Thursday is a great day for me.  I leave the house around 7AM to start a 30 miles trip for a pastors’ prayer meeting with a group of men and women who have become good friends and irreplaceable counselors.

Then once a month, I travel another 130 miles to our DeLand Special Gathering program.  I’ve called this the program that will not die.  Today we had 25 people attending.  Special Gathering is a ministry within the mentally challenged community.  Our mission is evangelizing and discipling people who are intellectually disabled.

Because the DeLand program–like most of our programs–met once a week for more than 10 years, it’s been hard to adjust to the monthly schedule.  However, today everyone seemed to be at ease and satisfied with what was presented.  One lady shouted from the audience to our praise and worship leader who was sitting down, “We love you, Susan.”  We promised her extra refreshments.

By the time, the program was over, I was floating somewhere on top of the furniture from joy.  Our members were eager to learn.  We laughed and enjoyed too much candy and popcorn for refreshment and loving on each other.

I drove back into my driveway at 7:30AM. And the tiredness hit me like a large brick.  Suddenly, I felt unable to move another inch.  I sat for a few minutes in the car before I gathered up my stuff and headed into the house to rustle up a meal.  Now, as I sit at my computer typing today’s blog entry, I’m only hoping to be able to finish before my eyes and mind close from exhaustion.

I remember the joy I felt only four hours ago and I know this is a good, end-of-the-day tired that brings satisfaction.  Steve Jobs, who died yesterday, said in a college commencement speech, that every day for 33 years, he got up, looked in the mirror and asked the question, “If this were the last day of my life, would I spend it as I’ve planned.”

Dead tired.  Every inch of my body is aching.  My breathing is shallow.  But as I look at the reflection of my day through the words being etched on the computer, I must answer Jobs’ question with a boisterous, “Yes!”  Sharing the gospel with a group of people who are eager to learn and delighted with life is the most compelling and rewarding thing anyone can do.

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to be able to do what I do.  Thank you for your calling on my life; and thank you for the people I have the honor to serve.