Big Girl Panties

Something about myself that I've recognized before, but that has been made even more obvious to me over this past week is that I like to be in the middle of things. It's not a need to be the center of attention really, but a need to be (a) in the know and (b) to feel a part of a group. I think that's a large part of why I enjoy taking on leadership roles so much. Being a leader pretty much implies that you are leading a group of something - so that meets requirement b. And if the leaders don't know what's going on - then who does, thus meeting requirement a.

Late last week five of the people living in the house took off to Ohio to do disaster relief work in the areas that have experienced heavy flooding. It was really last minute - and as much as I wanted to go, I realized I had to stay here and continue training. Needless to say I was really bummed about being left behind and missing out on the opportunity to serve in disaster relief. I almost had myself a little pity-party. However, as I like to say, I put my big girl panties on and had an attitude check. The others were needed there and I needed to stay here. I have nine more months of being part of the group - it would be okay!! And it's not like I was left completely behind either...there have been 4-6 other people here the whole time. Not only that, but I had the chance over the weekend to really help a local family in need.

Saturday morning five of us helped a man in the community finish building a wheelchair ramp for a mother and her two children. Her son is 11 years old has been recently diagnosed again with leukemia. Not only that, but he has some other developmental disabilities. At one point the thirteen year old daughter tried to commit suicide due to the emotional stress in the family. The wheel chair ramp is for the son who is able to go to school twice a week, but is unable to negotiate the stairs from his trailer in his wheelchair.

That morning, between learning how to use an electric drill, screwdriver, and table saw, I was grateful that I had stayed behind and wasn't in the middle of the big operation in Ohio, but in the middle of the small, but so necessary task here.