Mission Minded cont.

I don't know if you have a church like mine , but there is always a need for someone to do something. I get more phone calls asking me to teach this, serve on that team or do some other task. I love the church - I do - but saying "no" has always been hard for me. Admittedly I like to be liked - who doesn't? I would rather have people think of me as "Sarah who will jump in and help with anything" than "Sarah who's too busy to help with anything".

What I really need is balance. The best choice is not do everything possible, or nothing, but to figure out what it is "I" am supposed to be doing.

And in itself, that is a kind of mission statement - "I, Sarah, being of relatively sound mind, do promise to go only where God leads."

It's simple, but for me, it can be very effective.

I got a call just this week about teaching Sunday School this summer. And to be horribly honest - especially since I want all of you to like me, too - I've been avoiding the phone calls. I don't want to teach Sunday School. I'm with my three kids all week long - church is practically the only time I ever speak to adults anymore. And they want me to sit in a room with more kids?

I do serve in the church - always have - and for more years than I should have I taught and administrated the whole Sunday School program. Maybe I got completely burned out on it and am still licking the burns. Maybe I needed a change. I realize that some use "I don't feel lead to" as an excuse to not help out. But I don't think it's an excuse - I have no desire to do it.

One of the places I cheerfully serve is in our cafe. We have this fabulous little espresso bar in our church and even though I have to get up early to do it (not always fun for me) - I absolutely love doing it. I take orders and make frothy, syrupy jolts of caffeine for our bleary-eyed visitors and church members. I get to chat, welcome and even pray for all sorts of people I'd probably never run into otherwise. I just love it.

The day may come that I need a break from it too, and perhaps the day will come that God will fan a flame in me to teach junior high or something similiarly crazy. But for now, I want to serve coffee. I think it's the Holy Spirit within us that jumps for joy when we are rightly fitted into the Body of Christ, serving where we can be a blessing to others. We love and serve out of the overflow of what God has put in us. I'm all for trying things out, seeing where you fit, but the fact is that a hand does not attach to the bottom of a leg - we have a particular place in the Body of Christ - a place where we will function well and with joy.

I'm after that place - not just in Church, but in my life. Yes, we will still have to do lots of things that are hard and not fun - I'm not saying everything should be easy and fun for us. But I am saying that when we find that "right spot" - it's SO good! Like getting that spot in the middle of your back scratched. It just feels right.

So tomorrow I'll go serve coffee, and when I get cornered by the Sunday School lady? Maybe I'll offer her an extra shot in her coffee. It could work:-)