It took me about 20 years before I finally learned that I might as well take Monday off after Carols. About the only good that came out of not was that I saved a day of personal leave! This year was certainly no different and except for a doctor’s appointment (must have had a senior moment when I scheduled that and a short dash to Kroger), I parked at home all day. About 5 o’clock I started to maybe half human again. I did do laundry and did take a LONG nap and I finished up some statistical work I do every year on Carols participation (something Larry wanted and have habitually continued for LLG). I even cooked supper (What? Steve probably thought I had forgotten how!)
And I relived the week. Looked at the great pictures, the unedited time lapse video of Carols prep, watched most of the Saturday afternoon concert that is in the web archive at http://www.fbcj.org and wondered – now what…..
Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not limited to one week a year. Most of what we did was plant seeds. Now those seeds have to be nurtured and tended. If we do that right, then our telling The Story results in another sharing The Story and then another – you see what I mean.
In the days ahead, Choir members and EE folks will be making follow up visits and calls. We will need to write notes and invite folks to come back on Sundays or help them get connected in other ways. Our job is not done. It has just begun.
Two verses come to mind as I write this.
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In other words – it is easy to tell The Story through Carols – we are doing that at “arms length”. The hard part comes now – that one on one stuff that make some of (most of us) uncomfortable. But if we are indeed not ashamed of the Gospel, then we know we will be empowered and our work is not done.
In Galations 6:9 (KJV) – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
This applies to now and later. You know that change thing (I have written about it before) – just because things change around us does not mean God has adjusted His plan for each of us yet. It is not time to say: ” Just let someone else do it.” God certainly did not say that when He watched His Son become a man so He could die for us ensuring our future with Him.
Tomorrow it is back to the State of Mississippi part of my life. Based on the volume of email that I have not addressed yet, it is going to be a l-o-n-g day (week) but I go with a sense of having done something well for Him. And I go knowing I will encounter folks in the days ahead (starting tomorrow) who came to Carols whose relationship is marginal or less so there is still something else I have to do.
Merry Christmas.
Emmanuel. God with us. I Believe.
Cille Litchfield 