Helping others in order to help myself

I am going to give it a try...

I have been in a funk lately and I don't like it. The tickertape that is running through my head is overwhelming and nothing good is coming from it. Even though I am thinking about how good I would feel if the thoughts in my head were positive and productive, I so easily come back to the list of to-dos and expectations associated with every move I make.

Instead of trying to make myself think of something different and stop and recognize my accomplishments, I am going to stop thinking! Well, not completely. I am going think enough so I get things done that need to get done but I am going to get into action. This action is going to be focused on OTHERS and not on myself.

I have been here before. If I get out of my own way and do things to help others, then I will feel my goodness and see my accomplishments. I know when I talk to others and make it about them, it makes a big difference in both of us. I smile more and see more reasons to smile. This, of course, creates a domino effect of smiles and good things.

This morning it started...I stopped at the store and bought a vase of flowers for my co-workers/friend's birthday :-) It was such an unexpected surprise for her and I can hear her telling everyone about the surprise and how pretty the flowers are!

This is going to be a nice day!

The Flying Trapeze - does this resonate with you?

This has been presented to me in two different settings. It helps adjust my perception about change. Does it resonate with you?

 

 

Sometimes, I feel that my life is a series of trapeze swings.

I'm either hanging on to a trapeze bar swinging along or, for a few moments,

I'm hurdling across space between the trapeze bars.

 

Mostly, I spend my time hanging on for dear life to the trapeze bar of the moment.

It carries me along a certain steady rate of swing and I have the feeling that I'm in control.

I know most of the right questions, and even some of the right answers.

But once in a while, as I'm merrily, or not so merrily, swinging along,

I look ahead of me into the distance, and what do I see?

 

I see another trapeze bar looking at me. It's empty.

And I know, in that place in me that knows, that this new bar has my name on it.

It is my next step, my growth, my aliveness coming to get me.

In my heart of hearts I know that for me to grow,

I must release my grip on the present well-known bar to move to the new one.

 

Each time it happens, I hope—no, I pray—that I won't have to grab the new one.

But in my knowing place, I know that I must totally release my grasp on my old bar,

and for some moments in time I must hurtle across space before I can grab the new bar.

Each time I do this I am filled with terror.

It doesn't matter that in all my previous hurdles I have always made it.

 

Each time I am afraid I will miss,

that I will be crushed on unseen rocks in the bottomless basin between the bars.

 

But I do it anyway. I must.

 

Perhaps this is the essence of what the mystics call faith.

No guarantees, no net, no insurance, but we do it anyway

because hanging on to that old bar is no longer an option.

And so, for what seems to be an eternity but actually lasts a microsecond.

I soar across the dark void called "the past is over, the future is not yet here."

It's called a transition.

I have come to believe that it is the only place that real change occurs.

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that the transition zone is the only real thing,

and the bars are the illusions we dream up to not notice the void.

Yes, with all the fear that can accompany transitions, they are still the most vibrant,

growth-filled, passionate moments in our lives.

 

And so transformation of fear may have nothing to do with making fear go away,

but rather with giving ourselves permission to "hang out" in the transition zone -- between the trapeze bars --

allowing ourselves to dwell in the only place where change really happens.

 

It can be terrifying. It can also be enlightening.

 

Hurdling through the void, we just may learn to fly.

 

 

Be Open - Drop the Defensiveness

Welcome ideas that are not your own. Be open to what others have to say without getting defensive. Make it okay for others to share their ideas — even if those ideas conflict with yours.
 ~John Baldoni

Preacher??

I am still hearing positive comments from the worship service that I prepared a couple of weeks ago and the sermon that I wrote and delivered. It was a lot of work and I had some doubts. But I listened to my heart and let the Lord speak through me. It was one of the most powerful and amazing experiences I have had! The responses I have heard since that day have been so empowering for me! I look forward to doing future work like this. I am so thankful for the people who supported and encouraged me and gave me the material and space to prepare the sermon!

