Happy Friday day after Thanksgiving. I decided years ago that there is no sale great enough to make me brave the mall on Black Friday. So today I spent some time with Travis, wrote my final reflection paper for theology, spent some time with friends from Corpus Christi and got my nails done. All in all, it was a very productive Friday.

Deb Koplen update. I have a bit of a cold or a sinus infection so I went to Deb’s hospital door and visited with her from the door. The doctors and nurses are still working on her pain management regimen so she is less confused and in less pain. She is still having several visitors, but still needs a few more. So if you get a chance go by and visit her. She is in Rm. 3222. Please continue to pray for her and her nurses.

1 Peter 4:11 says, “Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives.” Today I wrote a reflection paper on the revelation of God. As I studied the text I read that God reveals Himself to those who have knowledge of Him. Moses had knowledge of God before the burning bush and then he was called to serve. Abraham and Sarah had knowledge of God before God told them they would have a child and would begin the nation of Israel. Paul had knowledge of God and was changed from persecutor of the church to preacher of the gospel. God gave Moses the gift of the law. God gave Abraham the gift of faith and God gave Paul the gift of speaking the Word to help establish the early church. God revealed Himself to each of these people and then gave them a call to action in which to use their gifts in His service.

Our friend Deb, has no blood relatives. Her parents are deceased, she is an only child with no aunts, uncles or cousins. So, three families are gathering together to become her family in this most difficult and frightening time of her life. One part of this family is arranging to have her finances taken care of as she is not able to manage them from the hospital. One of the families is contacting friends, church members and others to come and sit with her and visit with her at the hospital. Later arrangements will need to be made to assist her when she returns home. (Does this sound familiar?)
I have been named as her power of medical attorney so the doctors and nurses can talk to me when she is too sick from treatment or confused by high end pain medicine to adequately make decisions for herself.

I accepted this responsibility not because of any special wisdom I have, but because I have just spent a year immersed in the language and procedures of cancer patients. Each of us is serving with the gifts God has given us. The gentleman who has her Durable Power of Attorney is a retired accountant. He has a gift for numbers, accounts, and banking etc…not my gift! That would have been a huge error. The couple who is massing the troops have a lot of connections at their church, Deb’s church and other organizations with whom Deb is associated. Each of us will serve with the strength(s) God has given us.

This blended family all has knowledge of Deb. We could not do our parts in helping her during this time of diagnosis and treatment if we did not know Deb pretty well. God has revealed Himself to each of us. He is revealing the gifts He gave us to use in His service to help His child and servant. He has called us into the servant ministry for the one in Rm. 3222 of AMH. Anytime God reveals Himself to us there is a call to action to use the gifts He has given us to use in His service.

What gifts has God given to you? Whatever gifts He has given are His design and He will use them to shape your destiny. The gifts of service given to you by God are for the glory of God. I have never seen a burning bush, heard a voice from heaven, been blinded by a heavenly light or asked to give birth at the age of 53 (praise God!!), but I have been witness to the most amazing love and caring in the last year as Casey was battling cancer. I don’t know if it was my destiny to live at MDA Hospital for 2 1/2 months with Casey or not, but I do know if I do not share the knowledge I gained throughout this last year to help someone else then I am living in a selfish and sinful relationship and God’s gifts to me remain unwrapped, unopened and unused.

If you do not know your gifts then ask God to reveal them to you. What He will do is reveal Himself to you and then call you to action. Be ready to rise and walk in the name of Jesus. Without citing too many platitudes, God does not call the equipped, He equips those He calls. He is looking not for your ability, but for your availability to do His will. It all starts with knowledge of Him. Get to know the One who loves you most and serve Him with a heart of gladness.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.