That's the theme of my life this week. I am stressed about getting things done I need to in the time given by working extra hours to make up for leaving early this Friday to go home to Indiana to attend and participate in the 60th wedding anniversary celebration for my grandparents. And I have to clean for people from church coming for a small group meeting. And I have to find my old journals because some of what I want to use for the "musical entertainment" I'm providing for the 60th anniversary celebration is in the journals, and I haven't been able to find them. Not to mention that I haven't finished writing the rest of the musical entertainment, let alone typed it up for my fellow (good-sport) family members to help me sing. And I need to do laundry before I go home, or I'll not have anything to wear under my pants tomorrow. Not enough time.
And then today I look up info on a woman who was violently killed blocks away from my church, but whose story I hadn't heard, as I do not read or watch the news. And I spent all my lunch hour (which was supposed to be for lyrics) reading about this incredible woman and her incredible son, and the man who was husband and father and now murderer of them. I printed stories out; I don't like reading off the computer screen. PAGES and PAGES of tributes to this woman, and to her adult son who was seriously wounded. I still haven't read them all. I googled the story in the first place- typed in: Bonnie Jones Chicago. After the usual news sources, I went to the other hits. And was distressed to find three separate web pages dedicated to "protecting your 2nd amendment rights" using the story of this 65-yr old teacher and her 30+ yr old fiddle-playing son as prime examples that Chicago should allow concealed weapons/hand guns/uzis and how incredibly stupid everyone is for not seeing this.
There is so much hate, insanity, unhappiness, mental anguish in this world. I would weep for it, except that I would be weeping every minute of every day. This past week I have seen little tiny things, even in myself and those in my immediate circle, evidence of this diseasing evil destroying the world.
How can I face all the hateful people? How can I bring healing opportunities for the mentally anguished? I cannot. And so the thought occurred to me as I was prompted to write this: I should be lamenting that I don't have enough time to tell another person about the peace, the calm, the healing, the clarity, the health, that is Christ Jesus. I should be upset that my day is so full I can't spend time showing God's gospel to anyone and everyone I meet. I will never have enough time to offer the Good News to all of the hateful, hurting, lost people I am surrounded by 24/7.
Not enough time. Maybe. Maybe not.
(now I've gone ten minutes long at lunch. Which means I'll have to stay ten minutes later. Which means I will have ten fewer minutes to get my house ready for small group tonight. And I haven't bought snacks yet, either. And I forgot to cash the check that was going to pay for the snacks. And my boss is probably wondering why I'm typing an email instead of these faxes he left on my desk before lunch. And I didn't change my bandaging on my finger at lunch like I was supposed to...)
And yet, by living in God's peace and love and living it in front of the people in your life, you can make a difference. Maybe it will be, like the starfish story, that you will make a difference for only one...but at least you made a difference to that one. By how you live, and deal with people, and deal with failure and success, people will see HIM.
ReplyDeleteAnd I understand that feeling of having so much to do and no time to do it in. I hope that this weekend was a blessing--not only to your grandparents but also to you.