This morning as we were getting ready to leave this church and move back to Osijek, we were cleaning up all the painting areas that we have established over the week. As we were doing this there was a flat piece of cardboard that Jennifer picked up and was moving ever so carefully to the stack of cardboard to be taken outside. Wanting to help, but not noticing the delicateness of the situation, I grabbed one corner of the box and sent debris sliding recklessly off the box and making a huge mess in the sanctuary that we were trying to clean up.
I apologized and said something about my responsibility to clean it up and Jennifer in her graciousness said something about how we were going to have to sweep the whole room anyway. I wasn’t too upset about the mess, just really frustrated that in my earnest desire to help, I had failed and made things worse for myself and for my team. So I headed downstairs to grab the broom. I found it and started sweeping in the corner nearest the basement, the exact opposite corner from the mess I had made (my plan was to make my way across the sanctuary, which is what eventually happened). While I was sweeping in that corner though, I looked up and saw Matthew sweeping up the huge mess that I had made.
What?! NO! That was my mess. I was supposed to clean it up. It was my responsibility. What was he thinking? He should not have to clean that up and he was robbing me of the opportunity to take responsibility for myself.
