I love my job. I really do. It is fun, rewarding, growth-inspiring...etc.
One of the things I love most about my job is the people. I get to work with children and youth, their parents and all sorts of other people. They introduce me to their friends, their family, their pets and their toys. I'm forever meeting new people and getting into new situations.
Oh, and I like to talk too, so that helps a lot. I've had some wonderful, heartwarming things said to me over the years. I have also heard some drop dead funny ones, and even said a few myself!
For example, once, in Arkadelphia, a child asked me if I was the boss of Vacation Bible School. Before I could answer, another child piped up with "Miss Tracie is the boss of everything!" That's right. You heard it here first! I'm the boss of everything.
Another one that happened just recently.
Tracie: Hey guys! We're all alone out here! There's no other groups around!
Youth: Thanks Tracie. That's how every horror movie starts.
I'm going to tell one on myself here. When I was in Buckhannon, one of the adult Sunday School classes liked to use Power Point in their teaching. Every Sunday, I would set up the projector for the teacher, and I would wait while he turned on his computer and make sure everything worked before I left. This teacher also happened to be a long time professor at my college, and an ordained United Methodist Elder. He was also in his 70's at the time. I was in a hurry one particular Sunday morning, and I was rushing to set up his computer. I grabbed it, and wanted to go ahead and start it without waiting for him, so I grabbed his computer and asked, "Can I turn you on now John?"
His wife began to laugh. He just shook his head and said, "Oh, Tracie." I was laughed out of the classroom.
At least I can laugh at myself, right?
Not too long ago, I was on a youth retreat. We were having a discussion about noise, and I asked the kids, "What kind of noises in our lives distract us from listening for God's direction?" After a long pause, one of the kids raised their hand and said..."Raffles."
"Raffles?" I asked. "Want to elaborate on that?"
He said, "I'm so busy waiting for my number to be called, and so focused on listening for it that I forget to listen for God's voice."
Ahhhhhh...Logic.
Yes, kids say a lot of things. Some are thought-provoking, some are scary, and some are laugh-out-loud-roll-on-the-floor funny. But there is one word I have a lot of trouble with. It is a word that gets me in trouble time and time again.
Are you ready to hear my trouble word? Are you sure? It may shock you!
My word is...yes.
I bet you thought my word would be "No." Well, the word "No" doesn't usually get me into trouble. The word "Yes" often does.
We all have trouble with this word. I bet you say "Yes" to almost everything, don't you? I don't know about you, but most of the time I don't feel like I can say "No." Most of the time, I don't want to say "No". I genuinely want to help. I want to be there for people. I want to do whatever I can to help. That's actually how I ended up typing someone's memoirs.
But there are two people I don't say "Yes" to enough.
I don't say "Yes" to myself first of all. I know my priorities, and I often don't make myself one. I often don't WANT to make myself a priority. Other people are too important. I want to take care of everyone. I want to protect everyone. I often feel that meeting my own needs are not as important as others. Yes, this often gets me into trouble. It wears me down, sometimes makes me crazy. So I struggle with saying "Yes" to myself. I struggle with taking care of myself. Eating right, exercising. Things I know I need to do to take care of myself, because I don't say "Yes" to myself enough. I have to remember that I am worth something too. I am worth taking care of. I struggle with that concept every day. God made me something, and God doesn't make junk. But I feel there are people out there so much more important than myself, and their needs are more important than mine. And most of the time, I need to make others a priority. But sometimes, just sometimes, I have permission to make myself one too. Scary thought, isn't it? How many of us struggle with this too?
The other person I sometimes have trouble saying "Yes" to is God. Frankly, sometimes I have trouble keeping the lines of communication open with God, period. Saying "Yes" to Him is a whole different matter. Maybe I don't want to talk to that person. Maybe I don't want to give that lesson. Maybe, just maybe I don't want to love that person. The person who hurts me or my family. But God wants me to say "Yes."
God: Tracie, you know that person who hurt your feelings?
Tracie: Oh yes, I remember them well.
God: Love them.
He wants me to say "Yes." And I want to say "Yes" for Him. But sometimes I don't.
It's time to make the word "Yes" a priority. "Yes" to me sometimes, "Yes" to God always.
For all of you out there today, Be sick...be loved.
T
