Thankfulness/Service/Just a Doing..

  Good Morning dear Blog... Been doing the usual *Thankful* post on Facebook and yes, the mind is beginning to meander! lol
  Today I posted about being in service at my church. And I was taken back to the timid, backward person I was years ago. So young and so sure I was not good at anything. And I probably wasn't good at much.
  But... my first pastor Thurmon Harris, challenged me to *write for our little church newspaper* and from there it is history. I just did a teeny tiny report on some function. I can't even remember what now. He even got a computer and challenged me... "If I can do e-mail.. anybody can."  haha.. I've used that sentence challenge with a lot of people, on a lot of things myself now. haha
Well I finally got there, and again.. the rest is  history, with my continued writing on my Blogs, and doing the e-mail Prayer ministry & bits of encouragement...
   God gives each of us gifts to use and they can be used in sooo many creative & different ways...
   I've had several positions at the church thru these years. Some I still have, others went by the wayside for someone else to get their feet wet, and even do better than me. :-)
Some I did to be *helpful*... Others are sort of in my gift range, and others, Yup! that's for me.
   I remember when I was leader of my first Sunday school class... *Who* are they kidding? But that one I'm still at and enjoy greatly!
   I remember being church clerk and taking notes in long hand.. and pastors worked with me... had that a good while, then decided it was time for someone else to get their feet wet. So I resigned, praying God would call someone out, and if not.. ok I'm still willing. But he has moved me out of there. :-)
  I remember starting on the counting committe. You must be joking! I don't do numbers well. But you are partnered and there are calculator's and now computers. I love my partner Janis, and am still at that one. It is something I can do, and I don't have to rush around with small kids and etc.. so I'm free for that. Also it required an attitude of *what's seen* stays in that counting room. I can do that too...That is also required in my Sunday school class. :-) 
    I remember at one time leading the assembly we had of people before Sunday school.. talk about fear!!! But God saw me thru, gave me ideas, and courage, and I began to love it!! Then things changed and we didn't do that anymore. But it sure helped me to get up in front of people and speak! Speak... Slower, a bit louder, and distinctly so people can understand you out in the audience... which I learned before that, taking care of my in-laws and Mom was getting more & more deaf.  God is Good, is he not?
  I've led many a discipleship training class.
Very interesting and helpful to those of us on both sides of the desk. I think the one I liked the most was for New Members... be they just new to OUR church or New Christians.
  Now I also take my turn at the Welcome Center Desk... love that too. But I do welcoming in and etc.. every Sunday morning just naturally in the Sanctuary. It's just a natural thing for me anymore when someone comes to our home at FBC Griffith.. It's fun! and challenging to try and think of what to say, when you are not sure if someone is *really* new to our church OR just someone I hadn't met yet OR someone I may have not 'remembered' meeting already.. hahaha
  AND at this moment I can't think of anything else *official* that I have been involved in.. but if you just look around there is lots to be done. And you can be involved here at FBC... that's a good thing!! Then there is the *Going* part of serving also...
Going to your families, by loving, giving, teaching, training, helping, or helping to reconcile if need be.. and doing likewise by....
Going to your neighborhood,
Going to those in hospitals, those that are shut in, or to those that have lost someone in death.
Going in person is the best thing, but we can make a phone call, or send a card too.
   At one time I had the ministry of the Cherry Pie, and took along a jambox & tape to play on my visit to those that were shut-ins. Touching people in anyway possible. Some knew Jesus, Some did not... but I think some came to know Him, and I had a wee part.
   Yes! We were created in His image and created for good works, by our Creative Creator...
    Let's let Him be Creative, thru us, think out of the box of the ordinary... and see what God will do.
    Either IN Church or OUT of Church...

           ENTER  TO  WORSHIP
                         and
           DEPART  TO  SERVE.