An interesting conversation came up when I went down to help finish up the odds and ends of my little brother's classroom. He is a counselor for emotionally challenged kids and this year they moved the alternative school to an abandoned elementary school. He was excited to get a classroom where he could spread out a bit and to keep it a place where kids can come in and relax. He cannot use any time to prep the room. He has to focus his time on his kids. I jumped at the chance to help him flesh out his vision on my days off from my job.
It was Friday before school started for the year. I arrived 9:30AM and he gave me the low down of what he wanted to finish for the day. So I set about cutting out maps and other things as he was dragged off to help newbies. In fact he spent most of his time helping others out. He was frustrated that he couldn't spend more time helping me get his room in order. I kept telling him that was the reason I came to help. I was that extra body. We didn't finish until 8:30PM.
He still fussed a bit saying that "I am helping everyone else and I can't get my stuff done. Who helps me?" What blurted out of my mouth was quite profound because I spent no time thinking about it. "You help others and they can't help you but you have other helpers that come along to help you that you probably won't be able to help back. You 'help' it forward like the pay it forward concept." The minute I said it I knew that I did not believe it to be true. It just feels that you help and help and where is your help? I truly knew how he felt.
Even two weeks since, I am still weighing it out. I know myself well enough to know that I am a helper through and through. I have the mother instinct and can sense danger before it happens and does something about it. I have this mother protecter instinct and to think I have no kids. I am a first born so it does come naturally. Now that my siblings and I are adults I find that I am now a family keeper trying to keep us all together as life wants to pull us apart. I notice that this helper instinct is my spiritual gift. I can come along a leader or someone who needs help and know what to do to help bring their dream alive. We all need help even helpers. So what do you do when you are feeling empty and at wits end?
I know that God is my Help. Hiding away His Word in my heart and resting in His Assurances is a must. When I am full I can bubble over and fill others ....
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