Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Hey, You out there...are YOU a Need-Meeter?

The last few days and even last week have been such a hustle and bustle of activity and excitement for us. Haywood will never be the same. And I am here reporting the events from the blue chair donning my blue robe as well.

I am still amazed at my new sewing machine, and even more amazed that I found all of the parts and doo-dads that went to my friend's machine so that I could give it back to her! Joel just happened to mention at 10 Sat. night that she would like her sewing machine back if possible by Sunday morning, SOoooooooooooooo here we flew around the house gathering things and cleaning everything with precision. I put the 2 inch seam-ripper into it's place with total pride knowing that I had lost that silly thing a dozen times and found it again after much consternation!

And worst thing is, I cannot pry Abby off of the NEW machine long enough for me to keep going on Easter dresses for the girls. She really amazed me let me tell ya! I showed her the parts, how to thread it, yada yada yada. Then after watching her sew 20 or so lines, some straight some zig-zag, I left her to take a nap on the couch. When I woke up, she was sitting in the chair at the table by the machine...ASLEEP! I woke her up mostly out of fear that something was wrong, and she cooly informed me that,"I made you and Dad a present," and was so excited to give it to us she wanted to stay there until I woke up where she then fell asleep. (!!!!!!) Surely this sweetness comes from MY side of the family, right? Rousing and getting ready to "OOO" and "AHHH" over two pieces of material "gifted" together I unwrapped my "gift." To my amazement she had written "MOM" diagonally on her material in a zig-zag stitch! Um....wow. It was cool, and I began thinking that she was maybe ready for bigger and better things......SEW.....I have not been sewing.......SHE has. And to see how happy it makes a curly-headed 7 year old to hear the "whirl" of the machine is enough to convince me to postpone the Easter dresses for a little while longer.

Being a "Need-Meeter" is really just preferring someone above yourself. We all know someone who is good at it, (and please, please, please, let someone in my church think it is ME....... ) remembering that you were looking for that one thing, or really enjoy that type of candy.....and delighting you with it just when you had almost forgotten about it. I will give you a fun illustration......

I make the Nursery schedule for our church which used to cause me great consternation. You Nursery Coordinators out there know what I mean....."I can only work in the Nursery the second Wednesday in months beginning with the letter 'M'".....and so on it goes. Sometimes when people are asking me requests regarding the Nursery I wish I could just look into their eyes and say, "You do realize that right now I cannot even remember what I made for dinner last night, don't you? " I had to come to the point that you cannot please everyone and I would do better to just finally realize that. But along with the frustration, comes the benefit of being able to schedule yourself with whomever you please. There are many ladies whom I just love to try to be an encouragement to, and so I began scheduling myself with them each month, concentrating on them, and meeting maybe even a small need they have. Since I am usually scheduled twice a month, I have the first appointment to pick-their-brain, so to speak, and the second meeting with them to fill that need.

My first lady is so sweet I just love her to death. We are alike in a lot of ways, and those talks over stinky diapers and spit up somehow break down walls and allow you to have some really wonderful conversation with whomever you have "cornered." :) So our first turn in the Nursery she mentioned a specific juice drink that she treated herself to over the Christmas holidays. It was expensive, she noted, and just loved it and it was just such a treat for her. Mental note...."GET FANCY JUICE." So we laughed enjoyed ourselves and I left hoping to all hope that I could find this juice. And I did. And the hardest thing was to see her, AND this juice and not get the two of them together until our next Nursery scheduling at the end of the month! But alas I made it, and even had my husband excited about the surprise! He went to the store for me on Sat. and bought, not ONE fancy juice, but TWO of them! One for her and I! (side note on Joel here. Seriously if "lavishness" is the language of love, then he can fluently speak it!!) I kept them in the fridge until Sunday morning, smiling at them as I opened the fridge throughout the afternoon. Sunday morning I had them packed away in one of my dozens of bags (I LOVE BAGS...not purses....BAGS. Have to share more of that later...) and covered them up so as not to be seen. Joel stopped me on our way to Sunday School and said, "Oh no, did you forget the juice??" I smiled and patted my bag. WE.WERE.EXCITED. All over juice. Yes it can even happen to you friends.

All through Sunday school I had to tap my foot or nails on something to disperse excited energy. And then we met in the Nursery. And "Tada" out came two sparkling Styrofoam cups and two chilled bottles of "Ze Zspecial Zuce." Mental note...." CHECK MARK!" And if you think that a simple gift like this cannot possibly make someone THAT happy, not only to GIVE it, but RECEIVE it......don't tell the three of us......we must not know any better. A good time was had by all, and wouldn't ya know that Hubby himself even stopped by the Nursery door just to see my sweet friend's reaction......and sample a cup himself! :)

WARNING: Once you start looking to meet the needs of others, you will see numerous opportunities open up before you. And meeting needs is kindov like eating Lay's potato chips.......(c'mon now you KNEW there would be a food reference from this expectant woman now didn't you????) I bet you can't "meet" just one! Kindov relates to Kix cereal as well....."Try it..you'll like it!"

I was sitting in the crisp white Clinique chair at the mall yesterday chatting with the woman who was showing me how to apply make-up. I know those of you who have seen me with too much purple eye shadow on lately were wondering..... She is sweet and we are just about the same age, which though it should have been embarrassing for me, wasn't. As we began talking, the subject of marriage, one of my favorite subjects came up! We began talking and I introduced her to "The 5 Love Languages." She listened as I explained each one, making sure to tell her what one I hold as MY love language, illustrating that that was why my Hubby came to the mall with all 5 hoodlums WITH ME, so that I could get my make-over. So we could have some "Quality Time." She kept mentioning that she just had to get that book. Mental note......"GET BOOK."

Yes, this time it is someone I hardly know, but it is still a need that I CAN fill. And what a better way to begin to introduce her to the Creator of Marriage itself, then with this opportunity. So this will have to be continued as I am meeting with my make-up lady again on Friday for our Couple's Retreat. I may not have everything ready for it, but hey I will at least look like I do! :)

So.......you know what to do. Meet a need. Listen when your daughter says, "Mom I would really like to......" or when Hubby comments, "Boy a cup of that tea we used to have sure sounds good." And try, just try not to get that "kid in a candy store" feeling and a foolish grin. I dare you.

1 comment:

  1. Boy oh boy..do I ever know what you are talking about! I too am the nursery coordinator and put that wonderful nursery schedule together every month! I like your ideas for encouraging others. That is something God has really put on my heart lately..be a builder...I enjoy your blog!

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