Ting-a-ling-a-linggg!

Morning, noon, and night, the tinkling of the little bell reaches every dusty corner of my home. Heart thumping, I leap to my feet and rush to answer her call.
 
Mom needs me.

Since she returned home early in February following her devastating strokes in December, my mother-in-law, who just celebrated her 97th birthday last week, has required constant care. We installed monitors all over the house so we can hear her wherever we are and know if she needs assistance. She only has to ring her nearby hand bell.

In the beginning of our new normal, the bell rang nearly nonstop. Twenty-four seven. Mom could do very little for herself. But as she has quite miraculously improved over the weeks and months, my summonses have become much less frequent. We are so grateful to our Father for her healing, for the strides she has made both cognitively and physically. What a blessing for her and for us.

But she still needs her bell. There are several things that are unsafe for her to do alone and other things she simply cannot do at all…much to her frustration and displeasure. She longs for her independence, hating to bother me so often. And to be honest, it is pretty often.
The bell is no respecter of my time or my activity. Unfinished naps, half taken showers, almost baked cookies, cliff-hanging TV shows…the bell dictates what I do and when. And it has to. Mom’s needs—and they are needs—must preempt anything else in my day. It’s what I signed up for. I am her caregiver.

So we were soaring with our LFA team toward Alaska a few weeks back. Kenny leaned over and held my hand. “I am so glad we are getting to go,” he smiled. Knowing the remote location of our mission, no cell services, no Starbucks, no convenience stores, he asked if I was going to miss anything over the next ten days or so.

“I don’t know if I will miss anything,” I replied, “But I know for sure I won’t miss that bell!” We both laughed. A much needed “vacation” from the bell.

Arriving in Port Alsworth the next morning, sleepless for hours, amazed at the pristine beauty surrounding Tanalian Bible Camp, we were warmly greeted by the staff. I was especially excited because my grandson, Matt, and his lovely bride, Abi, are part of the ministry there and I knew I would soon get to hug them. We were encouraged to eat a delicious breakfast they had prepared for us and to go rest for the morning in our bunks. We were thrilled. But then Christy, one of our hosts, added, “The next event in your day will be lunch. Please come back here when you hear the bell.”

What?? The bell? Are you kidding me?

Another bell.

I can’t get away from them.

Another bell was going to rule my life in Alaska.

All week, each meal, each wake up, each activity, each chapel, literally everything began with the clanging of a very LARGE, very LOUD bell, a bell right outside our bedroom window.

I just can’t make these things up.

So Kenny and I laughed again. This time, with a little less humor.

Regardless of the bell, it was an incredibly busy, fruitful week of ministry at the camp. Our team was hardworking, diligent, engaging, faithful, loving, and fun—despite some “little foxes” that persisted in trying to steal our joy and distract us from our mission. These foxes included sickness, exhaustion, loneliness, homesickness, sore muscles, isolation, discomfort, cold showers, helplessness, emotional overload, and other sneaky enemies sent to thwart us in our ministry to the precious campers God had entrusted to us.

But our Father was merciful and gracious. He is the ultimate fox slayer. Through the power of His Spirit, with the encouragement and prayers of one another and our church family back home, He granted victory. The team fought valiantly. I watched a selfless group of beautiful and capable ambassadors for Living Faith Alliance Church and for the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, finish well.  
 
I think they (we) all left a bit of their (our) hearts and a whole lot of Jesus in the rugged and remote villages of Southwest Alaska.

Well done, team.

The last Sunday at camp, during the sort-of outdoor church service, the local pastor was preaching. Truthfully, I was a bit distracted. Two majestic eagles caught my eye as they winged their way overhead in the cloudless blue sky. But I heard the pastor thanking folks in the village of Port Alsworth for praying for Camp and I immediately refocused my attention. “So many of us in the community hear the bell ringing out each day and it reminds us to pray for what God is doing there at Tanalian Bible Camp in the lives of precious, vulnerable children that have come from all over Alaska to learn about Jesus and the hope that He alone can give them.”

My daughter, Camp nurse for the week, poked me. “Did you catch that? Redeem the bell, Mom,” she whispered. “Every time you hear it at home, pray for one of your grandkids as you are going in to help Mom Mom.”

Hmmmm, what a great idea.  

Why hadn’t I thought of that?

I think I’ll try it…

So each time I hear its tinkling now, I will train myself to remember to use it as a prayer prompter. While its immediate call is for me to use my strength in the physical realm to meet Mom’s needs, it also will call me to use my strength in the spiritual realm to battle for the hearts of my grandkids, their very great need. If the bell rings often enough, I can pray for lots of other things as well! Important things like Living Faith Alliance Church and Tanalian Bible Camp.

Isn’t it just like our Father to take the ordinary, mundane circumstances of our lives and beautifully transform them into useful, worshipful moments spent in His very Presence? Moments spent interceding with faith and hope on behalf of my dear family and others?

I don’t need to go to Alaska to be about that mission.

I can be busy about my Father’s business right here in Pittsgrove, NJ.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
(Ephesians 5:15,16 KJV)