Fine Adjustments

Keep reading to see why this picture is posted :)

As you know, it has been a road full of detours for all involved with Mercy Ships. The word that sums it up best is flexibility. It is so nice to be here. Although all organizations require teams of people to work together, it has been very evident here just how many different people and jobs are required to complete the operation of sharing God's love, hope, and healing. During my interaction with Mercy Ships two thing has been constant, everyone is needed and nothing goes according to plan. 

As mentioned I have been working in the dinning room for two weeks. It has given me a whole new perspective. I can honestly say that I took it for granted that there were always three meals a day provided. I even thought,  "Why don't they have ...?"  occasionally. As we have been saying while working there, everyone should work a shift there and in the galley to broaden their understanding of how it functions. It would likely increase gratitude. I am sure more consideration would be given to the little things that people do and don't do. It is long hours and physical labor. 

I have increase respect for them too. They work hard day in and day out, but have very little interaction with the actual patients. The crew is able to adopt a patient to encourage, play with, pray and visit. If the galley does not prepare, cut, bake, cook the food and the dining room does not set it up and clean up, the medical crew would not be able to provide the quality care. Patient would not have the necessary nutrition to heal. 

Cathy (on left) is now working in the lab. Martha (center) is "superwoman" she does not stop working in the dining room from 4am until 7:30pm. She is a team lead having to manage the dining room staff and food making sure everyone's needs are met as much as possible. She came to work with Mercy Ships when she retired from her job in the United States.  Such a hard worker. 

After a several long days in the dining room, I did not have the best attitude about it all. If fact, I would say I was doing it out of duty rather than a cheerful serving heart. I was grumbling about the little things and obstacles which seemed frequent. The verses in Colossians 3:23 that says "Do whatever you do as unto the Lord, not for human masters." Phil 2: "Do everything without grumbling and complaining so that you can become pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation." came to mind while washing dishes. I knew this, but was still having difficulty. While worshiping in the service on Sunday, we sang a contemporary chorus that included the lyrics,  "It is well with my soul"  from the well known hymn. I was convicted that it was not well with my soul. As we continued to sing the chorus, I heard the Lord say, "fine adjustments are needed for it to be well with your soul."

We are familiar with the saying needing and attitude adjustment. One way for me to fix my attitude is to adjust my focus. This fine and coarse adjustment is in reference to microscopes. When looking at a specimen, one first uses the coarse adjustment knob to bring it into rough focus. The fine adjustment or fine focus brings the specimen or part of  interest into better focus. I had not lost the coarse adjustment as I knew my current part to play was necessary and important. I had, however, lost fine adjustment/focus. My focus was blurred as I wanted to be serving in a different way. I wanted things to be simpler and easier. 

Coarse and fine adjustment knobs

Sunday evening was a time of fine tuning adjustments. Worshiping the creator of the universe did just that. It took the focus off of me and returned it to its rightful place, Jesus.  I know that just like the fine adjustment knob on a microscope can easily be bumped and make the specimen image fuzzy, life happenings can bump my focus from Jesus. My bunkmate has a wonderful prayer, "Lord, help me know and understand what you have for me today. Help me be your blessing to others." Although I have heard it and similar prayers, it hit home this week. During this summer and fall many, many people have had to make adjustments coarse and fine as the plans for the ships next destination and staffing numbers and positions changed. I will try to keep in mind to check the fine adjustment knob in my mind every morning when waking up. 

Fine adjustment images