Patience and Serving...

Lord, give me patience.

That was my prayer this morning. As I raced out the door, I grabbed a bottle of prescription pills off of the counter, assuming they were mine. I was already late to where I needed to be. The dog wouldn't potty outside because the grass was too wet(yes, he is a sissy) from the storm last night that woke us all up about 4AM; the storm that made my 100 lb "puppy" decide he was too afraid to sleep in his own bed and now he needed to be in our bed. Yup, that storm. I got about halfway across town, looked down at the pill bottle that rolled out of my purse as I stopped at a stoplight, catapulting my purse and all its contents all over the floorboard. Great! The pill bottle said Joe's name on it. I turned the car around and headed back home, later than ever now!

LORD GIVE ME PATIENCE! Allow me to fill you in... we got back from the beach Saturday, totally relaxed and ready to face the real world again, but both ended up spending the entire weekend in bed with high fevers. Joe's diagnosis: Tonsillitis. Mine: Urinary Tract Infection. Oh how fun!


Lord give me patience. That's all I could pray. I was on my way to help out with a new sweet friend's wedding, even though I did not FEEL like it today. I had gotten maybe a good two hours of sleep. But I knew she needed me. She doesn't have any family that lives within six hours, and the wedding is two days away with MUCH left to be done. I am a firm believer in helping take as much off of the bride's hands for the "day-of" as possible. So I am her girl this week. When she, on the verge of the "ugly cry," as we call it, said " I just want my rugs cleaned," I took them home and used my carpet cleaner to get them looking good as new. I understand being the bride. I understand all the emotions and how just one more thing on your plate can be the last straw between you and your sanity.

I want to be better at seeing past my immediate needs to those of others. Today was easy when my sweet friend S said "Can you please just do my dishes, clean my rugs and change the bedsheets." I knew exactly how to serve her and what would mean the most to her. But many times people are too prideful to ask for things straight out, and we, as women, want everyone to think we can keep all of our plates spinning all on our own- no sweat! I prayed that God would give me eyes to see the things I can do for others that they might not otherwise ask for help with. I prayed for patience to get through what is going on at the "Stein house" and see the needs around me.

Philippians 2:1-5a
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...

Christ came to seek and to save the lost, but He also made a constant point of meeting people right in the middle of their time of need and loving on them, whatever it took. I want to be better at being "Jesus in skin" to those around me. I want to be a servant, whether that means buying my neighbor groceries, giving someone a ride, cleaning rugs...whatever it is, I am going to try to have eyes that are open to see those opportunities. I hope you strive to serve today too.

"HELP ME TO LOVE LIKE YOU LOVED
SERVE LIKE YOU SERVED
TO SPEAK ONLY WORDS OF TRUTH
HELP ME TO CARE LIKE YOU CARED
FOR A WORLD IN DESPAIR
HELP ME TO LOVE LIKE YOU."
-Johnny Diaz, from his new CD "More Beautiful You"