Oh heck.....

Me take on more voluntary responsibility?
I got sounded out today to see if I would be interested in taking on a voluntary chaplaincy/coordinator  position for a pilot community scheme. I am interested in why I am being asked? I listened to the dream and was excited by the possibilities of the scheme, but why me? I struggle to cope with the stuff I am doing now? I am not a guy who easily meets people, I am essentially shy? I would not put confidence in me and my abilities?  They really don't know me! .. there needs to be more thought put in on both sides and I think perhaps I have enough to do now. But it is intriguing how things come together and why things come together? Habitat for Humanity when it came along seemed to be a bringing together of a lot of my skills and experience. The Night Shelter too was a similar situation. I could help get that off the ground because of my experiences through our drop in and my social work training. This is similar. Many of my experiences, outlooks and attitudes point toward this. But am I looking to face the new challenges involved? Can I fit something new in my life? It will be interesting to see which way I bounce. ... I do have difficulty in saying that small word sometimes... I'll practice ... "N O" "no"! Wait and see.
Redundancy is so hard for people
Today I got to listen to people who had been told they will lose their job in a month or so. It was so sad. It was like they felt their existence and contribution was not valued in any way. They are worried about their future but I think that is not the worst thing about redundancy. It essentially feels like the people at the top are saying that your hard work, your contribution, your conscientious endeavor does not mean squat.  I think people are deeply injured in that process. I went along and listened, but I never know what to say. I know I will miss these guys' presence. I have visited them twice a week for quite a number of years now. The thing is too this one does not seem to make dollar-sense. ( I was last year on the other side of redundancy. At the Night Shelter we made somebody redundant. I hated being in the "nasty boss" position then.)
Night Shelter events... coincidence?
There has been a series of events happen at the night shelter that does not feel like coincidence. We had a new member on our trust and our funding issues forced us to  restructure and refocus last year and he was the right guy at the right time. At the end of last year our rented house was up for sale. I bumped into an old friend who is a property developer and he wanted to get involved with us. Another property became available and we have moved in there with the idea of subletting that and ultimately expanding our work. This old mate is the right guy at the right time for us. A group has come to us expressing a need for short to long term accommodation and we may be able to use this resource to the benefit of the community and get an income. It feels like we are going for a ride and some mysterious presence is navigating the journey. ... maybe... M Scott Peck called such an experience as an experience of "Grace".