everyday is a journey.
The folded hands seem idle:
If folded at His word,
'Tis a holy service, trust me,
In obedience to the Lord.
ANNA SHIPTON.
At the end of every year, I reflect on the year before to determine what worked and what didn't, especially when it comes to my Crocheting Ministry. So as all of you know, Emily and I have moved a good thirty minutes farther from our friends, especially the Ministry ladies.
At first, I was extremely worried if the distance would prove to be too much for them. Some of them were already travelling long distances as it was and my asking them to come even further might be too much. For that reason, we have been meeting at our usual spots in our past neighborhood. I feel as if we have been dislocated as a group this year, because our schedules and routines have changed so much.
We had a routine. We would meet on the second Saturday of every month at my apartment from 12 until 3 p.m. In the Summer months and early Fall, we would meet publicly at various parks and coffee shops. Occasionally, we would set out to volunteer somewhere or visit a new restaurant. I didn't want the ladies to be bored with the same routine every month.
So why not meet at this new apartment? Well, we could. It has so much more room in the living room to house everyone. There is a courtyard in front of the building where we could sit and have our gathering. Yet, I have my reservations. One, they may not like travelling such a distance. Two, if they traveled the distance, they may want to stay longer. The gathering is already three to four hours long. Very rarely does my schedule allow the entire day.
There is more work involved when one holds a gathering. Nowadays, we have been meeting around 9 a.m. and that means I would have to get up very early to clean the place. Then prepare a light snack and drinks, usually an activity and then after they leave, it doesn't end for me. I have to clean once again. Then I wash every single item they have brought in and pack it for delivery. That Saturday ends up being an entire day for me, not just the few hours we are together.
I know that it may sound selfish, but my life has grown busier. No matter if any of the ladies show up or not, I still have to prepare as if they are. Last month, no one showed up and that's fine. I rearranged my day at the last minute and kept going. It does however, make it difficult when we are scheduled to be somewhere like a Women's Breakfast or a volunteer opportunity. Places like that require a headcount in advance or reservation. It has become very difficult to schedule an event, because I am unsure how many will actually show up.
So. . . . I've decided to continue to gather at public places such as Cafes, Bakeries, Restaurants and any volunteer opportunities that don't require a set amount of people. This way, if they don't show up, I can still have an outing with my mom. I have been bringing her with me to all of these gatherings, which she enjoys. I've also decided to change the date, not always, but sometimes to meet on a different Saturday.
Let's see how it goes. Who knows, we might just end up at my apartment one of these days.
Have a blessed day everyone.
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