SHE MADE MY DAY

As I write this, I realize that it’s something that meant a lot to ME.  I’m aware it may not resonate with anyone else.  Yet, I’m compelled to write it anyway.

I’m not proud of this, but at times I CAN be cynical.  I tend to expect a lot of people, and I do mean a LOT.  (Well, I also expect a lot of myself!)  Anyway- the “expecting a lot” stuff typically can lead to disappointment.  Lots and lots of disappointments in people can lead to cynicism.  Believe me, I’m not proud of any of this, and I KNOW it’s not God’s will for me to be cynical, so I battle this tendency constantly.

To try to make a long story quite short, I’ve been attending meetings of the civic organization called “Framingham Downtown Renaissance” for about five months.  I’ve felt a bit like a “fish out of water” there, but I’ve also felt that I’m on a “mission from God” (I know that sounds like the Blues Brothers!) to get downtown clergy and their churches, especially the ethnic churches involved with this group.  I have a particular Brazilian pastor friend who has made commitments to go to “F.D.R.” meetings and then backed out.  It’s been frustrating.  The next “F.D.R.” meeting is on Thursday morning of this week and the Brazilian pastor called me Saturday to tell me he won’t be attending due to a doctor’s appointment.

“Great,”  I thought sarcastically, “I’m going to go to another meeting empty handed and wondering what I’m accomplishing!”

I DO thank God that He then gave me an idea I really should have thought of a long time ago:  to just send a blanket e-mail to all of the clergy in Framingham  speaking of the virtues if “F.D.R.” and encouraging them to attend.  I was delighted that within twenty-four hours, the Rev. Dr. J. Anthony Lloyd of Greater Framingham Community Church e-mailed me that he’d be going to the meeting!

Yesterday, on September 11, I got another e-mail from another minister that MADE MY DAY.  It was from the Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell of First Baptist Church on Route 9.  Mindi is very new to the community and a really impressive clergywoman.  She told me she would be attending the “F.D.R.” meeting.  That impressed me because her church is not even located downtown, nor does she live in the downtown area.  The next part of her e-mail greatly humbled and sobered me.  About four months ago I put out a blanket e-mail requesting prayer for an acquaintance of mine from Brookline named Bruce Allen and his wife Dorothy.  Bruce had been badly injured in a bicycle accident. His wife also faces numerous and other medical issues - plus they have many financial needs.  Honestly, it was over four months ago that I put out that e-mailing and I had forgotten that I’d put it out.  We DID have prayer for the Allens at our church over the first few weeks after Bruce’s accident, but (hate to admit) I’d forgotten to pray for the Allens of late.

In her e-mail Mindi asked me if I could give her an update on how the Allens are doing and she informed me there’s a prayer group from her church that has faithfully prayed for the Allens EVERY week.  I was embarrassed that she’d been more faithful to pray and be concerned for the Allens than I’d been!  I did hear from the Allens recently and I did give Mindi an update.  The fact that someone had SO taken that prayer request to heart, AND was coming to a civic meeting I’d promoted, well, again, it humbled and blessed me.

After lunch on Monday I took a brief walk, and as I walked, I prayed:

“Lord, thank you for Mindi.  Forgive me for the cynicism I’ve had at times, and for my complaints about how disappointed I’ve been in people.  Thank you for this faithful young woman who has modeled compassion, faithfulness, humility, service, and class to me in a way that greatly humbles me and even shames me a bit.  Lord, may I be such a humble servant with a good attitude.  Amen.”

She made my day!

The people at First Baptist on Route 9 are blessed to have such a concerned and focused pastor, the Framingham community is blessed to have this woman among us, and I’m blessed to have been inspired by Mindi, my clergy colleague!

“...she hath been a succourer (that means “helper”) of many,and of myself also.” (from Romans 16:2)