Waitin' on the World to Change

One of my favorite songs. I can't tell you all of the words...but the title alone says a LOT about how I feel.

I don't want to say I'm in a funk...because I'm not depressed...what I am is restless. There is so much to do, so many opportunities to serve, but I'm not sensing any more clear direction from Holy Spirit about where to begin.

Helping single moms is something Dale & I want to do, know we should do, and feel confident it's what Holy Spirit wants. BUT, there's still this knawing (for lack of a better word) at the back of my mind that there's even something bigger out there to do. Maybe these single moms will lead by example in giving out of their limited resources to those that have even less than they do. [I already saw this last week as JM rallied people to help another mom with a boat-load of groceries & gifts! It was amazing to sit back & see how excited she was to serve when by all rights she could be wallowing in her own misery. But she was Holy Spirit led & inspired & because JM obeyed, God received the glory for a great blessing to another family.]

I KNOW our service and sacrifice for God doesn't have to be BIG to be needed & appreciated. But I can't explain it other than to say I am still...restless!

I know helping single moms could become something bigger than we ever dreamed or imagined. BUT reading Radical just affirmed what I already believed..even most single moms in the U.S. are richer than 85% of the world. In fact, if you make more than $10K a year, you are in that top 15% of the richest people in the world.

Impossible to believe?? 1 billion people survive on $1 a day or less; 2 billion more survive on $2 a day or less. That means 3 billion people (or close to half of the world's population) are living on $2 a day or less. 26K (yes that's 26,000) children die EVERY day from malnutrition, unsafe drinking water & preventable diseases. Problem is I'm finally grasping this when we are not even making enough to cover our own living expenses. BUT I KNOW God is faithful & we can continue to give away more & more & He will STILL see us through!

This doesn't mean He'll provide the American standard of living...just make sure we're fed, clothed & have a roof over our heads. Our family might need to learn to eat more beans & rice (& this would actually be healthier anyway!). But I don't think this will be because we're starving...but as a way to keep curbing expenses so we can give more to others.

Now, as I'm doing all of this waitin' on the world to change (which is actually waitin' on ME to change!) I'm STILL...restless! I'm having trouble sitting still & listening to conversations about schools, where to eat, what new movies are good to see & what back to school specials I can get where. Yeah, that glue stick may only be 15 cents, but do my kids REALLY need another one when we have 10 open already?? And I'm not just trying to be a tightwad. If I'm paying 15 cents for it...what person (maybe 1/2-way around the world) had to receive slave wages while making it so that I could get a good deal??

I'm struggling a LOT with a judgemental spirit and I know that it's wrong. I need to be obedient to what God has called ME to do...and let Him work in others as He is me. It just seems like there are SO many MORE important things than what most of us talk about on a daily basis. If we don't want to talk about the tragedies of world poverty, the AIDS crisis or slavery that still exists in the world...please let's at LEAST talk about what Holy Spirit is doing in our lives, how much He loves us & brainstorm some ways we can serve Him. I KNOW this sounds judgemental...forgive me...BUT I'm still...restless.