pre-baby & pre-perze, i’d frequently get calls from friends who need to talk or need advice.   even in college, 3am conversations weren’t rare, esp. if someone was going through something personal.  i quickly gained the reputation of the one who people went to if you needed someone to listen.  i never really felt bothered if someone needed a place to stay, or if i was awakened very late at night. 

after college, having worked w/ the youth ministry for many many years now, it’s still the same thing.  they know that our line is readily available if they need to call or if they need help.  a few have taken that opportunity and called me very late into the night, sometimes being fortunate to reach me, and some- unfortunate to catch us in a very sleepy night that we didn’t hear the phone ring.  sometimes, they are very serious matters, and a few times, just to ask for directions…hahah…but nevertheless, we always make it a point that our lines are open for them.  working w/ the youth, i know how serious some talks can be.

one thing i am thankful for is marrying someone who has the same heart as i do when it comes to helping people.  even now, being 1:31am, he’s acting as tech support for one of our friends who is trying to retrieve data from their laptop that’s failed to start.  i’m also glad that he supports that part of my ministry- the part that sometimes demands "after sundays." 

in church, we’re become the "go to" couple…more him than me when it comes to tech stuff, program stuff, web stuff, etc…even other churches are referred to him when they have a question.  but that’s not really what i admire (although yes, it is one of the things i am hugely thankful for, having my own tech support for a wide spectrum of things), it’s because he will always try to help people to his capability.  he’s been this way pre-baby, pre-marchesa, too…

so it’s a partnership we have- keeping our light on for people…
before i married perze, i’ve been like that, and now, i’m glad i found someone who does it too…