Playing Catcher
Someone recently suggested that I include my own bio on the list of staff that I’ve been compiling for the last couple of weeks. Where do I start?
As a kid, I played fastpitch softball. (Softball is for sissies, but fastpitch is the real thing!) It was in those seven years that I believe God was preparing me for my role as a pastor’s wife. Being a catcher is like playing all the positions at the same time, but staying in one place. You get foul balls, pop flies, you’re a baseman, there are line drives, you make the pitcher better if you make the right calls, you keep the ump happy, and with the right padding, you can get hit pretty hard and still be OK. A great catcher is very fast and can throw all the way to second base with a surprising speed and accuracy. If something gets past you, it could very well cost you the game and there’s no one around to rescue you. Although a catcher is part of the team, they are also very clearly playing their own game just outside the bounds of the field.
And that pretty much sums up my life in ministry. I love my role, although it includes such a variety of jobs that it can leave me reeling. I’m definitely on the team, but just slightly outside of the bounds. I do my best to make the pitcher look good, I can take a hit better than most, and not too many things get by me.
I try very hard to hide my fierce determination because when it comes out, it tends to scare small children. I can easily accept someone elses failure, but I can’t tolerate my own. I need people around me to do what they are great at because that is when I’m most comfortable. Whiners and those who spend more time complaining than working absolutely drive me nuts.
I am blessed to have a church that doesn’t make me feel like I have to be something I’m not. I’m never going to be on the worship team, play the piano, bake cookies for the women’s bazaar, or wear a broach. Nor am I good at saying all of the right things. No comments necessary on that one…
The thing that gets me up in the morning is to watch people’s dreams come true. I want you to be incredible and if I can help, I’ll pretty much bleed to make it happen. I love people…a lot. I spend my extra thought time trying to figure out how to get you involved in the bigger picture of doing something great for God. I ask for updated church directories frequently so that I can go through each name and take inventory of where you are fitting in. If you’re not, I want to know about it, but don’t tell me unless you want a new ministry.
Most importantly I love God. I love His Bible. I love the job that He’s given me. I’m doing my best to please Him and “catch” as many people as I can for the kingdom of God.