With this title, regular readers (can I consider people regular readers when this is only my fourth post?) may be expecting a discussion of Philippians 4:10 - 13 - and there's a lot I could say about this passage and how it applies to me at the moment. But actually, today I feel its more important to talk about help of a more human nature.
Things have been so busy recently. I've had a church budget to prepare and present, I've had meetings, oh, so many meetings to go to, and I've been really busy at work. And, as I said in my post on Tuesday, I was baptised on Sunday morning.
Now, despite having been to a number of baptisms at Queens Road in my 10 years there, I'm not surely I really realised how many people it took to arrange such an event. Obviously it needs some baptismal candidates, and a minister, but then there's the army of people who get the church ready - the people who fill the baptistry, who chase around to find the heater and start heating the water at least 2 days before the event so the water isn't too cold (I'm told its usually longer but I think someone wanted to prove to the Treasurer they weren't spending too much on heating bills!) and who make sure there are towels available, plastic bowls in toilets for people to put wet clothes in and plastic sheeting down protecting the carpets. And then there's the person with the video camera, connected up to the projection desk, making sure that everyone in the church can see the big event, the people who pray for the candidates after their baptism... and of course the person who, as soon as the dripping wet minister and newly-baptised have made their way out to get changed is there with the mop, cleaning up, making sure its safe for the rest of the congregation afterwards.
No doubt there were even more people involved than that - if I've missed someone from the list I'm sorry. And of course these people are all on top of the usual army of musicians, readers, stewards, welcomers, projectionists, childrens group leaders, sound desk operators and so on who are needed to make a Sunday service at Queens Road work.
I can't thank all these people enough for the part they made in making sure Sunday went smoothly - the fact that it all just came together was such a blessing to those of us going into the water. And the same is true for the budget, and for all the other meetings - I couldn't do all I do without the army of helpers who just get on and do their bit, often unseen and unthanked, every week.
However, there is one person who needs to be singled out. Without my wife Sarah, I couldn't do half of what I do. In fact, I don't know if I could do any of what I do. Without her dealing with the practicalities of day to day life - those minor irrelevancies(!) like shopping, cooking, doing the washing and the cleaning, then what would I do? Without her to look after the boys, to make sure the oldest gets to school on time, with his lunch, his homework, the numerous letters and reply slips and everything else he needs, and to make sure that our little one is getting to do all the fun things that he loves - Toddler groups, music groups, gymnastics, swimming, as well as dealing with his food allergies, I would be stuck.
But even more importantly, what would I do without her to talk to (rant at?), to bounce ideas off, to discuss problems and issues with, to advise and help me in difficult situations, to be my best friend and to love me unconditionally and with all my failings and shortcomings. I am so grateful for everything she does for me, and so grateful to God for giving us each other.
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