All life's possibilities ....

In my church we assign people to visit, teach and minister to others. For the women this is called visiting teaching; for the men it is called home teaching. In a lay church we minister to others, whether they go to church often or not at all, and we are called to watch over all our neighbors. Literally they are our flock and we are the shepherd, to care for them, nourish them and to lead them to greener pastures and hopefully home. Well, I have always had faithful and loving visiting teachers and home teachers. I have learned so much from wonderful women who I am asked to befriend and serve. Last month one of my angel teachers left me two poems that I love, and in turn, took to a couple that I visit.

The Eleventh Hour
Had I been born
To other centuries -
How pleasant
To stretch
In the sun
And choose from
All life's
Possibilities
This one
or that.
To prove the Earth is round
Or tame the ocean,
To write a dictionary
Or expound
On Shakespeare's subtle irony.

But these are
Daytime jobs.
And
As I was born
To time's
Saturday night
My ordained task
Is to kindle
The Sabbath light.

Trial Number Five

Carefully they laid

Out on the table

Trials one, two, three

four, five and six

"Choose one," they said

"Oh, any," she cried,with a horror

Born of the best of Halloweens,

"Any but number five.

It would kill me.

I promise you I would not survive."

They thanked her graciously,

Escorted her out,

Then gift-wrapped, addressed,

And labeled "Special delivery"

Trial number five -

Sent with love from

Those whose assignment it is

To make sure you know

That you can go

Through trials one, two,

Three, four, ninety-nine,

Or five -

And, incredibly

Come out alive.

Both written by Carol Lynn Pearson

From shepherd to sheep, to teach, inspire, edify and save. A labor of love, but not a calling, as I have learned recently, because we are never released. In the physical absence of our Savior he asks us to watch over each other. This I Believe. Thank you ...