What on Earth am I Here For?

"The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator for it. The same is true for discovering your life's purpose: Ask God."

Since Thursday, I've been filling in for a friend to stay with an elderly man from the community.

I go in at 7:30 -- make his breakfast... do any house work or just sit and/or give him conversation until time to get his mail and have lunch together. Around 1pm I can go home for a few hours, then come back for 2 hours to make his supper... then I get to bring the rest of the food home to feed my husband supper. 

Ideal?

Far from it. 

In fact, when I told my sister in Oklahoma what I was doing, I could hear her eyes get wide over the phone as I told her how little I was paid to break up my whole day to spend 7-8 hours over there.

I was not necessarily enjoying my time "having" to stay with him, especially on a Saturday. But Tyrel reminded me why I'm there. So yesterday, I made it a point that "It was a good day to have a GOOD day!" ;) And I even told the man that... In all his 95 years, he had never heard anyone say it quite like that. ;)

But, I started reading a book today -- a 40 day journey -- that was a good reminder again as to why I'm doing this. 

"You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not using him for your own purposes."

It is really amazing to think that the only real reason I should be doing what I'm doing (or the only one that matters!) is so that the soul of this elderly man can make it into Heaven.

Yes, I do have a way of obligating myself without knowing what I'm getting into. ;) So it's good to know that whatever my job may end up being... I have a purpose to be there!

I've also been struggling hard to find that place in my marriage as well. I'm so easily discontent with... well just about anything! If I don't get to spend the day with Tyrel, or if I do. If I get some alone time in the evening, or if I should be doing something else.

It seems as if I'm not bogged down by the "should-be's" of what I can't be doing right then to be the perfect wife, then I'm frazzled and not joyful because I actually get to be doing those things and then it's a "chore", or I can can be upset and depressed that I'm "left-out"... You name it! I feel like just when I get the victory over one, another one comes knocking at the door. 

The first step in solving a problem is recognizing it though -- so maybe I'll get there! ;)

So back to the book I'm reading... all of those quotes have come from "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren that Alyssa picked up for me at the library. I'm excited to follow the 40 day journey and apply it to my life.

I know this book can do nothing... except that God helps me apply the principles and scriptures to my life. And the biggest step is consecrating our self and desires to His greater purpose.

The pictures are all from this man's house I've been cooking at. He doesn't have wifi, so I've challenged myself to use his deceased wife's cookbooks. It's been fun to look through the many recipes for pickles she had and imagine the days when she had a large garden outside and her journey to find the perfect pickle recipe. ;)

To be honest, before I got married, I had a dream of interacting with the elderly here in this community to hear their "stories". My dream came alive in a different way than I expected, and it's not like I hear a history book everyday, but in a slow but sure way, I've experienced a lot, and it's fun if I make it fun! ;D

-MarLeahJoy