Called to a Higher Purpose

Yesterday my friend Renee stopped by to give me a little "Fall" decoration for my door, and some clothes for the boys. She stopped by in June to give me some flowers for my garden. She doesn't stop in very often. Only when she might be in the neighborhood when doing her high school visits etc. What she didn't know was that she was an answer to prayer. I was trying to get the boys ready and out the door on very little sleep (3 hours), and support. We have all been there, and you know what I mean. You JUST want to go back to bed, or sit down and give up or cry. (Any of those will do) My body was aching because of the lack of sleep from this night and the weekend nights when Brady was ill from the infection he had.

Earlier that morning I had prayed and asked God to help me somehow. Everyone wants instant response from God like an emergency response team. Sometimes it comes quickly, and yesterday it did. He chose to send Renee. Just seeing her at my door did the trick... her bouncy happy attitude immediately chased any bad feelings away. Here was my friend! Reminding me that life was good and it would be OK just by being herself.

Later she handed a Starbucks coffee to me (again thankful to her). Just the warmth of the cup of the coffee felt good to my achy hand. I won't give tell you the details of what caused me not to get sleep and to worry because I don't want to let that be the focus here. But what a joy it is to have her as my friend. And friends like that can see your house a mess, you a mess... etc and they are still there handing you a coffee cup.

Surprisingly she asked me a question about what to do "when"... basically it was about being "called to a higher purpose" (as I call it). It is when you do something you know is the right to do... and you are going to do it not to get praised, or loved, or appreciated, or treated right, and you might have to take some "arrows" (get your feelings hurt or sacrifice more that you would really want to... where it hurts). BUT because it is the right thing to do... you choose to do it. You choose it because in the end... it will make all the difference even if you don't very see the end results. Parents do things... they are called to a higher purpose. And as the child grows, it is yet a higher calling because the little smiles, hugs etc aren't there as when they were little. I had just had three nights of being "called to a higher purpose" and why I was lacking sleep.

We are all called to a higher purpose... sometimes it is to do something just because it is the right thing to do. And other times it is just to be thoughtful and, not knowing, making someone's day just by showing up and being cheerful. And sometimes we are called to do it on very little sleep, and we would rather go back to bed because we hurt from doing it. Let me encourage you to go out there today and be there... just show up... and do "it" whatever it may be, because it is your mission and you are doing it because it is the right thing to do regardless of what is in it for you... rather do it because what's in it for someone else. It can make the difference. We are here to make a difference not for ourselves.

By the way, I have been asked by younger kids, why are we here? They were asking what was the purpose of living. Well, the one that gave me the book on how to live (Bible) says it is to make a difference. He made a profound difference in the world in just 33 years on this earth. And still can make a difference through teaching us to do the same.