The whirling sound of
the warm forced-air heat blowing through the heat registers in our fifty-or-so
year old farm house seems constant on this beautiful snow-sparkly winter
day. This weekday has been filled with
getting children to school, teaching and grading graduate student papers,
organizing aberrant household items, and researching. The rumbling dishwasher has scrubbed clean my old glass gallon pickle jars. They now rest,
upside down, on the gas stove burners. In a few hours I will endeavor to store my new
whole grains in these pretty, dry and airtight containers. Oat bran, quinoa, whole wheat flour, barley,
lentils…. Eventually I hope to make some wooden shelves to display them on and
to have ready access.
And I’ve been thinking.
Reflecting.
“For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
Over the past few
months I believe the idea of starting a Handy Person Ministry at our church has
been brewing. Actually, it’s hard for me
to fathom that there isn’t one already.
Don’t get me wrong, the faithful serve.
They encourage, help, pray, cook and render aid. Yet there are so many hurting people – in the
church – in which a little handy person could make a positive impact. The widow, the orphan, the single parent, the
ill, the seniors of the church…. I see the investment of a few hours a month into
the lives of one of these as a method of demonstrating Christ’s love for us –
the Church. Imagine, a chronically
dripping faucet repaired in an hour by a competent person. Not only does the faucet get repaired but the love and Christ-community built during the encounter gets cultivated and strengthened. A creaky paint-chipped fence, sidewalk stones
dangerously uneven, a hard to reach light fixture needing a bulb replaced, a hole accidentally created with the swing of the door needing patching, windows needing
washing, trim painting, weeding, bush trimming, planting, wiring, tiling, hanging
curtain rods, lawn mowing…. The ideas and possibilities are endless. And there are those in the church who have
these special handy talents. More importantly, there are
those in the church with these special handy needs – with limited resources and skills.
“So then as we have
opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the
household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 ESV).
I’ve written up a draft
proposal.
And I’ve been sitting
on it. It lies in the bowels of my computer.
Afraid. Knowing that I
am a dreamer – an idea person – a vision shaper. Not a great doer of details. What
if in bringing the idea I am asked to coordinate the efforts? I can help; I do not believe I have the
energy to make it happen.
And so the proposal
waits...
Today’s Journey Joys: shiny
glass pickle jars, vacuum cleaners capturing dust bunnies, a growing burning
desire to grow in Christ-community, take-out restaurants with delicious
spaghetti, and longer winter daylight hours.
