Holding the Bag
Holding the Bag
June 2, 2010
By Geff Mastro
Raking leaves. An interesting ritual. Everyone does it, but I often
wonder whether it does any good. After you place them into the pile at the
edge of the curb, the wind blows half of them back anyway. Even if you get the
entire yard cleaned and the big vacuum machine, as we call it, comes
and "sucks them away," somehow there seem to be just as many leaves the
day after. My father has almost an acre of land that I�ve helped him rake
many times. Yet when we go back on the following weekend it's hard to tell
anyone was even there.
So there we were, our two youngest girls and I, raking leaves on a
cool spring evening. Why in the spring? Because I never did it in the fall
like I was supposed to. I'd like to say this was due to my being too busy
spending quality time with my family, though more than likely it was because I
procrastinated.
The youngest was riding her Big Wheel up and down the street while
Daddy raked leaves and odd garbage items into the trash. Meanwhile, the
third-born made a nice pile that she could jump into. The trashcan filled up
quickly, so I went and got a few bags to load up.
'Emma, come on over and help me by holding the bag' I called.
She protested gently, saying, 'Daddy, I want to do something big.'
I calmly and coolly responded, 'Sweetheart, sometimes it's the little
things in life that are the most important.'
My mind contemplated those words as we finished our work. Many of us
want to do big things like make big money, have a big ministry, or live in a
big house. But truly, the little things to us are often what God considers
important. In fact, one of the criteria He uses to separate those who
get into heaven from those who don't is how they handle the 'little'
things like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and caring for the sick.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you
did for me' (Matthew 25:40, NIV).
I pray that when I stand before Him, He says to me, 'Good job holding
that bag for your Father!'
Geff Mastro lives in a Burlington County, N.J., and is a licensed
counselor and school psychologist. He attends Fountain of Life Center
(AG)
in Florence, N.J.
---------------------------------------- --------------------
The Evangel is only a click away.
Check out the magazine's latest issue, audio files and blog entries at
view link
Copyright � 2010 Gospel Publishing House
You are receiving this message as a subscriber to the Daily Boost,
presented
by the Pentecostal Evangel.
June 2, 2010
By Geff Mastro
Raking leaves. An interesting ritual. Everyone does it, but I often
wonder whether it does any good. After you place them into the pile at the
edge of the curb, the wind blows half of them back anyway. Even if you get the
entire yard cleaned and the big vacuum machine, as we call it, comes
and "sucks them away," somehow there seem to be just as many leaves the
day after. My father has almost an acre of land that I�ve helped him rake
many times. Yet when we go back on the following weekend it's hard to tell
anyone was even there.
So there we were, our two youngest girls and I, raking leaves on a
cool spring evening. Why in the spring? Because I never did it in the fall
like I was supposed to. I'd like to say this was due to my being too busy
spending quality time with my family, though more than likely it was because I
procrastinated.
The youngest was riding her Big Wheel up and down the street while
Daddy raked leaves and odd garbage items into the trash. Meanwhile, the
third-born made a nice pile that she could jump into. The trashcan filled up
quickly, so I went and got a few bags to load up.
'Emma, come on over and help me by holding the bag' I called.
She protested gently, saying, 'Daddy, I want to do something big.'
I calmly and coolly responded, 'Sweetheart, sometimes it's the little
things in life that are the most important.'
My mind contemplated those words as we finished our work. Many of us
want to do big things like make big money, have a big ministry, or live in a
big house. But truly, the little things to us are often what God considers
important. In fact, one of the criteria He uses to separate those who
get into heaven from those who don't is how they handle the 'little'
things like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and caring for the sick.
"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you
did for me' (Matthew 25:40, NIV).
I pray that when I stand before Him, He says to me, 'Good job holding
that bag for your Father!'
Geff Mastro lives in a Burlington County, N.J., and is a licensed
counselor and school psychologist. He attends Fountain of Life Center
(AG)
in Florence, N.J.
---------------------------------------- --------------------
The Evangel is only a click away.
Check out the magazine's latest issue, audio files and blog entries at
view link
Copyright � 2010 Gospel Publishing House
You are receiving this message as a subscriber to the Daily Boost,
presented
by the Pentecostal Evangel.
