By
Loralee Ford
I
love lectureship week!! I love hearing great, thought-provoking,
intelligent sermons. I love the wonderful, yet rare opportunities to
sit up until midnight
at Austin Java Company talking about spiritual matters with like-minded
people. I love seeing so many people who I love and miss.
Lectureship week is just fabulous. However, the week is
bittersweet to me.
Why..you
may ask? I'll explain. Those people I mentioned that I
love? Many of them are married couples with whom I was friends in
college.
We were all single together. We all spent our time between classes
together at the Bible Chair just off campus. I knew most of them
before they even knew that they loved each other. Now they are
married to each other and have one, two, even three children.
It is a good week because I get to catch up on their lives, hold their
babies, and laugh as we remember old times. I LOVE seeing my
friends. But, sometimes, I really don't like seeing my friends.
When I see them as husbands, wives, and parents living their busy lives,
I, sometimes, feel so alone. I, sometimes, truly wonder if I'll ever
be able to live the lives they are living. I, sometimes, at 36½ years
old, have feelings of doubt that I ever will. These are hard moments
for me.
Today,
I was grocery shopping, and thinking. “Loralee, if you would quit
worrying and caring about being alone, and get busy caring about other
people, you wouldn't have time to feel alone. Get busy caring,
Loralee. GET BUSY!!” Instantly, I thought of things I
could do. I could make homemade birthday or encouragement cards
for members of the congregation.
I
can write all these articles that are swimming around in my noggin.
I could call or visit and encourage the sick and shut-ins. I could
volunteer to teach a bible class and work on my lesson plans.
I could prepare communion. There are so many things to do!!!
I guess it's time to get busy!!!
But
seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things
shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
Not
that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am,
to be content:... (Philippians 4:11)
