Can I Help You??

Becoming one in Christ!

 I love to cook.   It all started back in Chattanooga. My mom would tell you that growing up I absolutely had no interest in helping her cook. My mom made great things--from her cream tacos to her spaghetti sauce to her homemade bbq sauce.  I loved to eat them all, but I had no interest in helping her prepare them. Even with the wide variety of stuff she made, I found no real creativity to it. It was just putting things in a dish, and doing something that was a means to an end.

I lived in Chattanooga when I met Tex. Tex and Kim were true southern people. They may not have been from the south, but they definitely practiced southern hospitality, and would welcome you right into their home. I remember the day Tex called me. Kim was out of town, and he just wanted someone to hang with. I was on my internship and he knew I was poor. I was greeted at the door with his freshly brewed IPA. I really had no clue what this was, but soon fell in love with its hoppy flavor. He took me into the kitchen where he was marinating some wings. But these were not just wings in a generic hot sauce; they were wings with garlic, sesame seed sauce, beer, and so much more. I remember asking what was in the marinade; he said he wasn’t even sure. I asked, “How can you not know what is in the marinade?” He answered, “Will, cooking is just getting to know the ingredients and how to blend them.” I was baffled. Then he proceeded to head over and make some homemade bleu cheese. I watched with amazement, and soon I had fallen in love with cooking. Now it had become something creative, and I was interested!

When I cook I am transported into a different world. It is often my way to just free up my mind or relax for the time being. I begin to focus on making the best possible thing I can, and encourage my family to try different things. The problem is, sometimes I take on too much, or have a challenge sharing the kitchen. Recently, when some friends were in town, they mentioned that maybe next year we should do something different from having the meal at my house, because they missed spending time with me while I was cooking. That made me realize I can be a kitchen hog.

My boys often push chairs up to the counter to help me cook. This is one of my most challenging moments. I am doing something I love to do that allows me to chill out, and they are coming into my territory wanting to help. I mean, come on, it’s challenging to give the almost two and four year old little persons a job!

For years the church put an age limit on who could help in the church. I am not so sure they intentionally thought teenagers were not good helpers at ushering, reading or other jobs. I just think we get territorial. We try and hold onto the service areas we love. Plus, it takes so much more energy to train someone else to do what we could do ourselves. God uniquely places people who have different gifts in a church so they can function together to love and care for the people of Christ in the best way possible. The problem is that sometimes our sinful, selfish sides intrude, and we want to do our own thing, or we don’t see how the church could use our gifts in a certain area.

 

VBS will soon be upon us. We will have about one hundred children on our campus. That means we could impact at least two hundred families next week. Every child on our campus will be connected to at least two families.  What could you do to help Mt. Calvary bless more families? If you are in the blog world, maybe you could send a child here. If you are already a member of Mt. Calvary how can you help? We have a couple who just signed up to be greeters on Monday and Tuesday.

The reason I love cooking is that when different ingredients are mixed together, they become an awesome dish. One dish I made lately was fresh green beans, with cashews, and bleu cheese. I have to admit the first time I ever saw that dish I was skeptical, but it is delicious! God uses unique personalities and creativity to make one wonderful congregation. I have seen many come to faith when they served Jesus with their unique gifts and saw how God works.

God has blessed you uniquely. What are your special gifts?   Warm personality, detail oriented, internet designer, child caregiver, usher ;)

This week we talk about the Body of Christ being one. The amazing thing about Jesus is that He takes the most strained relationships and heals us through Forgiveness and Love. I will share one of those stories this weekend. He has unique plans for you and can bless so many through your gifts. The question is what will you do?