I knew Wednesday would be a busy day and I knew I would be tired by the end of the day. But I knew it would be a “good tired” as I like to call it when it has been wonderful. I had several things that I had to do that day and then we had to be at church that afternoon for the Thanksgiving dinner drive through. My job is to give my blog out to each car. I love getting to see everyone, some I know, some I have seen and many I meet for the first time. The one thing I can do is smile (with my eyes since I have my mask on) and give everyone a kind word! Everyone can use that, especially these days!
We had four lanes of traffic behind the fellowship hall getting plates of turkey, potatoes, green beans, dressing, gravy, rolls and pie. At times there were 16 cars waiting for plates! And the stream was steady! Even the fire truck came through! I saw many people who are not getting out yet. It was just such a wonderful evening of fellowship - even though it was a drive through.
I left there feeling so excited to have been a part of something so great! As I went to my small group Bible study there was so much excitement. One of our ladies walked in who had been at church since nine that morning cooking and preparing for the Thanksgiving feast! My friend was physically worn out. She was tired, having been on her feet all day, like all of our cooking team. When we all thanked her for her servant's heart she smiled saying, “I am tired but it was fun!”
Our study for that night was “Love By Giving.” We all kept going back to the drive through dinner. Acts 4: 32-35, “And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as they had need.” We all felt that this Scripture had been played out earlier that evening. We discussed how “our money and possessions only hold value when they are used to build upon our riches in heaven.”
When I went to bed that night I thanked God for such a spirit filled day, from a meeting with one of our seniors to the drive through to my Bible study. I thought back to our other scripture we studied earlier, 1 Timothy 6: 6-7. “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the word, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” We cannot serve others, doing what God is calling us to do, without a feeling of contentment.
It took a big team to put on a drive through that gave out about 575 meals! We had people greeting, keeping the traffic flowing, running plates, cleaning up, doing dishes, making plates, etc. But I really thought about how tired our cooking team must be as they laid down. Maybe too tired to sleep but I know it was a “good tired” because I am sure they, too, were content. The other verse we studied that night was Hebrews 13: 16. “And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” They sacrificed their time to serve dinner to our church faily, our community and strangers. I know God was pleased and I can hear Him telling them, “well done, good and faithful servants!”