Hidden Grace

This morning I read a poem by Susan Gregg-Schroeder, "Hidden Grace" in this month's Alive Now issue, "Treasure".  The first two lines caught my attention: "So often, Divine One, the tasks before me feel overwhelming and impossible."

As I go through a mental to-do list today, I can relate.  Church charge conference time is upon us and moving into high gear.  That means meetings, Nominations, lots of paperwork, etc. I'm beginning an 8 week study next month to use as part of my Provisional Elder requirement.  My co-pastor and I are doing a stewardship series next month.  Advent is coming. There are weekly sermons still too and regularly scheduled meetings, community things, etc.

Then, there are the things that come up.  Yesterday I wrote about not knowing the things that are going to happen and how God works in things.  I wrote about being excited to learn about the things that were happening in the Rossville faith community.

My day changed.  One never knows.  In that change, I found hidden grace.

I didn't make the lunch meeting.

I got a call from a guy who has been coming to our church for about a month now. He's new in the area and has been helping a veteran out, staying in a spare room in the house. Yesterday, he got kicked out of the house.

When he first called, I couldn't place him. The name on the caller ID was different than the name he goes by.  Then I place him.  I've met him.  I sent him a card after the second week he visited.  (Because he didn't put his address the first week.)  Now he has a need.

The grace in the situation is that God pushed me to reach out to my neighbor, to extend help in this situation.

I made it to a meeting after the meeting at La Familia restaurant in Rossville, where I got to hear some of Paulina's vision of a safe place for people to come and worship.  We talked about Discovery Bible Studies, and other things before I needed to head home to the bus stop due to inclement weather yesterday.

I still need to learn about the other great things that are starting to happen in Rossville, but that will come.  I saw a glimpse of things yesterday.  I was a part of them too.

God reminded me that if I am going to preach "Who Is My Neighbor?", then I had better live it out.  I can only lead where I have been and where I am living it out.

Susan Gregg-Schroeder ends her poem with these words: "When I lift the treasure from its hiding place, I find that you have graced me with adequacy for all that lies ahead."

Yes, God tends to do that.  God graces us for all that lies ahead.  I had NO IDEA that in my "being still" time yesterday and my reflection time of "one never knows" that I would live into "one never knows" so immediately.  But I did.  It was an adventure.

Each day can be an adventure.  If I am willing to keep my eyes open, to allow God to lead my path, to allow grace to fill me and flow through me, then the tasks that are before me aren't so overwhelming and impossible.  I will remember to make time to "be" before I "do" so that the grace can have its space.

May there be hidden grace in your day.  May you become of aware of it.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

Who Is My Neighbor?

With last Sunday's sermon and Scripture still in my mind, I drove around Rossville, GA today looking for folks who might be out in the parks and need some cold water on this hot day.  Even though I have been in this appointment one year now, I still have lots of places to get to know in the three towns.

That became very obvious just now.

But, before I share that story, I will share that I was able to hand out one bottle of water to a woman at the park who was waiting to go to go her cleaning job. We spoke only briefly.

As I headed back to the office for a meeting, I noticed an "open" neon sign in English on the window in a building next to the church.  In Spanish were the letters "Salon de belleza". I had never noticed that before.
I parked the car and walked over. The front door was locked, but they motioned me around back.

When I went in, there was a guy signing in and another in one of the chairs. I started speaking Spanish with them immediately and explained I had just noticed the sign. I told the I was still getting to know the area after being here a year. I asked how long they had been in business here, right next to the church.  12 years was her reply. 12 years?!? Wow. I guess others in the community who learned I spoke Spanish hadn't noticed it either because nobody has told me about the Spanish shop next door. Now I know.  We spoke briefly.  I left a card and told her I would be back to talk more later.

What a pleasant surprise for me to find out today that a literal neighbor to Simpson UMC is a Spanish beauty shop.

I look forward to getting to know these neighbors.

Have you been surprised by anything in your journey recently?

Blessings on your journey,

Debra

P.S. Here is an article I read about 25 Ways to be missional in your neighborhood. It can be applied to churches too, many of the ideas can be. Get creative and see what you can do in your unique situation.