Where Shall I Work Today?

About 2 weeks ago I saw a post on Facebook.  It was asking for volunteers to help with a race (Doxa Threelay) that was coming up.  The message was from a girl that I visit teach.  I like to help out when I can, but I knew this request would probably take up part of a Saturday and I wasn't sure I wanted to help that much.  I talked it over with Ben and he told me he would support me in whatever decision I made.  As her visiting teacher I decided to volunteer.  About a week later I got an email telling me my assignment.  They wanted me to take a shift at exchange 33 near Cleveland, Utah where I would sit from 7:30 am until noon writing down the times of the runners as they finished that leg of the race.  I had no idea where Cleveland was so I googled it.  Turns out Cleveland is south of Price which meant I would have an hour and forty minute drive before my shift.  The truth is, I wasn't real thrilled about any of it.  The day of the race came and I dragged myself out of bed at 5am, threw on some clothes and a hat, packed up a lunch and headed to my spot.  It was in the middle of nowhere...











At first I was a little nervous.  I was completely alone on the side of the road, there was no one to talk to, and thoughts of crazies coming by to drag me away crossed my mind.  When the first team showed up about 40 minutes after I arrived I was relieved, but news that the last group was way behind the others meant that I probably wouldn't be leaving at noon.  And then there was a snake, a 5 foot bullsnake decided to pay me a visit, I hate snakes.  It was between me and the honey bucket and boy did I need to pee.  Luckily, another group showed up before I peed my pants and took the snake away.  It was actually kinda fun interacting with the athletes when they came through, but sitting in the hot sun all day (90+ degrees, no shade), mostly all alone, isn't what I really wanted to be doing.  The last group came through at 2pm and I was finally able to head home.  As I drove and reflected on the day a poem came to my mind.  It put things in the proper light.

Father, Where Shall I Work Today?

Father, where shall I work today?
my love flowed warm and free.
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”
I answered quickly, “Oh no; not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done;
Not that little place for me.”
And the word He spoke, it was not stern;
He answered me tenderly:
“Ah, little one, search that heart of thine.
Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”
--Meade McGuire

I'm actually grateful that I had a chance to serve in that tiny, lonesome spot on HWY 10 in central Utah. It was good for my soul.