A friend commented recently that she sees me as a "fireman" who is always ready to come running when others need anything. I just ate that up! It's exactly what I want to provide. It's a thrill to get a call or see an e-mail come aross from someone who needs a favor, wants to chat, or has some other something that I can offer them. It's a disappointment when I have a conflict that prevents me from saying "Yes!" in an instant.
I do periodically say "No". The hope is to rarely back out or leave someone hanging because I genuinely strive to let my yes be my yes, and my no be my no. I was tickled at myself the first shot out of the barrel in fulfilling this "yes" and "no" thing.
I literally yelled "No!" in response to the discovery that agreement to provide a dozen homemade cupcakes to show appreciation for a group of volunteers had somehow morphed into sixty single-serving treats at 6:00 p.m. the night before they were needed for delivery prior to 9:00 a.m. The poor gal giving me the news of my extended commitment was definitely taken aback by the force of my response. I didn't make any cupcakes at all, and I was downright gleeful about my dereliction.
The goal is to have simple tasks take on the aspect of an offering before the Lord. While not even close to total success, my attitude is so much more cheerful when this motivation lies behind my actions and words. As a work in progress, there are going to be fumbles and whoopsies along the way. The bloopers and periodic episodes of not-so-nice are part of life's learning curve. Sanctification, if you will. Everyday is full of opportunities for that loving your neighbor thing. Hopefully, I'm on the right track!
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