Aching for Community

by Jeff Tunnell

My body is sore & tired, my heart is lifted and joyful!  Our Elders, Joe & Linda have recently closed their glass business and are approaching retirement.  Multiple years of inventory, tools and storage had accumulated in their shop and the Lord provided a new tenant for leasing their building.  This came sooner than expected so that meant moving everything out and cleaning and, and, and… by the 1st of next month!!!

Joe had heart surgery last July and could not perform the work himself.  Linda faced this huge project alone, asked for a little help and  here’s what she wrote on Facebook at the end of the day:

“It isn’t often that I am overwhelmed and speechless but today was one of those days. I posted a request for help to clean out our shop. I was hoping for 4 or 5 muscles to show up. I never expected 21 of you! The job was overwhelming to me and by 3:00 today it was done. This is what community is all about! It felt like an old fashioned barn raising! I love you all. When I told Joe, big tears rolled down his cheeks. Tomorrow we have a lot to worship God for.”

As we gathered around a well-worn work bench that day, eating tacos picked up by a close friend, the question was posed, “What is the message we are seeing and hearing here today?”  Responses came quickly, “this is love in action” “community” “bearing one another’s burdens” “fulfilling the law of Christ”.  We shared the work, the food and the joy!  A potentially inundating task turned into a point of praise to God and life to the body of Christ.  Every time I feel an aching muscle twinge, I smile.  Joyful sacrifice brings a reminder of Hebrews 12:2.

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