For those of you who know me now, you might not imagine what a quiet child and adult I spent most of my life being. My mother used to call me long ears the rabbit as I would sit with the adults at family gatherings and listen to them talk rather than go out to play. I was observant and I watched others and took in what they did and pondered it. It wasn’t until later in my life that I realized what that taught me and led me to as I walk my faith journey daily. Read these examples of right here and right now faith sharing I have witnessed. 

I saw a then young man who attended our church when our building was located where the Beacon and Bridge gas station now stands, every Sunday ringing the bell atop the church pulling a rope which came down from a hole in the ceiling to move the bell from side to side to call all to church. I quietly watched that man ring the bell every Sunday and later in life I realized how committed he was to his faith to check his watch every Sunday and ring out that timely clarion call to faith. That man was Bob Rogers. 

I watched Ruth Cummings and Carrie Horton at the organ bench Sunday after Sunday, year after year, providing such good music to my listening ears which transposed the message into my heart as a sprout that would later grow and have me following in their footsteps. I was fed not only by their skill but by their commitment. 

I remember a man and woman of our church who offered me my first job. I was pretty scared but I had watched them and was pretty certain they would take care of me and teach me. Indeed they did. Roger and Maxine Porter. They gave me a foundation. 

I remember Barb Maki telling me what an honor it was to be able to shave my dad’s face at the end of his life when his disease became so disabling that a proud man had to allow a dear friend shave him. My father had been Barb’s pastor and mentor. As a child, I had stood and watched my dad shave himself time and time again. He liked to be self-sufficient, yet I imagine that letting Barb shave him was actually a gift to both of them and probably each knew it. 

I remember hiking Mt. Storm King in Olympic National Park with my son Drew and daughter Stephanie. What an experience! Those two killed me and Drew slyly did not let on what were in for. He always held out that the payoff would be worth it! And after completing that hike, while I looked like I might have a heart attack, I prayed, “Oh, dear God, how magnificent you truly are!” 

Those two scamps of mine quickly decided to do another mile hike to a waterfall to walk out the kinks of Mt. Storm King. I was dealing with something worse than kinks but it was along that road that I came upon two women sitting on a huge old log and they looked so happy that I felt drawn to talk to them. Drew and Steph went on. And I had a most compelling conversation with these women who were from the area and enjoyed coming to see the waterfall. They shared some troubling things in their life with me and I asked if I could pray for them. To me, I was reminded of the two women who carried the news of the empty tomb, I do not know why, but the image of them along the path remains. I have their names still, two years later, sticky noted on my computer. Their names with the caption that says sitting on log along waterfall walk in Olympic NP. I pray for them still today. 

We just finished corn season. Monetarily, the season was one of our worst but ohhhh, the crews of kids we had! Some of the best!! I feel blessed to have been part of such a season where I tell kids, the Sweet Corn Stand is about so much more than corn! They look at me. I say, we will show kindness to all because there isn’t enough kindness in the world and this is one small place we can be that kindness; we will serve others without the thought of receiving anything in return for our efforts and we will build community by engaging with customers because we actually take an interest in who they are and what is happening to them. 

Those kids blossomed this year! We got many remarks about what kind and pleasurable service folks received from the hard working kids at the stand. I was so proud of their engagement with each vehicle that came. 

The picking crew was just as committed to doing a good job. This brings tears to my eyes because there was a time, and John and I laugh about this together now, when I wasn’t sure if John was going to make it as a corn picker. But year after year he came back. And now? Look at this young man now!! John Page Tear always answered yes to every afternoon telephone call to come back and pick more corn in the hottest time of the day and he is now among the best of the best in corn picking lore. His voice was unfailingly kind and he was always on his way! I asked him one day, “John, why do you always answer yes to such difficult work?” His response was simply, “Well, I like to help people.” Another prayer of praise went up for the joy of just knowing him and his right now responses to our plight. 

How do we serve our God truly and faithfully in a world that is becoming more and more distorted by the day? We do it in so many ways – look at all the examples I gave you! We start right here – with ourselves. 

And we start right now!

~Shauna Weil

A devotion provided by the Devotion Ministry of Goodrich UMC