Before we begin leadership council, with the exception being brunch day, after our worship time someone gives a devotional. At the beginning of the year we were given guidelines for form and content. Devotional time is really a great time of getting to know the person who is sharing their story. Today a lady shared her story of how she came to Community Bible Study and it wasn't too long until she was asked to serve in children's ministry. That part of her story seemed very familiar and we all shared a good laugh remembering our own stories of being asked to serve. The morning went on as it normally does, prayer time and reviewing homework together before being dismissed for Leadership Development, except today, we didn't divide up in the usual way, we stayed together. Before we got into the seriousness of leadership development, our teaching director referenced back to the devo and the familiarity of the invite to serve. She is a pastor's wife and well acquainted with serving and the call to others for the opportunity to serve. She kind of laughed and said when you're being asked, first you get the women's ministry head tilt to the side.... I could not have loved her anymore than I did at that very moment. It is so true, there is the women's ministry head tilt when you're being asked to consider serving or doing something really spiritual. The head tilt in photos is also like the trendy hand on hip stance, you see it everywhere. I so wanted to add, yes, the head tilt, then the holy tone of voice and to complete the deal, the holy stare finished off with the hug of fellowship. Then walking away from the conversation there is the smoothing of the skirt or pants, with the head bowed and then coming up slowly like prayer time has been concluded. Really, it is a universal look not just in anything that has to do with women's ministry, but I think we ladies have perfected the look, the talk and the walk. Extra bonus points if tears are shed at anytime during the conversation. The head tilt...I love it! We all so do it, maybe not in ministry situations but in other situations of daily life. I just did it writing the previous sentence.
We talked about our calling from God today in leadership development time. It is quickly coming to that time of year when we prayfully consider serving once again next fall. We looked at the seven core values of CBS concerning leadership. They are all good like; prayer, trusting in God's provision, integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, transparency and the last but not least, servant leadership. Sadly, it can seem at times that the sense of entitlement overtakes servant leadership in the Christian/church world. I love that the org chart of CBS is inverted. It is opposite of most ministries. Instead of looking like this ^ leader at the top, it looks like this v top leadership on the bottom serving its way up.
Because God has called me to this Leaders Council role, I am also called to servant leadership. I want to serve without grumbling or complaining. (Phil 2:14) I am called to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility to count others more significant than myself. I want to look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others. In my relationships, may I have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant. (Phil 2:3-7)
There is a whole lot to like in how CBS ministers and serves. I am completing my fifth year. There isn't any other Bible study that I have stayed this consistent with.
There also has been some great articles and quotes the past few days in several blogs that I read. Here are just a few; "People won't go to a place where they don't have a place." "In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks." Warren Buffet I've discovered Maria Shriver's blog and the website architects of change.
Another good thing, Erwin McManus' new book came today, along with several Madeleine L'Engle books I ordered. I have totally gone the way of pre-order with Amazon. I read book reviews and place the order then and there because by the time I remember to order the book, it has been out for a while and I could have been reading it.
A great thing....Nordstrom Rack on Bunker Hill opens May 1. I just found this out today! Clearly, I have been out of the loop on this news or maybe it's because I haven't been at The Loop and would have noticed it on the drive in.
Right now there is a murder taking place in the courtyard. Well, maybe not so much murder as it is the food chain kind of thing. A bird is killing a grasshopper for breakfast.
Thankfully, I have not experienced a full blown cold this winter season but I have had a few close calls. Let me preface the next thought with this info; I love watching the military channel when it has to do with WWII. I have always loved history and majored in it for a time in college, but came to my senses once I realized this major was not a enormous salary producing major. In the middle of the night, I thought Roy had turned on the TV to the military channel because I could hear something that sounded like Morse Code and the old timey sound of a radio being tuned. These sound effects are plenteous in the WWII shows. No, it was just me breathing. You know how you get those little whistles and strange sounds at the beginning of a cold or sinus infection. Thankfully my nose Morse Code and radio tuning noise did not graduate into a fog horn sound effect.
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