W.A.J.D.O.B.
By BelindaCell group, and Tippy shares a home made birthday pumpkin pie with Barb whose birthday was last week. Both of them love pumpkin pie much more than birthday cake.
I hope that this almost 13 year old never stops looking forward to our Thursday night cell group dinners as much as she does right now. Each week I look around at the 11 or 12 people crowded in tightly, passing plates of food; such a diverse group of married and single people, male and female--and I feel happy--to be there at the table; listening to the conversations; enjoying the enjoying, glad I belong.
Last night, as I prepared the dinner after work, I was filled with personal insecurities as I pondered my week. I lead such an amazing team of people, and there are times when I feel inadequate--and inferior! I think, "They deserve better--in fact they are better--than me." This was one of those weeks--a week when I wondered if I had enough to give.
Susan arrived early. I had just finished mopping the floors and was putting things back where they belonged, so she started setting the table while I put dishes in the microwave to heat up.
As she put out white plates on the cranberry tablecloth, she talked about her day and a difficult situation she had been working through. An organization with which our agency interfaces in the support of someone, had missed some key components that someone needed to succeed and during a long discussion with them that had been evident and they had apologized.
Susan said then, "You know what I said to them? This is something you taught me." (At that point I was curious, thinking, 'I taught you something?')
She went on, "I said to them what you would have said, 'We're all just doing our best.'"
You know, I don't remember saying that, but it made me think of what I wrote in my post earlier this week, Debate Matters, when I said that often we have no idea when we are influencing someone else, and it is rarely the great speeches or the things we would expect to be remembered, that "stick."
Susan's words fell on me like a benediction, a gift. I said to her, "I needed to hear that tonight."
She looked at me curiously, and said, "You did?"
"Yes, I did. I needed to know that I had made a difference somehow, but I also needed those words for me."
"We're All Just Doing Our Best."
God's means of encouragement amaze me.
I hope that this almost 13 year old never stops looking forward to our Thursday night cell group dinners as much as she does right now. Each week I look around at the 11 or 12 people crowded in tightly, passing plates of food; such a diverse group of married and single people, male and female--and I feel happy--to be there at the table; listening to the conversations; enjoying the enjoying, glad I belong.
Last night, as I prepared the dinner after work, I was filled with personal insecurities as I pondered my week. I lead such an amazing team of people, and there are times when I feel inadequate--and inferior! I think, "They deserve better--in fact they are better--than me." This was one of those weeks--a week when I wondered if I had enough to give.
Susan arrived early. I had just finished mopping the floors and was putting things back where they belonged, so she started setting the table while I put dishes in the microwave to heat up.
As she put out white plates on the cranberry tablecloth, she talked about her day and a difficult situation she had been working through. An organization with which our agency interfaces in the support of someone, had missed some key components that someone needed to succeed and during a long discussion with them that had been evident and they had apologized.
Susan said then, "You know what I said to them? This is something you taught me." (At that point I was curious, thinking, 'I taught you something?')
She went on, "I said to them what you would have said, 'We're all just doing our best.'"
You know, I don't remember saying that, but it made me think of what I wrote in my post earlier this week, Debate Matters, when I said that often we have no idea when we are influencing someone else, and it is rarely the great speeches or the things we would expect to be remembered, that "stick."
Susan's words fell on me like a benediction, a gift. I said to her, "I needed to hear that tonight."
She looked at me curiously, and said, "You did?"
"Yes, I did. I needed to know that I had made a difference somehow, but I also needed those words for me."
"We're All Just Doing Our Best."
God's means of encouragement amaze me.
Comments
It's all good, too! Well, almost all of it's good... :)