In February of this year, we started packing boxes to move back to the mainland. This means that my ‘stuff’ has been wrapped in newspaper and stored in boxes for about ten months. Unpacking has been an interesting endeavor. In some cases, I’ve unwrapped something and thought to myself, “What were you thinking? Why did you see the need to haul this around?” In other instances, unpacking has brought me a measure of joy and happiness.
For example: I taught at St. Peter’s Lutheran School in Elk Grove, California for eight years. At the end of the year in 1997 my class and I won an award. I’ve proudly hung the plaque we received near my desk in every place we’ve lived since then. Sometimes, it causes smiles or chuckles when someone notices it, and it has acquired a couple of scratches, but my award for “Room Cleanliness” was a big deal to me. I worked at keeping my room tidy and the floor picked up that year. Why? Because I dearly loved the man who was responsible for cleaning our school each day. He wasn’t the ‘janitor’, he was an integral part of the mission of our school. He loved the Lord and loved kids and teachers. He showed all of us every day that every activity, every action a human can do, can be done to glorify God. When I unwrapped my plaque and later settled it into its new place on the wall above my desk, I thanked God for Ray Eisenbeisz, who the kids called “Mr. Eye”, and for his ministry to me. I took a minute to remember how precious he is, (now retired but I’m sure still being useful for God!), even though I haven’t seen him in years. I’m a better person because of him and my award reminds me of it.
