Getting Myself Out of the Way

Last week I decided to make a conscious effort to start doing things outside of myself. This has potential to create huge challenges for me...but I think I'm off to a good start.

Or at least just a start.

Over the past few weeks I've slowly been seeing how self-centered my life tends to be. (By the way, working in a job that revolves around other people does not necessarily qualify one as selfless and giving.) I live for my evenings and weekends, and the things I do with them totally focus on me. God has been revealing to me what the important things in life are that carry true eternal value. I asked myself what I was doing each day to bring people closer to the eternal Kingdom...and I didn't really have an answer.

That led to searching for ways I can serve in my community. I like serving. You probably wouldn't know that from watching my life. But I do enjoy it. I like doing all the behind the scenes stuff that keeps everything working together. I like encouraging and blessing people. But I've been so caught up in my own woes that I've done pretty much nothing in the past ten months that benefits anyone else.

So...a new leaf has turned over. I may have to keep turning it over, but you have to start somewhere, right?

I found a co-ed softball team to play on this summer. Or rather, it found me. That's not really serving and giving as much as personal recreational activity. But I'm still counting it because it's going to be the first thing I've done that involves meeting and interacting with people outside of church or work. It's a chance for me to get involved in my community and build relationships. Relationships are of eternal importance. They're one of the few things that matter in this life.

I'm also keeping my ears open for opportunities to serve. Today I stayed after church and helped set up for VBS. I don't feel like I did much at all, but at least it's a couple of hours' worth of odd jobs that someone else doesn't have to do.

Let me know if you have any ideas for other things I can do. I don't have a huge time capacity, and a regular and frequent commitment probably isn't the best thing for me right now. Little things that require me to give of myself and allow me to love someone through Christ is what I'm after. I have a few ideas that I'm ruminating on right now, but please share any others you might have!