 

I encourage you to follow your heart. Put your expectation of the outcome aside. Do whatever feels good and have faith in the rest. Stand aside and let your work come through. Take time to reflect and see the messages of your life experiences.

After the first work day...

Today will be our 2nd day working on one of our official work sites arranged by the organization we are working with. It is just down the street from the volunteer shelter we are staying at. The neighborhoods look like a lot of one level homes made mostly of brick. Some homes look like ones in any neighborhood with vehicles in the drive way and flowers around the house. But some have yards that haven't been cared for, no vehicles in the drive way, broken windows or X's on the front of the house. These are houses where the people have not returned home. There may be different reasons why someone hasn't been able to return home or they have decided not to.

We are working on homes where families have gone through a case management system connected with the place we are staying. I don't know all the requirements or rules but we have been told there is a process.

The homes had to be gutted in order to rebuild because the water level was up to the roof tops. I was thinking yesterday about the timing of that day...what were they told on the weather, what did they think would happen, when did they decide to leave and did they have time to take anything? Did they assume they would be able to return or did they have a feeling in their gut that said this one was bad?

In the home that I was at yesterday, the home owner came to unlock the door but then didn't stay long. We didn't get a chance to talk - maybe she wanted it that way. We were told that most people are wanting to talk to volunteers but some just aren't ready to. Even after 4 years, the wounds are still raw.

The entire home was sheetrocked (my contractor friends are knowing this is not my area of expertise with the spelling and wording). It had already been taped and mudded. Our job was to sand. We did this, in a house that was just opened up for us, with no electricity, for almost 5 hours.

It was another bonding experience for folks on our group. We all got together last night for worship and talked about our experiences. The other groups went to other sites. The acknowledgement of other's work and drive of everyone on the team regardless of age was amazing to hear. It makes me feel very proud to be part of such an effort.

Be thankful for where you live and what you have. Help your neighbor when you can. It is a wonderful warming feeling.

First post from New Orleans

This is going to be short as I don't have a lot of time.

The drive here took 3 days. I was most concerned about this for myself. I don't think I travel well. We have 36 people across 5 mini-vans. We have 2 drivers for each van and 7 people in each van. Close quarters for sitting along with our baggage. The point is to get to know each other - yea - that happened!!

I am happily surprised that the drive is actually fun! Yes there were some unexpected things that came up (some of the vans going a different way or some stopping for gas and nature breaks at different times) but all these things were sorted out. Taught me a lot about dealing with things and being flexible instead of having every detail laid out and expecting it to work out only that way.

We were housed by 2 churches on the way down. Many families opened up their houses for us for a place to sleep as well as providing us lots of food for our stay and journey the next day. Unbelievable hospitality!!

Today was sight seeing day in New Orleans - I think we were in the French Quarter.

We start work tomorrow...first around the volunteer shelter where we are staying then Monday we'll be going to the 9th Ward.

It's time for worship so I have to go...thanks for all your interest and prayers!!!

How are you being called?

Again…it happened! The universe sent me this same message…again.

One of the discussions  in preparation for the UBC Mission trip to New Orleans is around the verse from Isaiah 6:8 “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”  There is also a really nice song about this same verse that I love!  The following is inspired by the topic today from The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide. I continue to give thanks to my angel friend who leaves a new book on my desk every other month!

Will you be a player or a spectator in the game of life?

Saying yes to being a player in life isn’t always easy. It might not be easy when it takes us out of our comfort zone.

Saying no is easy. But what if God said no to us as many times as we say no to God?

Saying yes to God and being active in God’s work helps us grow spiritually. This doesn’t necessarily mean being seen and heard. All of us can serve in quite and humble ways known only to God. We have many opportunities to do so. Discipleship means being a servant and, as Jesus showed us, putting others ahead of ourselves.

Prayer: God, please help me to be a disciple who is not merely a spectator. Amen.