Tonight, I did something I have never done before; I put my very own minutes on my very own pre-paid cell phone. It felt good! That won't mean much unless you read the entry below, from August 5, 2009.
I dodged a bullet. Yesterday, the contract on my pre-paid cell phone was to expire. One of the few holdouts in an increasingly cellular world, I use Tracfone which allows me to have a phone for emergencies. You buy cards which add minutes to your phone and extends your service for three months as well. So, each year, I have to buy four cards even if I don't use all the minutes which, I admit, I am protective of. It's not a great deal in terms of price per unit- each minute costs over 20 cents. But, in terms of special situations, it's priceless. That brings me back to the bullet I dodged. I don't know how to add the minutes. The only person who ever does it is Chelsey, my student teacher aide. She was at church camp last week and I missed her Sunday morning at worship. Fortunately, I caught her coming into Sunday night services and she updated my cell. I'm now good until November 4 of this year. Then, Miss Chelsey's services will be required once more.
There is a problem coming down the road for me. Chelsey has been my student aide for years now but on May 21, 2010, she will join the ranks of high school graduates and head off to college. I've told Jan and Odilo, her folks who also work at WCS, that there are times when Chelsey is the most important person in my life. During the school year, she takes care of so many things that would derail my day. She knows my procedures and requirements sometimes, I think, better than I know them myself. She handles the recording of grades, construction of bulletin boards, and the constantly changing decoration of my classroom. Because I trust her so implicitly, Chelsey has handled my billfold and checkbook as well as large amounts of cash collected during our Honduras orphanage fundraiser. Last year, I discovered another ability. When I wanted to donate clothes to our church outreach for the poor, Chelsey pressed all my pants; she's even good with an ironing board! And, lest I forget, she is also the captain of this year's Westbury Christian cheerleading squad! I'm tired of typing all this. Of course, when school starts, Chelsey would do the typing.
We all need a Chelsey in our life. I believe I'm good at what I do but Chelsey makes me better. That doesn't mean I can't fill the position she fills for me with someone else. We all perform more than one role in our relations to others. I'm not advocating dependency, just an acknowledgement of those who allow us to be more effective. Paul did that with Timothy. In bragging on his apprentice to the church in Phillippi, Paul simply states, "I have no one else like him.." By changing the him to her, I can say the same about Chelsey. I was talking to Carrie Chilcoat, Chelsey's cheerleading coach, and telling her about writing this entry. I told Carrie one thing that Chelsey does that few kids in our congregation do is that she sits with her mom and dad during worship services. Little things like that impress me. I bet it's not little to Jan and Odilo. They're going to miss Chelsey when she's gone but I can help soften the blow- I have 327.5 minutes left on my Tracfone. They can thank their daughter for that.
Applicable quote of the day:
"To be happy in this world, first you need a cell phone and then you need an airplane. Then you're truly wireless.”
Ted Turner
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
Steve
Luke 18:1
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
1 comment:
Chelsey sounds really special. You're blessed to have her around. :)
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