Diversification

Diversification is a word used in the investment world to make sure that you don't have all of your eggs in the same basket. It refers to making sure that you have investments in more than just one realm of finances. Some suggest that you use a mixture of CD's, Stocks, Bonds & Mutual Funds.

Today's diversification talks about spreading out and getting to know more people. Last week there was a group of people sitting around in the cafè and a few new people asked for suggestions about living on the ship. One that was mentioned is one that I'm not so well at. I mentioned it because I know my time would be better if I worked on it. Then the topic came up in a book i'm reading so I thought I would share it with you.

We all need more than God and a best friend. We need a group of supportive relationships. The reason is simple: having more than one person in our lives allows our friends to be human. To be busy. To be unavailable at times. To hurt and have problems of their own. To have time alone.

This is hard sometimes for me. I have my group of friends and I know generally how they will respond and the things that we will talk about. I already know the things that they like and they know things about me. After being on the ship for a while it gets harder to make investments in to other groups of people. You know that they might not be onboard very long and you wonder if it's worth the effort to invest in a new group of friends. In the mean time it means that the friends that you have become more paramount in your life. You begin to rely more and more on them and then when they are busy you might get flustered because you needed somebody to talk to or just to hang out with.

We’re all a group of lumpy, bumpy, unfinished sinners, who ask for help and give help, who ask again and give again. And when our supportive network is strong enough, we all help each other mature into what God intended us to be. 

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.     Ephesians 4.2-3

Things have been very busy with work. Between normal business and three other big projects the days go very fast. One of the projects is performing the task of Logistics Coordinator for the Screening Day. I'm in charge of coordinating food & water for the crew and potential patients, cleaning the site after we are finished, transporting equipment to and from the selection site and a few other various tasks. Please keep me in your prayers as the day comes next week. Our selection day will be August 28th. You can also pray for the many other crew that all have important tasks, the many surgical staff coming to screen patients, and the thousands of people that will show up with ailments on the screening day.