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Are You a Woman Others Can Interrupt?
by pamela spurling

So... really, are you a woman others can bother? Do you mind rearranging your schedule to accommodate others? Do you gladly accept interruptions?  Maybe you are answering each of these questions with a strong: "Well, it depends..." If that's the case, then perhaps you can join me in praying that the LORD would give us a more pliable heart and a more sensitive spirit. The reason I say this is because I am noticing that the times of greatest growth have been times of adversity, and they have also been times of greatest interruption! I think back on some accidents, some illnesses, some deaths, some job losses, some births. All of these things happen very naturally or normally in life... but when they happen, they are interruptions... they are often "bothers!" These are the events God often uses to get our attention or to do some pruning or to promote growth. However, these are the things that cause some women to become bitter and hardened in spirit.

Interruptions.

When my father became ill and died last fall, the three trips to California were surely interruptions to my daily living, but they were surely not distressing because of the ways in which the LORD orchestrated every step and the evidence of His Hand through it all.  It was a blessing to me to sit at his bedside ministering to him up to the moment he died. I pray the LORD would allow me such an opportunity again. It became a blessing to me that I would never have imagined.  When my father in law suffered another stroke, my mother in law could have seen such a time as an interruption and an additional bother because of the intensity of the level of care he would need... but, it was obvious that the LORD was in control and she was obedient to His call on her life. She had been the help meet for dad for 48 years and it was to the LORD's glory that she continued on strong, doing the next right thing for dad and for the LORD. She was still able to think of the needs of others... she's a woman others can bother.

A few weeks ago a representative from Warner Bros. knocked on our door. Strangers rarely come to the door... as we live down a small lane surrounded by a cornfield. This woman was scouting out suitable places for the filming of The Fugitive, a television series. A day later she returned, photographing our old home and the presently vacant old farm house down the lane. I didn't know that this was an interruption that would become an opportunity for ministry, but thankfully, the LORD was working in us to cause us to act hospitably to this "interruption," and to the next two visitors from that company.

For the last week, we have had in our driveway the "stars" trailers, and down our lane all the trucks for the crew's equipment, the lighting trailers and two Condors that provide enough light to simulate daytime at 2:00 in the morning, the generators that power all the equipment, and the literally hundreds of trips made by the large shuttle vans to transport all the crew back and forth all day and all night long. Out the windows on all four sides of our home we could see equipment... It's been incredible. The crew kept asking us many times if they were bothering us and if there was anything they could do for us...we told them we were fine with all of it. Yes, it's been an interruption, but you know, because we committed this time and any

of the related events or interruptions to the LORD, this time has not been disturbing. We prayed for these people, and the LORD had allowed all the events of this week to transpire. I decided on the first day that I would make a variety of cookies for the cast and crew. This was something I wanted to do. It was a simple gesture to let them know that we were glad they were here. When we told the location manager that we wanted to do this, the look of surprise and happiness on his face was priceless! The caterer who provided their latte's and hors d'oeuvres, truffles, etc., was even delighted! Most of all, my husband was thrilled with this! And so, that first night of filming, four of our children carried the platters of cookies down to the large tent where the 100+ member crew had their snacks. This was thrilling to them as they got to watch the filming, see the sets and meet the cast and crew. I am sure it was humorous to many of them that our children were not 'star struck' and that they really had no idea who these people were or what they did! I have tried to teach them to respect all people and to not elevate people over others. And, because they don't watch television, they really are not involved with names and faces of movie actors and actresses.   Well, that night my husband asked me what I was going to prepare for them for the next  evening. Hmmm... an interruption... was I going to be bothered? Yes, I wanted to be bothered. On no, not in the negative connotation of the word, but rather, I welcomed this interruption. So, the next day, I prepared many dozens of bar cookies. They all worked out surprisingly well. I could only thank and praise the LORD, and once again, the children took the platters

down to the crew. You know where I am going with this... yes, that night my husband once again asked me what I would be preparing for the next evening... and smiling I told him, "I guess, more cookies..." O, this made him grin! After offering to go to the market for more supplies, he asked if I'd make them some cinnamon rolls for their last day here, and I said that I would gladly do it. And so it went over the next couple of nights... the crew excitedly coming by asking what we were cooking up that day. This became the highlight of each day to the delight of the members of the cast and crew. Our children were able to talk openly with many many people about homeschooling, our family, the LORD, and His provision. Their testimony spoke powerfully, and many people stopped by to tell us about them. Our oldest son and daughter in law were able to go over one of the evenings as well. Many also told us they loved standing out at the gate listening to the children practice the piano. What if I hadn't welcomed this intrusion... what if I hadn't allowed for the interruptions each day?

The last afternoon I had the children bring over the cinnamon rolls, and tell the people how fun it had been all week. Later our whole family was invited to go over for the evening meal, which we reluctantly accepted. I say reluctantly, because our intent was just to minister to *them* and that was it. We accepted the invitation and enjoyed spending time with them. The food was delicious and the large tent and all the tables and the display of platters of foods looked exquisite. It was funny to me to think of sitting at cloth covered tables and looking over at the buffet with all the trimmings set up in a very large heated tent. The reason for the humor was that this tent was set up on the grass beside the huge old barn and yet appeared to be in a park like setting. We were sitting where the tractors and farm implements are usually kept! We had opportunity to thank them for their generosity to us. You see it seems to me now that had I not wanted to be bothered, this opportunity would most likely not have happened. All the different conversations during the week would not have happened. It was through being "interrupted" that we would hear about people's lives and also that we would discover that there were a couple of Christian families that were a part of the crew.  They filmed until 3:00 this morning and then the trucks, emergency vehicles used in the last scene, the lighting Condors, the vans, the disassembled tents, the stars' trailers, and the huge generators were moved out. Amazing. Gone. Just like that. Our lane became a quiet country lane once again.

You see, it was a small thing to stop and visit with the different ones each day, for me to prepare these things, etc., but it no small thing to be in the Hand of the LORD... used to minister to these people who did not need to be given anything but who needed to know that the LORD is our Savior and He is in control and it is He to whom  all praise and honor is to be given. I don't know what will come of any of this, but I do know the LORD allowed us this opportunity. I  could have said, "O, I don't want to be bothered!" We could have missed the opportunities to help our children to minister to others.  We could have missed giving the drink to the stranger in the Name of the LORD... but then we would have always wondered if anybody ever tells these people about Jesus. We would have wondered that same question I have shared with you in the past: How would God have used us had our whole life been yielded to Him?

Are you a woman others can bother? Do you welcome interruptions?  I pray that throughout this our live that we would be women others can bother...that we will be women who welcome interruptions... that through our behavior others would see the Savior.

Blessings to you, in Jesus---and by the way, welcome home!

pamela spurling ~ TheWelcomeHome - 2000

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