Marsha

Since I am semi-retired, I have a great deal of time on my hands.  Three days a week I watch grandchildren for my two with kids, two days a week I am flat on my lips recovering from the grandchildren the day before, as an average - one day a week I get to see a friend, one day a week I volunteer to help older people (think elderly, hospital, doctors, etc), and the final day I use doing projects at home - and am I ever so far behind the curve on that one - even my projects have projects!

So, two weeks ago I am driving an elderly couple to see their doctor in Seattle.  Both in their late eighties and both are a real hoot to be around!  I love their stories from the "good old days" and I think they like having someone to talk with.  The woman turns to me, hitting me on the arm in her adorable way and says, "I heard someone named Marsha in your church has cancer.  Do you know her?"

My mind had to race there.  I really only know maybe a dozen women by sight at the church and none of them personally.  The married ones stay away, whom I would feel safe around, and the others have no use for at all for tall, dark and European.  Even the barracuda whom I have mentioned in the past stays away - I am just too different (?) - unless her bicycle breaks down and then I get a sobbing phone call.  And the same really goes for the guys as well, Kris is just too odd.  I guess...

But, I could think of two Marsha's in the church, one of them the cleaning lady, whom also runs the children's church area.  But, although I may say hi to that Marsha, I really do not know much about her, much less the other one I have never said hi to.  And I see the cleaning lady often at church, so I know it is not her.

Having no clue on this subject and hearing no rumors floating, I just wrote off the question - there probably is an answer, it just will not be ever known by me!  And if it is the unknown Marsha, well mute point, I do not actually know her.

Saturday was bazaar day here in the south-end of Seattle.  School gyms, lunchrooms, Masonic Halls, community centers all hosting craft bazaars.  I do enjoy going and seeing what other artists are doing and in hopes of encouraging me to get out of the artist funk I am in - year three.

At one of the schools, I came across cleaning woman Marsha, with part of her family, we said hi and I moved on - just normal.  I accept non-existence well, she is Norwegian and vocal concerning Germans and besides her husband is a manual laborer and I think I am not liked by him because I think too much rather than grab a hammer and pound on something!  He is really good at pounding on things.

I had walked about ten feet when some of the women on the opposite side of the table were commenting at how horrible it was that Marsha has colon cancer and it is not going well.  Well, that stopped me in my tracks.

For me to say hi to you, is to not be polite, it is to acknowledge you.  The lack of any conversation is at best normal for me.  I can write volumes and say barely two words.  I was stunned that no one would tell anyone in our church about this!  That none of her kids would say anything.  That this church where deceitful gossip and outright lies have no problem circulating can not even acknowledge that one of our own is dying.

Really?!?!?!?!?

It just sickens me.  Today is a Seahawks (football) game day, horrible attendance because everyone is positioning themselves in front of their TV and no one could even think to hold a prayer session for this woman?

Her son asked me one time whom the greatest Christian was in the church.  I told him that it was his mother.  He was stunned.  I reminded him that even if she got paid to clean the church twice a week - it was still a testimony just to be willing to do it!  I would probably opt for using a flame thrower on the girls toilet!

Yeah, I think highly of her because she took the lowest of positions - does an outstanding job at that, to support the activities and direction of the Church.  And, I think she has done this for years!  And nobody helps her ever - other than her daughter on occasion.  That is the heart of service, that is the calling for each and everyone of us, to do the unlovely, to do the lowly, in quiet and without pretense or recognition.

Oh yeah, she will be rewarded in Heaven for her servitude while the millions whom have clamored for status, position and wealth in this sick generation will be lucky to reach Heaven with their backsides on fire!  So, you want to be a servant of God?  Think of the multitudes of Marsha's out there, unknown, unappreciated, unacknowled.

Take a moment this week and figure out a neat way to say thank you to the real Christian leader/witness/worker in your church; and remember that "imitation is the sincerest form of compliment"  (charles caleb colton) ...