This week, I did a thing…
Actually it really all started last month…after I made a suggestion to our church that we should try utilizing a virtual meal sign-up list for sick/needy members. The idea came from a website that my boys’ school uses to allow parents to sign up for different volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
Well, this week I got a call from one of our ladies asking me to implement this suggestion.
Wow, a golden opportunity to use my time and talents for the work of the Lord’s church!!! — I was excited and a little nervous at the same time…I’d never headed up something like this before and I didn’t know how many kinks I might run into or how it would all go.
To most, creating and managing a meal sign-up list may seem like a small endeavor (I know, I know, it’s not rocket science, right?), but let me tell you —for me, moving forward with this task meant getting out of my comfort zone BIG TIME and it felt like nothing short of “one small step for man, one giant leap for Kaylakind.” 😳😳😳🙏🙏🙏
The main reason for my trepidation was (and this may sound totally weird) talking to people over the phone is a HUGE anxiety trigger for me – like, I don’t even like calling in a pizza order unless I absolutely HAVE to. How did I even function before Papa Johns had an app?!!? 😱😂🤣
If you’re a member of the “thumb tribe,” I’m guessing you can relate…(and if you don’t know what that means, you’re probably not a millennial 😂)…according to Wikipedia, the term “Thumb Tribe” is a slang phrase that refers to “the younger generation…who are more adept at texting using their thumbs than talking on the phone.”
While my phone-a-phobia started way before texting was ever invented, the modern advent of apps that allow you to communicate without dialing a single digit or uttering even a word has certainly enabled me to remain the absolute basket case I am today. 🤣
But this week, I fought back those demons and I made several phone calls to members of our church to get this thing coordinated — it wasn’t easy, but it’s true, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
And in doing so, I actually feel I became a member of a completely different kind of “Thumb Tribe” this week — the “All Thumbs” Tribe. Let me explain…
You see…although things seemed to go pretty smoothly with the meal-list this week, inside I still felt like I was “all thumbs” with this thing. It was new, it was scary, and I just felt awkward and clunky at moments…and as I was trying to coordinate all the pieces, it kind of made me wonder, can I really do this?
But then I thought about how the Bible refers to the members of the church as the very body of Christ; Christ being the head of the church and the church is the body, with each of us individually being members of it. (I Corinthians 12:27)
So figuratively speaking, we are each the hands and feet of Christ — and that’s when it dawned on me.
Of course! Every body has a hand…and every hand has a thumb…👍
So maybe it’s no accident that I’ve been feeling “all thumbs”…maybe that’s exactly what I am supposed to be…I’m a just a big thumb!
And as awkward as it feels sometimes, maybe Christ needs me to keep being the thumb for the sake of the rest of the body…honestly, where would any of us be without an opposable thumb? 😉
And that’s where I’m leaving it tonight folks — whatever part of the body you are, embrace it, give the glory to God for it, and most of all…use it!
Because you know what happens when we don’t use our body parts on a regular basis? A contracture happens. A contracture is a medical term that refers to the permanent tightening of the muscles, tendons, skin, and nearby tissues that causes the joints to shorten and become very stiff, preventing normal movement of a joint or other body part. Contractures may be caused by injury, scarring, and nerve damage, or by not using the muscles. (Definition from cancer.org)
So there you go, like they say —if you don’t use it, you lose it.
And as awkward as it may feel – I’d much rather use it than lose it —especially when it comes to my soul. It’s of no use just sitting around twiddling your thumbs anyway.
Until next time…
-PWAP