I have never been a fan of the first two weeks of January.The Christmas festivities are past:Youth Party, Church-wide Christmas Program and Party, Bible and "Jesus" Film Give-Away at the open-air market, Christmas Eve Celebration.December was a busy month, but I love the hubbub and the hoopla that surround celebrating our Savior's birth.I love getting Christmas cards, letters, and e-mails from people I don't even know (almost like the "Rhinestone Cowboy") and hearing about where you live and how you're celebrating Christmas.Of course, cards and letters from people we do know are equally special!I love the anticipation on Luke's and Ben's face in the days leading up to Christmas and their big smiles as they open the gifts they'd hoped for on Christmas morning.

But, here I sit in January.The kids went back to school this morning, and that's a sure sign that I need to get back into my routine.There is a Bible study to prepare for Wednesday night, a sermon to prepare for Sunday, and, of course, a January journal article to write.Preaching, leading Bible studies, teaching Sunday School for children, and the preparation for these things…these are the routine tasks of our work.We say "routine", but is there anything about any of those things that is routine?

Yesterday, in Sunday School, we focused…or tried to focus…on the 23rd Psalm.I shifted Charlotte (2) from one knee to the other and tried to discourage her from eating her purple Crayon while Luke (10), Ben (8), and Michael (11) looked at me in total exasperation and demanded to know why we would want our heads to be anointed with oil.Cederic (4) and Davy (5) discussed loudly their plans to draw shoes and houses instead of sheep.I took a deep, cleansing breath (that old Lamaze trick) and tried to think of how my friend Deb would use this teaching moment.

Then I realized that some Sunday School teacher in my childhood in some "routine" Sunday School lesson was probably the first to help me understand the 23rd Psalm.I thought about how many times the psalm has come to my mind and given me comfort and challenged me to faithfulness in difficult moments.I was struck with a real desire to help these children get to know the psalm, not just to keep them busy until the adults were done in the worship service downstairs.

Missionary work.Jim and I aren't faced with tsunami survivors or people who are malnourished or illiterate or living in oppressing circumstances.Our work is more like the work you probably do in your own church.We just do it in another country and in another language.Like you, we seek to be faithful in the routine things, knowing that God can turn something routine into something extraordinary.

"Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long." Psalms 25: 4-5

Please pray with us for:

-Belgian volunteers to help with camp this summer

-A friend of Monica's who has two children and comes regularly to our services

-World Mission Offering giving results for 2004 and possible missionary recalls

Your fellow servant,

Debbie Kelsey (along with Jim, Luke and Ben)