Our retired life plans involved RV life and travel. The opportunity to combine that with volunteer work at various faith based organizations across the country presented itself shortly after retirement. And it seemed like the perfect fit.

For the group we joined, you fill out paper work and enumerate the skills you possess that might be utilized as a volunteer. Uh, yeah. Are you surprised that my skill sheet was pretty blank? I was a Radiology tech for my entire working career. There’s not an app for that, or perhaps I could use my cell phone to radiograph body parts while volunteering.

But the hubby and I eagerly headed out on our first project which turned out to be great fun and a lot of work. The man has skills. Mad skillz. And what did I do? I wore a hard hat and helped with demo work on a construction project. Let’s be honest, I picked up scraps and hauled them to a dumpster outside a building. We loved that project so much we signed up for the very next month. Yes!! We did!

Over the years we’ve been to several projects and my skill sheet now has expanded quite impressively. Well, I cannot lie. I’ve added folding sheets and shredding documents along with picking up trash.

One later project especially stands out in my mind, though. This facility has gorgeous grounds and lots of landscape work opportunity. On one particular day I found myself working alongside a local woman who was helping out at the facility as we pulled weeds and trimmed vegetation. Just the two of us. She was around my age, and we worked well together. I found myself doing something I rarely do. I didn’t talk a lot. Yes, I know that shocks you if you know me at all. We spent three hours together and I listened to her story. I intently listened to her tell about her childhood and young adulthood which involved such trauma that my heart was breaking and tears were on my cheeks. Hers, too.

We didn’t accomplish very much gardening work during those three hours. But there was no doubt in my mind that I had been doing exactly what God needed me to do that day. I listened, I cried, I hugged her and prayed with her. I will not forget her.

Back to that first project we were on. In our first meeting with the camp coordinator he told us there is no such thing as aging out of serving. We will always be useful in the kingdom of God, he said. The pastor who first encouraged us to look into RV volunteer ministry explained that all one needs is a servant heart. It’s all about love, people.

What you can be is more important than what you can do. In whatever you do, be used by God. Because honestly, it doesn’t matter what type of physical skill you possess, if your heart is elsewhere and your mind distracted and your attitude toxic….you’re wasting your time. In fact, you are likely doing more harm than good for the kingdom of God.

Now my man? He’s the perfect combination of skills and heart!!!

Loving Jesus….Loving others