. I’m so happy for her to be
able to use her natural gifts to impact the lives of those in real crisis
situations and also influence other hospital staff. I can see looking back over
the years that Anne has been given gifts of counseling, helps and humor for
such a type of ministry. This will only enhance the work we already do.
So it is important at times to step back and both smell the
coffee or roses depending upon your setting and see both the big picture and
little picture of your life.
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