First of all, Adam returned to work on Don's roof. Adam works a full time job 5 days a week and still volunteered all last week before going to his paying job! (below photo)
Mark (above photo) also came to work at Don's on his day off!
These two men have true hearts of service and both are wondering why they are working alone? Where are the rest of the volunteers? I have the same question and have had that question for months now. I continually answer that question with the line that "well, people have lives and on their days off have other things to do." I am getting a bit tired of saying that as in my heart I feel I am making excuses for them.
We all have the same 24 hours in our days. As Pastor Dave said this morning --- priorities are those things we plan other things around. I guess there are just too many people who don't put helping others as a priority!? Just sayin' . . .
And then my children have been having to deal with the death of their grandmother. She passed away at 4:20am this morning. As much as she loved a good party I know there was a joyous one in heaven early this morning. But . . . the loss is still felt here on earth and the tears still flow and the hearts still hurt.
And yesterday as I was up on the roof with Adam at Don's Monty called me. Our neighbor, who just lost her husband of over 60 years last fall found out (with no warning) that she has end stage cancer in her pancreas, kidneys, both lungs and a blood clot in one lung! Her only living child, a son, is a pastor who lives 2 hours from here and he has literally camped out in her hospital room. She will begin chemo tomorrow and fight with all she has. Her granddaughter is getting married next April and her goal is to live long enough to be able to go to the wedding!
This morning I was able to spend a couple of minutes and show a short video about the rebuilding project in Maui. As I watched that video again God touched my heart in a new and different way. Monty and I have always said that in disaster relief we are "rebuilding lives by rebuilding homes" but in this case we (and you) have the opportunity to actually save lives! The lives of the next generation! We have a responsibility to do so! That realization changed me on the inside.
So . . . here I am on a Sunday evening "pondering" so many different things.
What am I learning? One main theme just rings in my heart.
Life is short. Life is precious. Life is a gift from God. Life is meant to share with others. Life is meant to encourage others, to build them up and to bring them to the true life in Jesus.
NOTHING else matters!
We may not have the latest cell phone or newest computer or biggest big screen television. Our jobs may just plain suck. The lack of rain may be stressing us to the max. Our bill box may be overflowing and our paychecks may be less than enough.
BUT . . . God loves us with a love beyond our imagination and as long as we have life --- life in Him and as long as we truly trust Him --- not just saying we do but really doing so --- we won't stress over "not having" or "what ifs".
If we all take a look backwards we will realize just how many times God has been there for us, has helped us out of things we lost hope in and for --- and yet we still don't trust!?
My childrens' grandma now knows the joy! My neighbor will probably know it sooner than some of us.
And yet we don't reach out and help others. We stew, we fret, we worry . . . and not one of those things will change anything!
You really want to help make a change? You really want do make things better? Do you really????
Then stop complaining and start thanking God for all we DO have, for all He has done for us and start praising Him and start reaching out to others instead of always thinking of ourselves!
Harsh? Maybe. Truth? You bet! (It's even scriptural) !!!!!!
Tomorrow is Monday. A new day. A new start. A new chance. Let's agree to try it again!!!!
Until next time . . . Lord --- thank you for life!!!!! Susan and Monty
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