“…Well done…” Matthew 25:21

As I paused a moment before teaching our Sunday School lesson, I waited a moment for the class to get their Bibles and Sunday school quarterlies open and then pulled a box of cake mix out of my bag. Now, my class is used to me doing unusual things to illustrate the lesson and this was no exception.

“I want a piece of cake right now,” I announced. They laughed and reminded me that you have to gather all the ingredients, mix the cake, and bake it before you can eat it. Furthermore I didn’t even have a pan to bake it in. All I had was one ingredient: the cake mix. What I lacked was preparation.

While this was meant as an illustration it reminded me of the many times when I have a good idea and intend to carry it out but lack the preparation. I am a person of good intentions, and I try to do the right thing but sometimes I fall short. How I admire those take charge type of people who take good intentions and follow through for a lifetime.

My friend, Allene, is one of those take charge type of persons. For several decades she took the desires of her heart and put them into practice from teaching preschoolers and young girls about missions to teaching a Sunday School class of her peers who are more than 80 years old.

From the time she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior she went into action, putting her faith to work.

Year after year Allene taught others about missionaries around the world including taking young women to missions camps and traveling around the state to various meetings. During this time she married, raised a family, took care of her home, and held down a full time job for many years. In addition she taught a Sunday School class and helped on the bereavement committee.

I met her for the first time when she served as a hostess for my bridal shower when I first moved to Tucumcari. I can remember how gracious she and the other hostesses were to a young bride who was scared of her own shadow. How wonderful it was for them to host a shower for a young woman they didn’t even know.

In a few days Allene will celebrate her 90th birthday, but that isn’t stopping her from continuing with the things God called her to do so many years ago. She is still active in teaching missions to young children, is faithful to her Sunday School class and is involved where she is needed. She is definitely that servant that God will someday say to her, “Well done, good and faithful servant."

It is important to remember that God calls us all to different tasks. Maybe you can’t be a cook from scratch Christian and all you can do is make instant oatmeal. Whatever it is, may we all work for the Lord to the best of our ability.

Debra Whittington is a longtime Tucumcari resident. Contact her at: dawhittington@msn.com