Will we hear "Well done, good and faithful servant"?

It has taken me a couple of days to digest all this. Sunday, our church handed out 260 envelopes, containing anywhere from $5 to $100 (totalling $5000), one to each person in church (kids included). This was after a message entitled "Make all you can" on Matthew 25 (the Parable of the Talents) and on the heels of the disastrous earthquake in the nation of Haiti. What we were then charged to do was take our "loan from God" (what that we have is not on loan from God anyway?) and "increase" it - be a "good and faithful servant". On January 31, we are having a message on "Give all you can" and that is when we are to return the money we were "loaned" and all that we earned from it. All of this money is going to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Haiti Relief Fund, through our church. Our family received a total of $50. Oh.....what to do.... The first thing I did was rush home and blast out an email to everyone in my contact list. Part of this was good and part of this was not. The part that was not was that I did not have all the pertinent information, such as where exactly all the money was going, through whom, and whether or not people who donated could receive a tax-deductible receipt. So, a bit hasty. The good part about it was (maybe) that I sent it to everybody, not really realizing who everybody included. Those it included were people I had contacted once via Craig's List, Greg's current and former bosses, and other selected individuals that if I had taken the time to review the list I would have removed. But I think that maybe God used my hastiness to spread the word of what He is doing. All glory to Him forever and ever!!! Following my blatant solicitation of everyone I knew (and some I did not know), I was challenged with the thought that I should ACTUALLY earn some money. But what could I do? I am a stay-at-home mom with no significant talents, other than caring for my children. As I was showering, God told me what I should do. I think I really half-showered because I was in such a hurry to get out of the shower and to my email to put this plan into action. The plan was this....wait, I will just paste here my email....hold on.....

I was going to present this to you on Thursday when we meet, but I can not wait! Yesterday, my church (Bloomington First Church of the Nazarene) handed out $5000 (260 envelopes containing anywhere from $5 to $100) to everyone at church - kids included. This was after we heard a message on Matthew 25 (the parable of the talents) and were challenged to "make all we can", so that we can "give all we can" (sermon to be preached on Jan 31). Our family received, collectively, $50 and we are trying to think of ways to earn interest on the loan God gave us (the original $50 and anything we "earn" will be given to the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Haiti Relief Fund through our church on January 31).

This is a link to the news story. Check it out.
http://www.centralillinoisnewscenter.com/news/local/81933182.html?video=pop&t=a

So here's my idea:

I will offer nearly free ($1 per kid per hour) babysitting services to all of you for the next 2 weeks. Why not treat yourself to some free time? Grocery shopping without distractions, coffee or lunch with a friend, a nap, maybe take in a movie, or you might just want to sit in quiet with the Lord for a few moments. Whatever your luxury might be, I would be so honored to help you achieve it, while you are blessing our obedience to God and helping us to "earn" more for Him. We want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" and would certainly appreciate your coming alongside of us.

I know that you all might not know me very well, so as a reminder I am the one who recently moved here from Michigan . Also, I am including 2 references, just in case.

References
Lori Heil xxx-xxx-xxxx
Stephanie Hancock xxx-xxx-xxxx

Also, if you know of anyone else who may be interested in this service, please feel free to forward this.

Thank you! I look forward to serving you, while I serve my Master.

In His Mighty Name,
Michelle Pawlak

So there is my plan. I will do this. Then I started to worry, "what if no one takes me up on this offer?" My good friend, Julie, reminded me that all I had to do was be obedient to God and leave the rest to Him. What other people did with my obedience was between them and God. What wise advice! Thanks Julie. The other thing is that this has worked as a witnessing tool for me. Over the past couple of days I have talked to other moms and have offered my services and told them the story. It is neat to be a part of such an amazing adventure. So, if God chooses to fill my house with other people's children, I am willing and I will praise Him. If He chooses not to have anyone take me up on my offer, I will still praise Him! I am trying to listen and be obedient. Sometimes I can do it, other times I fail miserably. But one thing I know.....God loves me and has a plan for me (Jer 29:11).