change my mind

It’s all in how you look at things.
Friday night I drove to Sifanzani School to pick up Danielle. The Rehmeyer family was in Mozambique and I spent the weekend with 2 of their teenagers. So as Nathaniel and I waited for Danielle to come out from her play, we decided to listen to a CD.
It was just a few minutes before the lights inside the cab of the car started to flicker and the song warbled.
Oh-oh.
My worst fear was confirmed with a turn of the key. Silence. Dead battery.
Trying not to panic I turned to Nathan for guidance. “What do we do?!!!!!!”
“Call the Rogers.”
“They’re in South Africa this weekend.”
“Then call Roger.”
Oh I felt bad. Poor Roger. He was house sitting for Kristen, who was also out of town, and I could just picture him kicked back, enjoying some American TV and the last thing he would want to do on a Friday night would be to drive into town and rescue us stranded on the side of the road.
But he came without a second thought. And when I profusely apologize he shrugged it off. “I am serving the Lord! It’s okay.” He seemed sincere, not like he was just saying it to be nice.
The next day was moving day for me. I was schedule to move a lot of things bought from Nathan and Crystal to furnish my little cottage. And Roger had been semi-assigned to help me move. He drove this giant flat bed truck and helped load up furniture and such.
“Hey Roger, do you own a TV?” Nathan asked. “Here, we just paid for 3 months on our satellite card. There are 2 ½ months left. You can have it.”
Roger stood there, not saying a word, smiling and giggling like a child on Christmas morning. He explained later that a 3-month satellite card would cost about a month salary for him. “Now I can watch the God channel …and soccer!”
Once back in the truck he said to me, “Thank you for asking me to help you move today.”
Whoa!
I’ve asked a lot of people to help me move thru the years. Not one has ever thanked me for asking them. Most of them agree begrudgingly, or at best agree because they expect I will have to return the favor in the near future.
“Do you see what I mean?” he said. “When you serve the Lord willingly, you are blessed in return. Am I am so blessed today!”
What a great attitude. Do your best with whatever situation comes your way, and trust that God sees. Roger’s attitude reminded me of this scripture: “Don’t grow weary in doing good.”