365 Days of Service

Here is an article about and a link to a Facebook Group that’s attempting to inspire people to make a difference everyday - I LOVE IT!

http://christianpost.com/article/20090105/pastor-s-story-of-kindness-sparks-idea-for-365-club.htm

If you’ve been reading and wondering how you might fit more service into your day, there will be no shortage of ideas coming out of this Facebook Group. Get involved and God bless your acts of kindness!

Hey everyone out there. Healing Place Church (Dino Rizzo) is asking for blue hurricane tarps for victims of Hurricane Gustav. With Ike on the way I think the words “urgent need” don’t quite cut it. Join the effort to send the people of Baton Rouge tarps. You can read more and watch a video from Dino here:

http://www.flowerdust.net/2008/09/08/fifty-schmifty-lets-blow-this-sucker-away/#comment-202248
(she links to cases, but you can buy them individually by following the links on the site)

The link to buy tarps and the address to send them to is on Anne Jackson’s blog. I placed an order earlier today. Can you guys help too?

When I started this project my intention was to be more outwardly-focused, meaning that I will try to pay more attention to people around me and the environment I am in: Opening doors for moms with 7 kids, picking up trash laying next to the container, etc.

What had not occurred to me at the time was that in so doing, I was also going to become more aware of the ways people serve me. Not on a regular basis or anything… but I have seen people let me take the first grocery cart and they take the second. Or I’ve had men and women both hold the door for me and let me go through.

A great example was recently at Sam’s Club when I went to get just a few things. I was determined not to get a cart preventing myself from buying more than I can carry (a strong temptation at Sam’s!) Anyway, I checked out and walked to the line where the exit police stare down your items in your cart and stamp your receipt. This was the longest line I’d ever stood in at Sam’s. The line moved very slowly. The man I was standing next to had a cart with 6 gallons of milk in it and that’s all. He graciously offered me the extra room in his cart to place my 4 items (which were all I could carry) until we reached the exit. I was touched. He wasn’t gaining anything by allowing me a rest from my burden. It was one of those moments that helped me see that if we all just offered what we can at the moment - whether it’s grocery cart real estate or something more significant - we can help each other carry our burdens. It’s those often seemingly small gestures that can be the most meaningful.

What gesture has affected you recently? Did you recognize the person who made it by thanking them or otherwise?

http://www.x365.org/x365_started.html…Dan Waber turned 40 on January 12th, 2006, and wanted to mark the occasion in some positive fashion.

I heard about a fellow “365 days of something” guy yesterday on NPR. Here’s his story and website:

http://60×365.com/: one new sixty-second work every day for a year.

David Morneau has been writing one piece of music every day for the last 365 days. June 30, 2008 marked his 365th day and he wrote a piece entitled “At Last” to mark the occasion. It’s inspiring to hear about other people, for all different reasons, taking on a one-year challenge. It’s even more inspiring to see him see it all the way through. Definitely gives me some encouragement on Day 21 that I can finish out the remaining 344 days, too.

What might you consider doing (or not doing) for the next 365 days? Do you think you have the gumption to see it through?

Today I am challenged, I am fatigued and I have errands to run, Kitten chow to purchase, my car’s oil to get changed… the list goes on and on. This was something that we mentioned several times in our devotionals during the trip. When you are on a mission trip - you’re essentially removed from reality. When you return from the mission trip - the real world is like a slap in the face. You simply slide right back into your old habits, your old routine, and you slowly lose touch with those feelings that were so raw and so real during the trip. God doesn’t ask us to spend 5 days a year serving others. He asks us to do it everyday.

Some people might say that my ambition to serve for 365 days could be impossible. They might point out that I work for the church and am therefore serving every day I work anyway. They might tell me not to be hard on myself on the days when I don’t find a way to serve someone else. But my challenge to myself was this - if God asks me to serve everyday and He expects it, how can I possibly live knowing that I’m not fulfilling His plan for my life? I don’t expect it to be easy, but I know it isn’t impossible. I won’t be hard on myself when those days do come around where I’ve missed the opportunity to serve. There will be many days when I am open to the possibility that God is going to do something great, even in the seemingly trivial, and I’ll be ready to respond.

I am going to be mission-minded and service-focused not because I expect to gain something from it but simply because that is all God has asked of me. I know that there is power in obedience and the anticipation of what might happen through His power within me is pretty exciting. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.

I have been trying to build a relationship with our elderly neighbors. This trip reminded me once again that I don’t have to go far out of my way to find opportunities to serve. I can share the love of Christ right in my own backyard. Our neighbors have family here in town that come to see them a few times a month. They have a young granddaughter that likes all of our pets and is always eager to pet a cat or play with a dog. I try to be out there when she visits so she has an opportunity to play with one. They talk to me often about what’s going on in their lives, and if I’m outside I’ll go over and begin a conversation. I know they enjoy cats and when I have kittens I’ll take them over for a visit so they can interact with them. It’s through this relationship that I hope to share the love of Christ. I’ve realized that after 2 1/2 years living next door that I’ve missed many opportunities to serve them. I’m hoping I don’t feel the same way in a year’s time. Tonight I made dinner, baked a cake and cookies and took some over to them. The husband was outside smoking so Ryan and I spent some time talking about the weather. I told him to tell his wife hello. He said that he’s a cookie eating machine - so score one for picking the right dessert to take over. And chocolate chip are his favorite. Thanks, God.

I just wanted to share that I have an amazing husband. I don’t often just speak about what a wonderful person he is and express my gratitude for his support, generosity, friendship and love. We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on Sunday and it was good to have a reminder of all we’ve been through together and how far we’ve come. We met at 19 and 20 and to be together at 29 and 30 and happier and more blessed than we’ve ever been is such a big accomplishment. I wanted everyone to know that I love you, Ryan, and that I’m so proud to be called your wife. Oh, and the Wii was just icing on the cake.

June 15th looked much like June 11th except for two differences - instead of anticipation I was filled with contemplation, and we were riding a bus for 14 hours in the opposite direction. All that had occurred in the last 4 days was packed in my head. I was thinking about all the people I’d met - the 40 or so new ones on the team and all the countless individuals we’d met in New Orleans. Thinking about their stories, their experiences and circumstances. It was definitely a lot to consider. Ultimately, I was able to reflect on all that God had done not just in me in three days time, but what He’d done in so many other lives. If we are open to the opportunity to grow, to change, and to connect with Him, there is no limit to what He can do. It’s humbling to know that His influence in our lives is so powerful. We have to be open to allowing Him to do His work. If we’re not, then what, really, is the purpose of our lives?

The trip concluded where it began, in the Edmond campus parking lot. We circled up in front of the bus and prayed. I stood there holding the hand of Willie, and my husband, and reached out with my heart and my prayers to every individual in the group. I reflected on all the change God has worked in me and prayed that the same had happened for each person there. I will continue to pray for them all and hope that we are all linked by a common bond that will keep us in touch and continue to impact us for a long time to come.

By Sanctus Real
“Whatever You’re Doing (Something Heavenly)”

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there’s peace
It’s hard to surrender to what I can’t see
but I’m giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender…
To…

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You’re up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly