Failure or Fruitful?

I was feeling dragged out and unmotivated. This week Andrew and Philip acted in Prairie Fire Children's Theater, Sarah practiced with the softball team, and we cared for the neighbor's puppy, so I kept moving, but I didn't want to - for sure! The pictures of our friends the missionaries, our friends the doctors, our friends the camp directors, our friends the world-changers, our friends whose children desire nothing more than to please them rose up to haunt my nights - okay, maybe that's a little over-dramatized, but not much. I felt like a failure.

Wednesday night's Lenten service started with the Holden Evening Prayer liturgy - beautiful, but I felt that I hadn't prepared the leaders well. It improved as we went along, and then Pastor Mary gave her sermon on Martin Luther's view of vocation. I needed that. She quoted his thoughts on God's approval of changing diapers and sweeping streets as much as preaching sermons or governing the country. Tears came to my eyes as I realized the same is true of making menus and meals, paying bills and chauffeuring children.

Lord, thanks for speaking to me through Your servants at just the right time - may I hear Your voice always!

A Prayer for Unity

Our daughter, Michelle, and her friend, Saúl, think that God might be calling them to marriage, even though he is from Puebla, near Mexico City - an $800, 7-8-hour flight, a different culture, a different country requiring passports and visas to visit, a different primary language. There are many circumstances - both have studied and spoken the other's language extensively, both love Jesus and want others to know Him, both feel the other's strengths complement theirs - that make them believe this way. Pete, on the other hand, believes that it is unwise to minimize the support of a big, strong, Christian, loving family - which each of them has - unless there is a clear sign from God showing that He wants this - a sign we haven't received, or at least haven't recognized.

I'm ambivalent and can see each point of view, but am sure that to marry without your believing father's wholehearted blessing is a dangerous move. Saúl's parents are sad to think of him possibly leaving the country, but believe that as he is in prayer, the Lord will direct him and they will support whatever decision he makes.

Last weekend the four of us - Pete & I, Michelle & Saúl - had a two-hour meeting and concluded with a commitment to pray daily for unity, and not to make a Plan B. We are stepping out in faith, believing that the God who parted the Red Sea and "holds the heart of the king in His hand" will not find it too difficult to change the minds of one or more of His children who are sincerely seeking His will, and bring us all to complete agreement as to the best course of action. We also brainstormed a number of "next action" options, and will pray about them, remaining open to an opportunity the Lord brings that we haven't thought of.

So far, so good. What is surprising me is the almost-universal reaction - deep skepticism - from strong believers in (presumably) a faithful God active in this world through His Holy Spirit. Until today, when my good friend Maggie affirmed that "this is a bold, risky step of faith - but that's what steps of faith ARE," the most common question was, "What if it takes a long time?" Others told Michelle, "Unity doesn't mean uniformity with your parents," and still others told Pete, "You've got to put your foot down."

I'm convinced that when Paul pleaded with "Euodia and Syntyche to agree in the Lord" (Phil. 4:2), he wasn't hoping they would agree to disagree. And I'm quite sure that when our Lord Jesus prayed "that they may be one" in John 15, he didn't have in mind the kind of "nonconformity" we have in the Church today. I'm thanking God for giving us the faith to proceed thus far, trusting that He will bring us to real unity, planning to testify to His faithfulness after that, and hoping to find more folks who will come alongside us, believe and pray with us to that end.

P.S. Tonight at prayer meeting our pastor was very encouraging, and another pray-er was awed by the commitment to unity of the young adults in this situation.

More on the Musical

Well, here we are on vacation, resting, relaxing and rejuvenating after a crazy January. Because the dates of the musical were changed, we will arrive home 3 days before Opening Night; therefore, all the music had to be ready - well, ready enough - before we left. I had a rehearsal with the whole group each week, and got together, on average, with 4 people or small groups for individual rehearsals each week in January. Plus figuring out all the choreography and writing one new song.

I thought everything went amazingly well, and I especially saw God's hand at work in the last week, when I was also trying to plan our school schedule, transportation schedule, meal schedule, etc., etc. for the kids when we were gone. There was still quite a bit to do with the music, and I hate to make phone calls to line up extra practices - you never know if you're calling at a bad time, and often I had to coordinate with 3 or 4 people whose schedules were crazy and never fit together - so I was almost ready to just drop some practices that I felt were needed. But....

1. Mike & Kathy L., who are teaching how to swing dance for the last big production number, showed up on Wed. night to help anyone who still needed it. And all four couples who I felt still needed help were also there. I don't think those eight people had all been there at the same time the whole of January!

2. I hadn't had a chance to work with the drummer, Ryan, because of illness and other unexpected circumstances. On Thurs. he came for the whole rehearsal and was able to play along with every song.

3. Russ, who has 2 parts to play and a solo line in a couple of songs, had to work during almost every rehearsal and we had only skimmed one of his solo lines in mid-January. Thursday's rehearsal went so long that he came out after work, and then was willing to stay afterwards and go through the solos until I felt good about it.

I know there were other little blessings from the Lord that I didn't write down and don't remember, but I thank You, God, for caring for us and working in and through us.