Another Weekend Over

Well, another weekend has just ended and a new week lies before me...I know when I go to work the topic of the day will be, "What did you do over the weekend?" It really is quite sad to sit back and listen to what my coworkers think of as a fun, fulfilling weekend...To see their faces the first time I told them how I spent my Saturdays and Sundays, was quite comical.


"You did what on Saturday morning?"


"And then you did that on Sunday?"


"When do you get to sleep in?"


"When do you get to party?"


Questions poured from a couple of the girls' mouths too quickly for me to even answer, and it really set me to thinking about how different I define a "good" and "fun" weekend then most people.



Ever since I can remember my family has always been part of a nursing home ministry. Each Saturday morning we, along with some college students, hold a service at a local nursing home. I have currently been attending The Waters of Duneland for the past five years. We go there trying to be an encouragement from them, but more often than not, they end up being a blessing to us. For instance...during prayer time when my dad asked for prayer requests one of the residence raised his hand and said, "How about we pray for you, Joe? How is your work situation, shouldn't we pray for you?" Here we are wanting to pray for them and their needs and the main thing they can think of to pray for is my dad. Nothing too exciting in the world's eyes may encompass my Saturdays, but I can't imagine not visiting the elderly folks for they truly end up being such a blessing to me...



Sundays are always very busy for me as well. I have the opportunity to ride a bus to Portage and pick up children for Sunday School. I have been on bus route since the 9th grade. Last October, I figured that I would give up the bus ministry since I had done it for so long, that way I could put more into other ministries. I went a grand total of one whole week and realized that I could not go any more Sundays not being on a bus route. Sure I got to sleep in an extra hour and my afternoon was completely freed up, but something definately was missing. By the next Sunday I had gotten myself onto a bus route. I love my bus route, each kid is so unique and special!



On Sundays I also get to help in a four year old junior church, which never lacks excitement. Several times I've had to chase four year old boys down the church hallway as they run out of class laughing. There is this one child who we always have a problem with and it was really coming to the point where I dreaded coming to class and wished and hoped he would not be there. The Lord smote my heart one day and I realized that I had the completely wrong attitude-I should be praying for this kid; sure I may not know how to deal with him, but I was sure the Lord could help me...Gradually I have seen with my attitude adjusted, that this little boy is suddenly not so very annoying to me, nor so very bad. In fact, to my amazement he was so well behaved today that he won the quiet seat!



As I look back over my weekend, I think how different it is from most of the worlds'. No heavy partying, no hangovers, or whatever else may be considered "fun." In fact, to most, my weekend sounds like a waste, but I know otherwise...No matter how busy my weekend may have been, whether at Nursing Home, on the Bus Route, or in a four year old Junior Church I will sleep content tonight knowing that I have ended another rewarding weekend in my eyes...