At Your Service, Lord!

"We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results." (Herman Merville)

During Alison's preschool graduation in August, I couldn't help but feel like it was my graduation, too. I had served as a parent officer at the preschool's parent council for three years. I enjoyed presiding our meetings with everyone's great ideas bouncing around, raising funds for activities, planning trips to the snow or to the beach. Such a thrill! Frankly, I couldn't imagine not being involved in my children's school activities. But I felt like I was ready to take a break. A year or so maybe.

So when Edward and Alison's school principal called me right before the beginning of the school year, and invited Edison and me to serve as Kindergarten Representatives to the Holy Angels School Parent Advisory Council (HAPAC), I was really torn.

I prayed to God for enlightenment.

Edison and I discussed the commitment and dedication needed for this new role. Praise God for the loving and understanding husband that Edison is! He basically said that he will support whatever decision I make.

More prayers...

A few days after, I got another call from the principal. I was literally praying as she was asking me if I had already made my decision: "Lead me, Lord. I'll go wherever You ask me to." I paused... took a deep breath... and in my heart I've always known: "Yes, Sister, we'll do it."

I could hear the delight in Sister Leonarda's voice, as she invited us to attend the HAPAC Retreat that very weekend. And so it began...

Edison and I went to the retreat in Los Gatos without any expectations. I was still in a daze, wondering if the Lord was truly pleased with me jumping in a heartbeat like I did: I didn't have a table of pros and cons; I didn't have a graph of time commitment; I didn't have anything to back my decision, except for my husband's support and my trust in the Lord.

And as if the Lord knew (of course He did!) what I would be thinking at that very moment... it was as if the curtains on the stage had parted... there it was - a big banner with bold, capital letters saying:

HOLY ANGELS SCHOOL CELEBRATES SERVICE

Service - our volunteer work - is celebrated! What a marvelous welcome to the ministry of servant leadership!

As I embraced our new calling, I thanked the Lord for making it very clear to me. For the past year, I have been working on my spiritual growth: how spirituality and my relationship with God should be the unshakable core that every other aspect of my life revolves around (January 2008 blog). And what better way to kick off my 30s than to put my spiritual growth into practice: Citizenship & Community Service (see October 2007 blog).

"My Boss is a Jewish Carpenter!"

I love that bumper sticker. I pray that I don't ever let my Boss down with the newest assignment He has given me.

I pray that whatever His next projects are for me, I may leap with as much faith as I always had for Him.

I pray that my blog, with the primary purpose of serving the Lord by proclaiming His Good News in my life, will continue to bless my family and friends.

I pray for the coming Presidential Election this November - that the citizens of the United States may realize how truly important it is to be of service to our country, by voting for leaders who will bring about healing to our great nation.

Most of all, I pray that our children will be blessed by our servant leadership... that they may grow up with a passion for serving God and others.

Dear Lord, May we realize that we are all indeed connected by a thousand invisible threads... that our actions - good or bad - have an impact on the world around us. Guide us and help us choose to do good - all for the love and glory of our Almighty Father!