You all know I have recently become a church lady. I am an office manager at an ELCA Lutheran church. I have quickly learned that I am not your typical church lady. My laugh is often too loud, I get really excited which causes me to sing talk and sometimes I dance to the coffee maker. A few “choice words” may have slipped out of my mouth and I love wearing jeans every day. Hey, I like to be comfortable.

There is something that a coworker, Jeanne, said to me last week that has stuck with me. I was telling her of the Easter Bags of Hope project that was coming up. She asked how she could help the Girl Scouts get more involved next year. She started by saying, “If I’m working here next year…” I cut her off. “Of course you’ll be working here! You can’t leave me.”

In her “Mama K” way, she told me this: it doesn’t matter where I am, the whole point of life is to make meaningful relationships that would last longer than any circumstance.

Now there’s a concept! I’ve been digesting those words ever since. Not only did it challenge me to think about my interactions differently, but it made me realize that she viewed me differently too. I wasn’t just the full time employee at Atonement to her. I wasn’t just the girl who proof reads everything. I was a person, a somebody outside off my job, outside of our interactions at work.

I want to look at others in that same light. In a lot of ways I feel like I already do. I already love you even if we have not met. I deeply care about those I interact with. In fact, too much at times. My mom can tell you that every time I came home after meeting a new friend I’d tell her that she was my forever friend, I just knew it.

I do know that I live for love. When you really boil down the meaning of life it’s to love each other. Take care of each other. Each time you encounter someone, remember this: you are meeting one of god’s greatest creations. They are a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. They are an irreplaceable piece of art to someone. Everyone is a someone to somebody. Their “painting”might not fit your style. Maybe the painting is too big for your wall or the colors are too bright for your room … that doesn’t mean the painting is any less valuable. Whether a person fits into your life or not does not impact their a value in this world. For heavens sake, treat them like it.

There is so much crap in this world. War, school shootings, cancer, hunger, homelessness, depression, and the list goes on. We need more love. We need to take care of reach other. It’s a jungle out there for crying out loud!

My challenge to you is to think love … Relationships matter. People matter. When attending a conference, a keynote speaker shared this: “We let people drink coffee in worship. Space isn’t sacred, people are sacred.” #ctw2014

People are what matter, each one a treasured masterpiece. So treat each other with care. Love, in the end, is all that really matters.

Love, Mel