A Delightful Invitation

Today my co-worker Shane told me that his wife got an invitation to be on the board of Pendergraph Women's Ministry. I have written about going to Pendergraph before. I appreciated the organization thoroughly and applied to be on the board next year after my first meeting. I didn't even know that Lana (Shane's wife) had applied, so I was jealous at once!

Then I came to my senses and ran to check my mail, where, I did indeed have a letter waiting for me that began: "Dear Gretchen, it is my pleasure to extend the invitation to you for the position of Hospitality on the Pendergraph Women's Ministry Board for the upcoming year!"

I was delighted! They wanted me! And Lana and I were both on the board, so I not only already knew someone there, but now I would for sure see Lana regularly, and I like her very much. Only later, reflecting on my invitation, did it don on me that it was pretty selfish of me to be jealous of Lana's good fortune in getting the position she wanted just because I didn't know if I were as fortunate. Pretty great friend, huh?

It's always a shocker when a tiny thing like that comes from your heart with no premeditation whatsoever. Last night in our small group we discussed the passage in Matthew 15 that says "what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart and this defiles a person". Yikes!

My prayer of repentance comes from the Valley of Vision:

Searcher of hearts
It is a good day to me when Thou givest me
a glimpse of myself.

Sin is my greatest evil
but Thou art my greatest good.