Room?

I find on the road I travel I am often faced with questions that most likely define who I am as a wife, mother, sister and friend.  The questions challenge me, but it is the answer.....the way I choose to answer those questions that actually defines me.  My life matters to God. The way I choose, the choices I make show me to be a Christian (or not).

In my old age comfort is nice, predictability is appreciated, less stress is just sweet! I do not go off in search of unique ways to serve God. If truth be told I pretty often feel like the road I live on is an 8 lanes interstate and that my life is way to busy already.  I am teaching ladies class on Wednesday nights, I am rarely absent from the assembly of God's family. I am being a wife and helpmate to Scott, which often looks more like riding shotgun, co-pilot, in one of those crazy flip dippin airstrip stunt planes! I am a mother (a wrangler) to a crazy bunch of kids.  I am a friend who so very greatly values those God has bestowed on me. I am just me...a servant.  I have a friend who said her grown son, questioning service, said service is about self.  His words were "when we serve we get gratification, joy, so in essence....service is self gratifying and not about others at all." I believe those are the words of a 22 year old. MY service is not always so gratifying.  Some things just aren't.  Do I find satisfaction in doing God's will? Yes, but it is often a long way from joy or self.  More than me....my choices are often, nearly always, motivated by:

is it right.....
is it good....
is it fair....
is it what my God desires me to do...
and frankly the fear of God's ultimate judgment....

I never ever ever ever want to stand in glory and have God ask if I did these things.........

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Matthew 25: 35-36

I may not travel the world. I may not own a sewing factory. I may never enter a  prison. I many never be the 
stranger....but on my goodness, when those people, those situations, come to MY DOOR? I have no desire to tell God I was just to comfortable caring for my blessings, I was just too safe in my predictable life, I was just under too much stress at the moment...I cannot say those things because I have spent the majority of my adult life telling people I do what I do because I am not alone!! We, Scott and I, I have never limited God and He in return has never limited our love, our abilities or our work.  We do feel as long as we are about God's things, well, we know He blesses us.  He has in the past and I am quite sure He will always.

So, when someone calls and says, "Amanda, do you have an extra room?"  What do I say? <sigh>  I am just like everyone else in the world...I want to say NOPE. I want to say, I am sorry I have a whole lot going on and right now is just not a good time for me to serve. I want to remove my name from the list of "go to" people....truly.  But the truth of our lives, that of mine and my wonderfully Godly husband is simple....you do what is right!!

I actually have six rooms potentially available. I do have A room.  My mind immediately spins to the dozens of more appropriate places for this person. People who do not have as much going on....people who could truly minister and spend quality (and quantity) time ministering.  But you know, when is all comes down it to my answer there is only one that is simply right.  I cannot live my life by others choices, I cannot make others do what I would have them do, I can only choose for myself.

I say all the above to say this....We have a "sweet humble down on her luck no family to support her to success sweet girl" coming to live with us for a while.  She works and is going to college.  I sat with her last night and explained the rules of the house....pretty simply put we have three...

EXAMPLE
OWNERSHIP
RESPECT

That's it.  If you can be the example you need to be, take ownership for your actions and respect yourself and others? You're good for me and you're most likely good for God.

I live by those same three principles. In situations like this? They are core values that guide me as I strive to do what is right in the sight of God!!