March 24, 2008

Some Good News and Some Bad...

Dani’s testing was complete and I sat with the director of the workshop to see if she had gotten the job. “Well, I have some good news and I have some bad. The good news is we want to hire Dani. We feel she is very smart and can do a good job. The bad news is she’ll need a lot of one-on-one assistance and since we are hiring a total of ten individuals, she will need to be hired last. We’ll hire Dani, but she won’t start work until the end of summer.”

With her words still ringing in my ear, my mind reflected on the events of the last two weeks. Hives from head to toe, anorexia, weight loss, and utter hopelessness over a mere five week wait for this evaluation; surely an additional five-month delay would prove to be detrimental for Dani, not to mention me.

As panic began to saturate every fiber of my being, I heard myself desperately suggest, “Is there anyway I can bring her here to work a couple of days a week and be her one-on-one until she adapts to the routine?” My question surprised even me, but the director’s response proved to be equally astonishing, “Sure. I don’t see why not.”

In an instant my world took a breakneck turn. After weeks of allowing myself to entertain the idea of being foot loose and fancy-free once Dani went off to work, I was instead reeling from the notion I would be joining the workforce with her. How long would this last? When will I find time to write and work for my ministry? Why Lord? Why must I give even more? I had a litany of questions for God and by sunset I was struggling with second, third, and fourth thoughts as I questioned what I had gotten myself into.

Then Easter came. The Holiest of holidays marked by Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and I found myself humbled by the reality of how little was actually being required of me. After all, it was His sacrifice that has set me free. Free to live full and complete in Him; none of which involves suffering or death. A simply short-term inconvenience, that’s all this is. Couldn’t I do this small thing for my child after all Jesus has done for me?

Yes, Lord. I can do this for her and I commit to do it with peace, joy, and gladness, for I know this is how You would respond. Help me to share Your goodness in all I do so I may be a blessing to those I meet and work with at her workshop. Thank you for Your sacrifice that was perfect and complete. You have risen! You have risen indeed! I choose to rise to the occasion as well.

Visit Nancy's Website: Olive Leaf Ministries

1 comment:

Jimmy said...

I love your honesty and frankness. And you do in such a way that doesn't sound like your whining. Always ends on a upbeat message and turns the focus from us back to God.
Way to go!!!