Wisdom from Albania

I always get an itch to write whenever I've set my mind and opened my schedule to knock out a couple hours of freelance work. Tonight, I took a brief click break to read a dear friend's blog entry about her toddler overcoming a fear of play-place heights which really touched my heart and inspired a little writing. A little writing about some wisdom I recently received indirectly from Albania.

Tripp and I have the privilege of knowing a family of brothers and sisters in Christ at RPCC who lived and served for many years in Albania. The parents are near the ages of our own parents, and their four children are grown and in their 20s. If we had life go our way this past Summer, we'd be living one floor beneath them and thanking the Lord for such near mentors and friends. However, the Lord's ordered our steps differently, yet we're still so grateful for their friendship and example.

These past few weeks, Tripp has stepped in to help with leadership responsibilities at RPCC while our Senior Pastor spends precious moments with his very ill father. It's been a more realistic glimpse into leadership and pastoring than Tripp had anticipated. Tripp would love for God to lead us into planting a church in a high-need area, and the last few weeks only confirmed his deep desire. For me, it confirmed that I needed to reach out and ask a sister with more experience than myself how this road is walked with grace and children.

I was so generously met with kind and rejuvenating words from the mother of the family of which we adore. She reminded me that children are a KEY part of our ministry, that they are important and including them in as much as we can only helps them see christian life better. She shared wisdom from another saying, 'Always talk to your children in the attitude you'd like them to have about their parents serving. On an occasion where they miss one parent, say, "Isn't it wonderful that Daddy can serve 'John' tonight?" She admitted that this attitude was hard to maintain at times where her patience was tried, especially special events for the children. I was reminded that children are flexible and if they must have an activity they've dreamed of another day, they may not actually mind. Or better, they may learn flexibility. Their daughter said that she wasn't sure how her parents kept up all the ministry they did, but always felt they did so much as a family. She didn't feel slighted, but she also didn't feel like she was the center of their universe. They talked about everything.

The reminder that David and Judah are a KEY part to our ministry, an important tool in serving Jesus,  blessed my heart unspeakably. I wanted to release my response in tears, but instead I kept it together so that our meeting could be brief. As David's become entirely mobile and now conversational, I've not been sure what to do with his wiggles and my desire to meet with women, design for church or host small group. Looking reflectively on my week, I am noting that I do have quite a few women that will not only come visit, but do my dishes or plop a child on their lap. It's already happening... Tonight I just told Tripp too, that he should be ready to say to David, "Isn't it wonderful that Mommy can serve the women of RPCC on a retreat this weekend?"

Glory to God, thank you for Jesus.