Post Office Visit

Today I went to the downtown post office to apply for a passport.  Jeffery helped me at the desk and was a wealth of information.  He was quite the talker and while looking over my application commented on my profession and and shared some of his life with me.  Jeffery, after graduating high school wanted to attend Purdue University Veterinary School.  Instead, he joined the military for four years and then when he was discharged he found employment with the United States Post Office and has been there for over 30 years.  

One of the funniest moments was when Jeffery asked me if I had plans on getting married in the next year.  I replied, "I don't know, maybe".*  Jeffery responded, "Well, if he convinces you to marry him within a year you can have your passport updated and processed for free."  He ended by telling me to come back with pictures from my trip.

My conversation with Jeffery at the downtown post office was the highlight of my day.  Thanks for a great visit, Jeffery!

* no, no bells are ringing.  It's just fun to mix it up every once in a while. 

A busy week is ahead. I have multiple meetings and errands after work, a silent auction and banquet of Friday night, the marriage celebration of two friends on Saturday morning and much reading and research to do. I am most excited about FAME's Annual Silent Auction and Banquet. This event has been in preparation mode since January and this is the week where it all comes together. The keynote speaker for the evening is Mary Kamau. Mary and her husband Wallace work with Missions of Hope International. They have also partnered with Christan Missionary Fellowship (CMF) as well as FAME. Mary will speak about the slums in Nairobi, Kenya and the advances that FAME and its partners have made in securing land to build a medical clinic in the Mathare Valley. All the proceeds from the auction will go to help offset the building and operational costs of the clinic. Keith Ham, a CMF missionary wrote this in FAME's newsletter last year.

We have plans to construct and supply at least two clinic int he Mathare Valley to meet the demands of curative health. Our partnership with FAME will also include short-term mission trips. With their expertise in medicine, advice, and the work during the trips; we'll be able to help and reach out to many more in the Nairobi slums. There are diseases and health issues that we have not been able to diagnosis correctly but with their help of mission trips and the follow up they'll provide, we'll be able to meet some of the more difficult health problems in the slums.

I have immensely enjoyed being a partner with FAME and have marveled at their work and seeing their ministry grow and share the Good News. You can check out FAME at www.fameworld.org to learn more. Be sure to look at their prayer calendar for staff, volunteers and those that are on mission trips.

I have been listening to a radio station on the computer at work and one of the topics that came up was that of Nehemiah. There I was sitting at the bench furiously taking notes on a 3x3 post-it note while holding a pipette in my other hand transferring samples. I know you're impressed with my super multi-tasking skillz :) Below, is a snippet of the transcript between Dr. Michael Easley and Bob Lepine.

If you read Nehemiah’s prayers, do the study on your own. See if you can
prove me wrong. When I read his prayers they ring of loneliness. Leaders deal with it. Presidents are lonely. Churchill was incredibly lonely. Commanding officers are lonely. Doctors are lonely. Principals are lonely. CEOs are lonely. People who run their own company are very lonely individuals. Coaches are incredibly lonely creatures. Police officers are incredibly lonely creatures. People in leadership, even pastors can be very lonely people. You see it in lots of ways. They withdraw from people. They isolate themselves when they have time away from work. They have no interest in social events. Believe me, I understand this. You get to a point where it’s all you do is spend all your time with people. I’m not saying crowds take care of loneliness. I’m saying close, intimate friendships carry us through life. The good side of loneliness is that it forces you to trust Christ and deepen in your walk with Christ. But the
danger of loneliness is, left in isolation; you will end-up in no good. Ask God for a friend who’s closer than a brother and see if He’ll give it to you. And lastly, leadership is an enormous privilege. What a tragedy to lead a mediocre life. What a tragedy to live an unfulfilled life. What a tragedy to end-up, excuse me, like so many old people who are bitter, and resentful,
and alone. You don’t believe me? Go next door and talk to some of these people. You don’t believe me? Go to Green Spring and talk to some of these people. Entropy is tough to beat, men and women. And, if God is moving you to be a leader, don’t sit back. Ralph Mattson wrote a book years ago called Visions of Grandeur, and with this I close; "If we add up all the grand moments of our lives, most of us end with a very small pile of memories, but they are indeed golden. In contrast, a similar collection of all our mundane times yields a ponderous heap. It’s clear the bulk of our life’s efforts are consumed by routine tasks and ordinary business."
Don’t die that way. There are enough men and women in this room who if you truly respond to the call of God to be His disciple, to seek Him constantly, serve Him faithfully, and share Him boldly I believe He would use you for great things.

Wow. There are not enough fingers on my hands to count the times in the last few weeks where the last place I wanted was to be with a group of people. Just one person will do. I've found it dangerous to be by oneself for too long. There is such a delicate balance in being a leader and being able to be led. It is incredibly frustrating in times like these when you don't want to lead and don't want to be led. This is the point where it becomes dangerous. Being stagnant is acceptable in certain circumstances, but being so for too long results in a putrid stench and decay. A laissez-faire approach doesn't help much either. What does, however, is the friend who is closer than a brother. A friend who can drag you out of your hole when you don't have the strength. A friend to remind you that being a leader, while difficult, unpopular and lonely is very rewarding. A friend whose encouragement feed your soul... it is this friend who is the true leader.