Fiddly Bits

[I have been trying for weeks to publish this post but for some reason Blogger wouldn't allow it. But here it is now]

I complained to several people today that I get tired of the bits and pieces, the fiddly bits. Some day it seems like I can't do anything straight forward for I have to do something else to complete my intended task, or several other things. Today it was signing up for PayPal for AAANZ so that folks could register and pay online for our January conference. AAANZ's president had registered for his business and it only took a few minutes, not so for me.

Because we are a not-for-profit organization, I have to find and provide proof that we have that status from some authoritative source. I also had to provide a posted bank statement. But, I am not the treasurer so don't have those at my fingertips. I had to write someone else and have one sent to me.

To top it off. Our internet server kept going off line at most inopportune moments. which reminded me that I needed to pick up a new filter for the phone line.

I asked myself (and God). "What am I to learn from this?" After some reflection I came up with a few ideas...

1. I am such a westerner and expect things to work well and to happen when I want them to. I had to remember that I am spoit and most folks have to wait much more than I ever have.

2. I had to 'do' other things while I waited. I talked across the fence to our neighbour, looked for the possible koala or possum that tramped across our roof around 1 am last night, watered my plants, or typed to my niece in America on Facebook. I need to 'be' more and enjoy little spaces for God's gifts to appear.

3. I want to accomplish BIG things, while often it is the little things that make an impact.

4. I am glad that God did fiddly bits like create tiny things (my compost worms) that reduce my food scrapes into usable bits for my 'plants that will be'. Another tiny thing is delicate flowers in bloom in my back yard.

5. While I was complaining, Mark was painting our elderly neighbour's dormer. Our neighbour had fallen from his ladder while trying it before. He had also broken ribs, his wrist and had a concussion. (Mark also glued and painted my rocking chair and our entryway)

I am sure that God has more to teach me about 'bits and pieces' and that I will have many more spaces to 'learn' such things.