Do Your Thing

I heard my brother’s shaky voice on the other end of the phone as he spoke two words that I’ll never forget, “She’s gone.” He was holding our beloved grandmother’s hand when she left this world after 92 years- to be with the Lord and her true love, our Papa Guy. I talked to her earlier that day and poured out my love in her native Italian language. It was the last of about a million moments together. “Ti voglio bene Noni,” I mustered through tears, “Ti voglio tanto, tanto bene.”

That evening, there was an outdoor activity at our church- a second home just as my grandparents’ house had been throughout my childhood. The kids had been looking forward to going, so we decided to stick to our plan before heading to Ohio the next morning.

A few minutes into the event, an unyielding weight consumed me making it difficult to breathe.

Desperate to get out of the crowd, I sought refuge inside the church. I sat down in the back of the dark sanctuary and rested my weary head on the pew in front of me.

We can prepare our minds for imminent loss, but it is impossible to prepare our hearts. And in that moment, mine was breaking.

As I prayed for comfort, trying to replace some of my sadness with gratitude, a riveting sound filled the air.

The organ.

I didn’t realize that our organist, Ray, had entered the sanctuary to practice for the Sunday service. He had a small music light so the space remained dark.

With each note he played, my breathing became less labored. I thought about our sacred hymns…the stories they tell and the generations of people they touch. The same would be true for Noni and Papa- the impact of their lives has no end.

Music has never permeated my soul as it did that night. Without even knowing I was there, Ray ministered to my pain in a way that words could not even attempt. He has a gift, and he faithfully uses that gift to lift up the people around him. He doesn’t always see who he is reaching with his music, he just does his thing and leaves the rest to God.

The same is asked of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 1 Corininthians 12:7

As young children we ooze our natural abilities. But we grow older and our days start to fill up with “have to” moments; we can get caught up in trying to fit a certain mold often losing sight of the very thing God designed us for.

I am acutely aware of the God-given gifts in my kids and joyfully nurture their passions and strengths. I’m not as instinctive about doing this for myself. How about you? Would you like to join me this week to reflect on our natural talents? Maybe we can even go old school and take out a pencil and paper to brainstorm! Let’s prayerfully think about the things that flow from our spirit with ease and make us happy. With God’s help, those same gifts can be used to glorify Him and serve others.

While tapping into our unique abilities, it can be easy to overlook spiritual gifts that don’t seem “extraordinary.” Yet so often we see every-day gestures greatly impacting the lives of others. I have a good friend who is brilliant at connecting people and keeping relationships strong. She casually entertains to gather people together and create bonds. She plans trips and includes family and friends, often stopping along the way to visit long-distance loved ones. No doubt God is using her in this role, her efforts reaching farther than she could ever know.

Each and every one of us has something to offer to make the world a little brighter. We only need to identify it- and do our thing.

See you next Wednesday-

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it. If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Romans 12:6-8