Sitting...

On Monday, I spent four hours from 8 am until 12 noon sitting in my dentist's chair while Bernie, the dental hygenist, scraped the roots of my teeth. Yes, scraped the roots of my teeth. I am not a good brusher, hate flossing, and haven't seen Ed, the dentist, or Bernie in 3 years. I don't know if it was meant to be punishment for the lack of dental care I am giving myself or if it is the consequence of said lack of actions. Any way I brought along the iPod and listened to music that would calm and get my mind away. What did I choose? A little James Taylor, a little Bruce Hornsby, a little Joan Baez and a lot of Secret Garden. They took my mind away. Secret Garden took me to a different world not without pain but where all there was was pain. It was interesting that this pain caused me to focus. I was aware of it for the entire four hours. Yes, I got a local which did a lot to block the pain. Ed perscribed some Valium but I was 4 minutes late to the pharmacy to be able to get. So I had to be there a cappella.

On Tuesday, I sat in Rick's office with Ginny, the Business Administrator, and Rick, the Executive Director, discussing and putting together the budget for 2005. We had to carve out $57,000.00 to make the budget balance. There was no drilling, just carving. My mind did a lot of wandering. I should have brought in Secret Garden to take me away but I had to focus. It was hard to focus without pain. Like last year when it came to the final moments and we had to cut, I focused - I felt the pain then.

What are we going to accomplish with this money. The same old, same old or would there be something new? Do we have to spend more to accomplish something new? Or do we reallocate our resources for this new work that God is doing?

Reallocate. Do it for less. Focus on what He is doing not on what we are not going to do.

Bernie had to spend her four hours in a small area 5 square inches working on my mouth without Secret Garden playing in her ears causing healing to my system. I hurt but she was bored. We need healing to our system, not so that we can spend more money but do what needs to be done.

Kind of like the motto of the Marines... Simplify!