One weekend as I was "blocking" the Sierra House, I couldn’t help but think about all I’ve been able to learn while serving at this church. I never thought I’d know what "blocking" is, let alone what it is used for (to support the trusses of the roof), or how to do it, and yet here I was actually handling nail guns, Simpson Ties, and 10D nails while up on a 10ft+ ladder. When I got home, I thought it'd be neat to draft up a list of all the skills I’ve been able to pick up while serving in various ways-- sound setup, video camera setup, video taping, video editing, running A/V for Sunday service, cooking for small-medium sized groups, organizing outings/activities for group events, using various handheld power tools, woodworking/house building, teaching MYT, cleaning, hosting game nights, coordinating transportation, prop making, lyric/skit writing, web-programming, leading discussions.
As I inspected this list, cleaning and web programming would have probably been the only skills I'd have acquired had I not come to this church. The rest were clearly a result of the training and opportunities I've received through my years here at this church. I realize that in serving God and others, not only does something get accomplished, but my own life gets enriched and I become a more useful person. It's ironic that in giving and serving others, I myself become a better and fuller person. It’s very contrary to the way this world works. The world advises to serve myself and clutch on to what I have. But I would have never learned and been enriched by all these skills if I was living on my own, serving only myself. What is more, the abilities and talents I've recieved get multiplied and passed on so that others may be built up to serve in the same kinds of capacities. As I think about this overall effect I can be a part of, I feel very privileged and thankful for the opportunities I've had to grow through service thus far.