Who's In Charge of Your Day Planner

This Lay Ministry class is more than I expected it to be. The reading material seems like its written for the intellectually elite, which will tell you why I can't seem to keep my head above water. I hope I survive.



In the midst of being up to my neck in paper work to learn to serve, I got a call from the pastoral associate of our church. Our priest had been called away and wouldn't be saying Mass on Wednesday. When that happens the pastoral associate will do a scripture service with a reflection, in place of the Mass. But she was scheduled for an MRI so she was calling to ask me to take over.



My mind immediately began thinking "God don't you know that tonight is my bible study night, and tomorrow night is my night to do the widow ministry, and don't you remember that Wednesday I have a dentist appointment. And that after that the grandsons are coming over for dinner for the twins birthday and I promised them my special mac and cheese. Don't you remember I promised to bake a birthday cake for it, and remember God, I haven't even had time to buy their birthday present yet. I'm just not sure how I'm going to get that all done and have time to write and practice a scripture reflection.


"Let me be in charge of your day planner," God replied.



So I did.



It seemed like it was all planned. I'd get up early, shower, pick up key for the hall, go grocery shopping, make dish to pass for widows group, go to group, come home and write the reflection before and after I watched debate.



So I got up early and showered and drove up to the hall where we hold our 1st Tea @ Five widows meeting, and picked up the key, but when I got in my car I couldn't get it started. Darn, why had I put off servicing the car when I began having trouble earlier.



I called the towing service and waited and waited. I called them back a half hour later. and they told me I could leave my keys over the visor instead of waiting for them.



I walked back home in 40 degree weather in my sandals and a sweatshirt. My cell phone rang on the walk home. It was the dentist calling to remind me of my appointment and thankfully they took the cancellation well and scheduled me for Monday.



Next I spent a half hour calling around to get a rental car and then waited some more for them to come and pick me up. Any other time I could walk to the grocery store or to church but I needed a vehicle transport things for the meeting and to buy mega groceries for all these parties. Plus the weather forecast for Wednesday was definitely rain. It's a little tough to ride a bike in the rain and then get up and preach.



Needless to say by the time Enterprise came to pick me up with a rental car and I drove them back to their office, it was too late to make a dish to pass for group. I figured no one would be able to tell that there was one less dish than there were people.

I was right.


The meeting ended up being one of our best; we learned how to line dance. Some were quick studies and some (who shall be nameless) seem to have developed two left feet as she aged. Everyone was having so much fun that they stayed longer. I was pooped by the time I walked in the door just in time to see the beginning question of the debate



WoW -Todd Smith from the music group "Selah" was sitting right there in the front row, and I watched intently just in case he got to ask his question.



I sure wasn't getting much done on my reflection for 9 am the following morning.



By the time I turned off the TV so I could concentrate on what I needed to say in the morning, I knew I wasn't able to think clear. Unless God breathed a teaching into my mind in my sleep, it was looking like I was going to have to wing it.

Instead of feeling worried it was like "Ho Hum I guess God has a plan".

About 5 minutes before the alarm was set to go off, I woke up feeling refreshed and after spending some quiet time with God I turned on my lap top and the words started flowing.



I don't like feeling unprepared. I don't want to wait til the last minute every time I need to do something for God, but it wasn't as though I didn't try to be prepared earlier.



No, it was more like God was keeping me from preparing.



When my car first broke down I was tempted to believe Satan was throwing a monkey wrench into the situation because I was going to be doing something for God, but again, it felt more like a God thing than a satanic attack.



The Gospel I was reflecting on was Luke 11 where Jesus teaches his apostles to pray. One of the things Jesus tells the apostles about praying is that they should ask God for their daily portion.



Just before going out the door to church, I realized that God had given me my daily portion.



I didn't need the words the day before because that wasn't what God wanted me to concentrate on. He wanted me to focus on caring about his widows that day. Had my car not broken I would have spent a great deal of time shopping and cooking for the evening.



But instead of feeling tired I had energy to put more of myself in to loving my friends.



He wanted me to learn to rely on him for the things he thinks are important, and not what I think. There wasn't a thing on my list that didn't get accomplished, they just got done in a different way. I saved both time and money doing it God's way. (Thank goodness I saved some money - car starters and a tire thats ready to blow are costly!)



And the birthday party...it was fantastic.