Meant to write this post some time ago, to remind myself to be more giving of the hubby to the Lord.
This reflection is also prompted by the fact that he’s about to go on sabbatical, after serving 7 years as a deacon in our church’s Elders and Deacons Court (EDC).
We love serving, and before the kids came along, he anchored a music team that was on duty once a month. I joined as a back-up singer after marriage when I formally switched from my home church to his. We sing in the adhoc choir and in quartets for special occasions like Christmas.
After K was about a year old, we were still able to serve in the music ministry – the grandparents would help mind her when we had practise sessions. After B arrived, it became harder, so we took a break. But recently we started serving on months that had a 5th week, and I started leading in song – hadn’t done that since my teenage years.
In July last year, I remember posting this:
All the best to J who realised this morning that over the course of last few months, he’s committed to playing piano for worship service, ‘duty deacon’ prayer and announcements, singing with the choir’s special item and making a presentation at an after-church meeting all on one day. Congrats.
It didn’t turn out as badly as we imagined, but it WAS amusing to see him go from the piano, to giving the welcome, introducing the choir, then joining it, then thanking the choir (!), praying over the offering and finally back to the piano again!
Throughout the past 7 years, what took the most time and emotional energy was his service in EDC. Meetings were at least once a month, usually on a Fri night, and would last from 8pm till past midnight. Church issues tend to be the most intractable ones, and he’d have to set aside time after work, during the rest of the week, to deal with some of these issues over email discussions and preparing presentations to the church.
Many times I felt quite resentful. He ALREADY spends so much time at work, coming back past 8pm on a good day, past 10pm on a bad day. To disappear during out of office times in addition was, I thought a bit too much.
But the work is plenty, the harvest is plenty, and as always the workers are few. And whenever I meet other members of the EDC, they always mention how they appreciate his views and crucial work there. Some have even asked him to take on more responsibility within EDC. Some have even asked him to seriously consider full-time ministry. *gulp* They tell me, thank you for taking care of the rest, and ‘releasing’ J for service with us.
Every time I hear that, I purpose to be more giving. But more often than not, I ask “So when’s your sabbatical coming up again?”
So it finally is. This July.
We will still be serving in the music ministry every time a 5th week occurs, we have separate PraiseBabies (0-3 years) teaching duties once a month, and he will still be helping out in one church project. But hopefully slightly less of the ‘doing’, will mean more time to pray, to read, to focus.
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