...seeing the light

I suppose that during this season of Advent...
as we await the symbolic coming of the light of Christ...
into this dark and troubled world...
it's appropriate for me to be "seeing the light", so to speak...

in the last day or two, God has "ramped-up" the messages...

calling me to service in a couple of areas of the church...
as a service leader[LEM] as well as to membership in a prayer society...

and as I listened to Fr.G's funeral Homily...
where he spoke of all the kinds of service...
that the Deacons Millie & Hugh had provided for our parish & city...

a small voice said,"Tend my sheep"...

at that moment, I felt that a torch was being passed to me...
that I hadn't gotten a "job" because God has "other things" for me to do...
and when I shared that message with Deacon Hugh later...
he encouraged me to accept a larger servant role and pick up the torch...

after all God had been telling me to seek first, His kingdom & righteousness...
and that then, all the things I needed would be added to me...

so the job search concerns had been pretty much taken from my conscious mind...
and put aside, "waiting", "resting"... for further guidance...
with the emphasis on, "seeking first, His kingdom..."
although when God does want me to speak to someone about a job...

he makes it clear

as He did today when He prompted me to speak to our Bishop...
who was here for Deacon Millie's funeral...

as we chatted, at the potluck reception...
featuring Filipino noodles and other goodies, following the funeral...
[we have a connection ...my Mom was the church organist & good friend of his cook...
who also catered Mom's 90th birthday celebration in 2002...]

I mentioned my financial situation and my unsuccessful job search...
we discussed how far I'd be willing to travel for work...
as the diocese is quite large...
[he lives about 2 hours south, in the town where I was born...]

then I mentioned my background in organization & archiving...

the Bishop mentioned that he had several large collections which needed "work"...
[particularly his operas; scores, libretti, CDs, DVDs, etc...]
after I explained how I could set up a cross referencing catalog...
so that he could find his favorite arias quickly...
he became quite enthusiastic about the possibilities...
and asked me to write down my contact information...
promising to keep his eyes open for a "real job" too...
hopefully, a little closer to Mudville...

I just took it all in stride...
didn't get too excited, felt very calm & peaceful...
even when I gave him my contact information as he was leaving...
and he promised to call me soon about his opera job...

and now, after it's "sunk-in"...
I find myself thinking, "wow... just, wow..."
but I'm still calm & peaceful...
trusting completely in His Grace....

oh... & there are other things that are just beginning to happen...
that I'm not sure that I'm able to appreciate or write about yet...
so I'll just say that the awesome power of God is moving in my life...
subtly... calmly... simply... with healing... and miraculously...

for the first time in a very long time...
I'm seeing Him at work and feeling His healing presence...
I feel that the simple conclusions I've so recently come to...
must be what He's been wanting from me for a long time...

so I'm listening... making sure that I hear & understand ALL His words...
as well as all those words of everyone else He sends to help me...
and especially, that I do what He instructs... when & how...
sharing His love & bounty with all my brothers & sisters...

so, many thanks and blessings to all of you who have prayed for me...
been frustrated by me, angered by me and suffered along with me...
you are all angels, sent from God...absolutely necessary...
and may He richly bless all your lives with His Love...

this is so NOT what I expected...

again, wow...

God is very good, ALL the time...