Ministering
Okay, so maybe planning to write every day is a bit optimistic. But I’m back now; I wrote a bunch last week and scheduled it to show up every day, and then family came to visit. I enjoyed their visit and planned to start writing again after they left. My daughter got sick, I had a touch of illness (not as severe as hers, thankfully), and then my son got sick. He’s currently recovering; he has not been 24 hours without a fever yet, but insisted on going to barbershop practice. He’s in a barbershop group that is performing in a week. His older sister took him there and brought him back. I went to a restaurant and had breakfast with a friend.
My friend contacted me several months ago, shortly after moving here; she introduced herself and said, “We’re ministering partners and I want to get to know you.” I met her at church first, I think; I’m pretty sure I introduced myself and we talked briefly. Then she wanted to have a meal together. We did and enjoyed it. She invited me to attend a comedian’s performance, which we enjoyed. Since then she has tried to get us together with our assigned ministering sisters once a month at least.
I appreciate her pushing this, because I tend to be flexible to a fault. I don’t normally go out of my way to set up anything in addition to the commitments already in place from official church activities, Scouts, theater, and homeschool. Just with those, I’m pretty busy. I need my down time. I need a LOT of down time. I wonder how people function without spending time just thinking and being and reading and thinking and playing games and caring for house and family in a more relaxed atmosphere. Having to make even more decisions overwhelms me.
Our ministering sisters were invited but couldn’t come today. One is ill and one is working. It was a challenge just to get one of them to talk to us! I know the silent one really well from when we first moved here 12 years ago. She has children the same ages as my middle children. Her youngest was in Young Women at church with my youngest daughter. We moms were friends and talked often, but our daughters were like oil and water; worse, even. They were borderline antagonistic. As they matured, it got a little better… but then instead of being obnoxious, her daughter started patronizing my daughter, in an effort to help my daughter. Her older brother is autistic, obviously so, but functioning as an independent adult now. This girl mentally categorized my daughter as in the same box as her brother, therefore needing help. My daughter resented that, especially from someone who had apparently never liked her before.
Over time the mom and the daughter have drifted away from the church, returned a few times, drifted some more, tried to do church things and then work and school and more work got in the way. Now the daughter is recovering from having an unplanned baby. The baby is being raised by a combination of adults: daughter, mom, dad, and a family friend who babysits several days a week while the other adults work. I get it: they’re really busy, and cannot do everything. I just wish…
My ministering companion friend is willing to pay for a group breakfast, lunch, or dinner, once a month, if our ministering sisters are willing and able to gather. So far we’ve had dinner with one of them. We’ve had breakfast with each other a couple times. I enjoy talking with her. Today she asked me how I’m doing and listened while I told her. I asked her how she’s doing, and listened while she told me. I’m genuinely happy that she’s growing stronger in the gospel. We texted our ministering sisters and at least the mom caring for grandbaby texted us back this time! It’s a win!
