Population Me
This morning, we loaded the family into the four-wheel sleigh and headed off to church. I have to admit, after a long day in the garden yesterday, a week full of projects at work, and too many late nights, I wanted to just stay in bed. We've already been gone several weekends for baseball tournaments, what's one more week? I rationalized. But we got up and went. And I am so glad we did.

I sat through much of service praying for Todd and I and our family. Seeking direction. Asking for blessing. But then, Dr. Jeff got up and shared about his trip to Guinea earlier this year. And my heart was touched. Suddenly, I was realizing the blessings we have to be grateful for. Even many of the poorest people in our country have so much when compared to people in many countries in our world. Even in the most challenging times, I have so much to be thankful for. We have access to healthcare. We have money in savings to pay bills while my husband searches for work, even if we had other plans for that money. (And of course, my plans have to be smarter than God's, right? Right. And I have a purple unicorn tied in my backyard!) My children are healthy and happy. We have a roof over our heads and two cars to drive.

When we focus on ourselves and the challenges we are facing, on the desires of our hearts, on what we want and where we are going, we miss the faces of the people around us. Did you see the tear in the eye of that mom in the store today? Did you see the loneliness in the eyes of that little old woman at the doctor's office today? What about the pain in the eyes of that girl with the dark eyeliner and the dark clothes?

The other night, I offered to bring dinner to a neighbor family who was in the midst of moving. We decided to have them come over for dinner, as they could not find the boxes with their dishes (oh, how well I remember that feeling!). By the time I got off work, I was having a "population me" moment. I was tired. Worrying. Stressed. And I just wanted to put on my sweats and make cereal for dinner, not enchiladas for 10. I was rather wishing I'd not offered dinner. But midway through the evening, I realized I was laughing, not thinking or worrying.

It's amazing how we are changed when we stop focusing on ourselves, and start opening up to the people around us. Our load feels lighter. In the midst of serving others, our world expands. We become the instruments of grace that we were intended to be. We were not created to live a life in isolation. We were created for relationship, with God and others around us. So today I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone, dare to share a smile, ask how you can help, reach into your wallet to share with the man on the corner, tell the girl with dark eyeliner you like her bracelet. Expand your population to two, four, twenty, four hundred. No more population Me.