Wednesday, March 21, 2012

I'm a Little Smaller Today

Today I sat in a spot I have been many times before. Fourth pew back, large sanctuary, a thousand others filling the rows. We are away from home, attending a couple of conferences, then Georgia for a week, then a family cruise. I haven't had time for expectations on this trip. Just planning, packing and being nap-food nazi for my kids has kept me too busy to adequately prepare myself for these events. I'll even go honest here, after dropping the kids off in childcare I was just looking forward sitting empty handed for a while.

Here is where I'm not going to say anything stereotypical about southern baptist mega churches. I'm not going to mention that a person might expect them to be impersonal and sterile, or that the pastor could be expected to be flashy and insincere. I'm also not going to describe how some believe that they are lovers of money and do little for their community or the world unless it benefits their own interests or name.

All that not being said, a spirit of humility and encouragement came to me as I sat in that sanctuary. I felt that the Father gave me a brief glimpse of the bigger picture. This was the church, my church and the world church. I saw myself as a little notch on this great timeline of eternity, with past quickly retreating and future speeding my way. I sat there believing what I tell others and what the bible tells me, that I am an eye and the missionary two pews back from Iran is a foot. The sweet elderly ladies with the covered dishes are hands, and the non-flashy pastor is perhaps a tongue. One day my way will be obsolete, but my life won't, my work will remain. Others will flash to the forefront for their brief blip on the eternal timeline, and then fade with the Spring.

I love this, I love the way I'm sometimes cosmically put in my place. It makes sense when the God who tinkered the gears of the world into motion opens the hatch and gives us a peek. I'm so thankful to those who have supported us in all kinds of ways over the nearly eight years we have been at it. Its the way of the Christian I think, to come under someone when they are new and wobbly. Then to hold their hand when they are more steady but ready to walk. Then maybe they still need someone to watch them from a distance just to make sure they make it home alright. I'm sufficiently chastised by this experience, I hope I can be this sort of Christian to others.

I wish I had more pictures of our trip, but her are a few. One of the highlights was when my dear friend, Courtney drove down from Nashville to hang out with us for a day. It was WAY too short and I'm already scheming about a weekend away with her sometime. Finn and Carolina came too, Maggie was in school, we missed her.

I'll post some pictures of the fun cruise soon.