Tag Archives: travel

Serving

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It’s interesting that when I thought about this topic, my first thought was “serving others.” Now, I’m wondering if #serving others is a farce. When we put ourselves forward to serve, the benefits that come back to us many times feel so much better than what we’ve done in our service.

A personal mantra of mine is “to make a difference.” It’s difficult for me to sit back and watch others serve. I typically jump in to help. Perhaps sometimes my help isn’t really needed, but is accepted, so my impact is small. That’s fine; sometimes, it’s the small gestures that mean the most to someone else. Other times, I’ve been the leader in service. While that role comes with a dual-opportunity to serve both the team and the recipients of our collective service, it still feels good to use my talents in a way that makes a difference.

Our #church is encouraging members to go on a short-term mission trip sometime in the next two years. One week of our lives submitted to the need of a ministry in our city, country, or abroad, to step out of our comfort zone and into someone else’s way of everyday life. One week to let the Holy Spirit empower and sustain us in eating different foods, doing different work, and living within the constraints of water limitations or other conveniences we take for granted.

What kind of #impact can one week have on those we go to serve? As workers, we will hopefully help move a project along that would otherwise take months to complete. We will be extra hands to help lift the load those we are serving carry every day. One word, one conversation, or one act of service will connect two individuals from different areas of our city or parts of the world, perhaps for eternity. By the time we leave, we will be different people. We will see the world through a different lens. We may approach situations in our own lives differently. And we will, through the Holy Spirit, have made an impact that will foster something wonderful for those we’ve served.

How can you serve or volunteer in 2025? It may not be a week in another country; perhaps it will be an hour or afternoon right where you live. Either way, you have encouragement to offer someone in need of hearing from you.

All the best,

KK

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Travelin’

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winter windGloves – check; hand warmers – check; swim suit – check; sun screen – check; rain coat and umbrella – check; baseball “mom” t-shirt – check; team spirit wear – check; sweatshirt – check; sweats for under wind pants – check; Gatorade – check; travel snacks (something sweet, something salty) – check; stadium seats – check; cooler – check. Is the hotel one we get points at? It must be baseball season. We travel and we prepare for whatever season decides to show up. We could have a little bit of spring and a little bit of winter. Images of the parent/fans in the bleachers could easily be mistaken for football season with scarves, gloves and blankets.spring image 2 Late in the season the image is more like survivors in the desert. It must be baseball season.

The parents spend the first few games trying to remember each other’s name, memorizing the names and numbers of the players they don’t know and always encouraging all the players on and off the field. Sometimes it’s the encouraging words of another player’s parent the really helps lift spirits.

The coach does his best to get the team ready for the season inaugural tournament. He reminds everyone that none of the teams will have had a lot of field time practice. “Let’s have fun and learn something. We can have more fun if we get some hits. So, go be aggressive at the plate.”

While outsiders think we are crazy, those of us on the inside know that baseball season with our middle schooler’s travel team is all about the memories being made. There will be button-busting victories and there will be dirt-kicking defeats. One will be celebrated with food and fun at the hotel indoor pool and the other will be quickly forgotten with food and fun at the hotel indoor pool.

Traveling home is usually quiet. Everyone is tired in the best way. At home laundry is separated. The white baseball baseball equipmentpants are the key player in a laundry chemistry project including pre-treatment spray and Fels Naptha. After a 30 minute soak, the uniform is the first to get washed. The result will be somewhere between “like-new clean” and “ready to hit the field.”

 Yes, in a few days we will be back on the field ready to take on the next team and the new challenge. Batter up!

All the best,
KK