Some Thoughts

Yesterday, Camie and I took Ben to the park.  Almost as soon as we arrived, another little boy – slightly older than Ben – came right up and started playing with him.  He helped him on the play structure, talked to him, (even though Ben couldn’t really talk back,) and was very sweet and helpful to both Ben and us.  We had never met him before, and may never see him again, but I was struck by how friendly and kind he was.  He didn’t have to be – his mom didn’t seem to be forcing him to play with us! – but he saw a new kid on the playground and wanted to be helpful.

This boy (who’s name was Robert) made me think about how often I am helpful to another for no particular reason, other than to be kind.  Probably not enough.  I am so often caught up in my own agenda, on my own time schedule, that I fail to look out for those around me who may need a helping hand or a kind word.  It is so easy to make a positive impact in someone’s life.  God calls us to love our neighbor – what are you doing to answer that call?

“The commandments . . . are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Romans 13:9

Friday was a very busy day for me.  Usually it’s my day off, but I worked in the morning, sang at a memorial service in the early afternoon, and had a 3:00 meeting in Pleasant Hill.  Not only was I busy, but I seemed to be running late all day, and I HATE being late.  It was definitely a stress-filled day, and I was exhausted by the end of it.

That day made me realize how much I value my day off – my day of Sabbath.  I try really hard to not do anything work-related on Fridays.  Instead, I spend time with my family, I walk or hike outside, I watch some t.v., I read a magazine.  I take time to relax, and to do things that I enjoy.  This Sabbath day is an important part of my week, and I find that I am much more productive (not to mention more pleasant to be around!) when I have that Sabbath time.  It allows my body, mind, and soul to recharge.

Do you take a day of Sabbath?  A day when you take time away from work and school to simply be?  To have fun and relax?  I hope so.  And if not, start!

“And on the seventh day God finished the work that God had done, and God rested on the seventh day from all the work that God had done.”  Genesis 2:2

I have just returned from our middle school mission trip to San Francisco.  We worked for 3 days on projects that help those who are hungry and homeless in the city.  On the last day, we decided to make several (about 50) bag lunches, and distribute them to people in need around City Hall.  We spent about half an hour making sandwiches, and filling the paper lunch bags with all kinds of snacks.  We then drove to City Hall, and roamed a couple of blocks to hand out the lunches.  To my surprise, the kids distributed all 50 lunches in about two minutes – literally.  I barely had time to put money in the parking meter, and the lunches were gone.

That experience really made us think about the enormity of the hunger felt by people in the city.  If we can give away 50 lunches in two minutes in the space of about two city blocks, how many thousands of people did we not help to feed that day?  How many thousands of people wake up each morning with nothing to eat – just in the city limits of San Francisco?  Certainly, we helped many hundreds with our work at Glide Memorial and the Food Bank – but how many more went unserved?  What are we – as individuals, as a church community, as a nation, as a world - going to do about this?

“For I was hungry and you gae me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”  Matthew 25:35

I live right down the street from the Marin Civic Center, which just happens to be where the county fair began yesterday.  As I travel to and from my house, I really enjoy watching people as they go to the fair.  They are all so happy!  And why shouldn’t they be?  They are about to spend the day eating yummy food, going on fun rides, and listening to great music.  I love to see people having such a good time.  Whatever else might be going on in life, a day at the fair can’t help but be filled with joy.

How do you experience joy in your life?  Even if times are rough, are you still able to experience moments of joy?  May God fill your life with joy today, and all days.

“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you.”  Psalm 71:23a