Surviving the Mundane
MESSAGE FROM  NACFM PRESIDENT GARY ROBINSON

As I pulled into work a few mornings ago, I noticed weeds growing around a curb in the parking lot. Something about those weeds frustrated me. How dare they pop up now. How rude! Don’t they know I have a pandemic to deal with? Later in the day, I got a call from a pastor saying his key will not open a door. His key has opened that lock for years, but not today. Why today? Doesn’t that lock know that I must scour the globe looking for disinfecting wipes? Sound familiar?

For those of you that know me, you know that I am normally an easy-going guy. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. The real issue was not the pandemic. The shortage of disinfecting wipes is an inconvenience, but not the end of the world. Everyday life must go on, pandemic or not. I was being attacked by the “mundane.” This is a familiar enemy to all of us. We all have those repetitive tasks that consume our time and thoughts. It could be the weeds that still grow in the parking lot after being sprayed with weed killer multiple times. We all have that one light fixture that seems to need a new bulb every couple of months. It never seems to end. I realize that these irritants provide job security, but there are days when that is not much comfort.

I enjoy new projects that come to completion and provide benefits to our members. I can take pride in those accomplishments. In the last several months, we have painted many areas of the church. It feels great to see how much better those areas look. It energizes me when people notice your efforts and express their appreciation. We soak that up, but the fact is that most of what we do goes unnoticed. The mundane is just a big part of our job.

The same day I had my meltdown over the weeds, I spoke to a good friend on the phone. She is a single mom with several kids. After our conversation, I felt so guilty for the feelings I had experienced that morning. A normal day for her is filled with mountains of laundry, piles of dishes, mowing grass and so on. And that is after working a full day. Talk about the mundane, she made my day seem like a walk on the beach and yet she expressed feelings of thankfulness and being blessed. What a wake-up call!

Proverbs 31:27-31 (NIV)
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.