Mid-summer reflections from our Outreach Intern, Alison Simon:

Reflecting back on our work together so far this summer, I am reminded of a phrase that one of my swim coaches used to say at practice before seemingly impossible sets.  (For all of you non-swimmers, a set is basically an hour of agonizing and strenuous swimming.)  He said, “When we get to Nationals, you are going to stand on the block and think, ‘This is the set that made all the difference.’”  Of course, he said that almost everyday, so by the time we actually got to Nationals, we had months’ worth of sets to reflect on.  But he was right.  Each of those “insurmountable” sets made a difference, not only in our strength, but also in our attitudes.  We enjoyed doing sets that were hard because we knew that they would make a difference in the long run, even though our progress was not necessarily tangible, and sometimes we even seemed to take a step backward.

This summer, through the Summer of Service and the Garden Ministry, we have accomplished so much.  We have made hygiene kits for Church World Service and kits for the men at the Servant Center.  We have cooked meals, weeded, and picked vegetables…a lot of vegetables.  We may not have gotten to see the immediate results of our service, but we know that it will “make all the difference.”  The hygiene kits that we sent to Church World Service might make all the difference to a child in Haiti.  The fresh vegetables picked and delivered to the Servant Center may make all the difference to a family that cannot get fresh vegetables any other way.  The meals that we cooked for members of our own congregation make all the difference to the people who receive them and know that we appreciate them.  Each act we have performed with others in mind will “make all the difference” to someone, somewhere.  And that is what serving is all about, right?  Making a difference.  As our summer continues, I challenge you to think about this phrase and know that you can make all the difference.