When I was a member of the Singles ministry at Madison church of Christ, we had a monthly newsletter that we published. From time to time, I contributed articles to the newsletter. This post, and the next several, are my archive files. May you enjoy the trip down memory lane.
October 1997
Driving south on I-65 as I do every Monday through Friday, my mind was in 40 different directions at once:
Did I feed the cat?
I need to send an email to Coop.
I need to make copies of those electrical schematics for the Boiler house job.
Which did come first, Raiford or the egg?
As I began calculating how many miles I had left on the fumes in my tank, a car passed me. I glanced over and noticed the tag: HE KNOWS. I thought, “ Yeah, He does.”
He knows everything. He knows what pain we go through. He knows what good times we have. He even knows things about us that we don’t realize about ourselves. He even knows what is best for us, even though we can’t see it for ourselves. We don’t have to explain details to Him in prayer, He knows how we really feel in our hearts. Of course, He also knows us for who we really are. Whether we are secret do-gooders or hypocrites, He knows, even if the world doesn’t.
If we’re having a bad day, He knows. If we’re having a great day, He knows. If we’re feeling very alone in this big ol’ bad world, He knows. And He cares.
July 1998
Up by 6 am.
In bed by 1 am.
Prevent homesickness of 24 nine and ten-year-old girls.
Confirm they make it to their Bible classes, their meals, and their color team activities.
Ensure they shower and brush their teeth every day.
Sound like fun to you?
For an entire week, Kristi, Laura, and I were “parents” for these girls. Checking the beds for bugs each night, putting Band-Aids on boo-boos, assuring them that they were safe from the Goatman, and even informing the Tooth Fairy that she had a couple of customers was all on our list of duties that week. It may sound like a lot of work, but it was the same kind of enjoyable work that I hear Rhonda and Sandy report when they return from a mission trip. Are there rewards? Definitely yes!
The main purpose for camp was to study the Bible. We have some very knowledgeable Bible students at Madison, even at the age of 9 and 10. In Bible class, I worked with the young men as well as the young ladies in the break out sessions, and I was very impressed with their knowledge of the Word. We discovered that the girls in Cabin 3 love to sing. When they were making crafts in the cabin, we could hear them humming or singing to themselves. However, the most rewarding experience of the week had to be when two girls came to talk to Kristi and me about becoming a Christian. We were both so touched that these girls trusted us enough to talk to us about such an important matter.
So why am I telling you all of this? I don’t want anyone in the Singles to think they can’t work with the youth just because he/she is not a parent. Age is not a factor either. I am old enough to be a parent to some of them, but I’m more of a “friend who can drive”. I have had the privilege to work with all ages from third graders to seniors, and they are all special to me. I’d like for everyone to know the feeling of children tell you they love you with tears in their eyes as they leave after a week of you yelling at them 100 times to be quiet and go to sleep. And when they ask to sit with you at church, you know you made some kind of impression on them.
Ain’t nothing like it.
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