Paige, how was your month?
One word: Sweaty.
It was sweaty and a miraculous thing happened in my life, I showered.
I would like to thank my family for two things before I begin the WHY behind this post. First, thank you P children for being a bunch of complainers, you make my teammates easy to work with because at least they know how to keep the grumbles internal. Second, grandpas, Dad, and boy thank you for always pushing me to be someone who finishes projects instead of working towards a time limit, I owe you on that one.
Every day this month from the hours of 7am to about 11am my team worked outside in the blistering heat. Average temperature was about 90-100 degrees each day, which is normal weather for me to be relaxing by the pool, NOT shoveling gravel and hauling dirt in my Chacos.
Together, my team bonded more this month than I ever thought imaginable. Not only were we creative in what we talked about when we were feeling talkative, but we really had to have faith in God with what He was showing us and in His timing too.
Whereas the gardens no plants were grown in the gardens we were finishing, a lot of things were grown in US this month:
-BELIEF in our team-believing the best in each other and that they are God’s favorites right alongside me.
-TRUST when someone needed a day off or break in the work. Trust that the person who had an out that day could support the team in a different way.
-BOLDNESS to speak up when one of us felt hurt, unheard, or misunderstood.
-DETERMINATION and DRIVE to not look for an excuse to finish work early and to take just as much pride in our work as God takes pride in us.
-PATIENCE.
-REST. Seeking it out, accepting it willingly, learning that it looks differently to each person on any given day.
And finally,
-HYDRATION. An emphasis on treating your body well in order for it to perform up to the standards you are asking of it.
Manual labor was the best thing for my team because it taught us that physical exhaustion is not an excuse to let bitterness, anger, or doubt take control of your heart. That justifying your righteousness with excuses or proof of what you accomplished in that day is not right or of God. That even when our bodies ache or our minds cannot think or our heart hurts we still choose to be like Jesus and fight for things like grace, purpose, forgiveness, and healing.
I cannot tell you that the sun was good for our team even though we are all gloriously sun-kissed but I can tell you that the physical aspect of us breaking down barriers in our lives made the good, greater.
Next time you need a heart or reality check go grab a shovel and spend some time talking to God, I promise you the more you furiously dig and scoop the more clear things become.
Love, Paige
PS. Pray for us because team changes happen in less than a week.
