• What is a Plodder?

Posted by: kidhelper on Saturday, November 17th, 2007

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When my wife, Sharon, decided the honor me for my 6oth birthday (almost five years ago), she invited sixty of my friends and many family members to dinner party at Buca di Beppo to celebrate. Part of the program was to invite those in attendance to share from their knowledge of me from each decade of my life. Someone from every decade was present and willing to share. The reason that I am mentioning all this is because….

Several of my friends and relatives keep referring to the me as a PLODDER. At the time, this was a new insight for me. Actually, no one had ever referred to me that way, so I had never really had the idea that I was a plodder. Since then, I have thought more about it, and I can see what they mean. I now concur, my friends were right. It is a good description of my attitude towards ministry. Like the energizer bunny, I just keep going.

One of the dictionary definitions for plod is “to work steady.” Several, when referring to me as a “plodder,” mentioned that I have been steady in my pursuit of children’s evangelism and its related disciplines. I have pursued my calling, even when it was tough and difficult. Now after more than 40 years, I am still doing it. I have seen some who have fallen off the trail or taken a detour. I have observed others that have used children’s ministry as a staging ground to move into other vocations. I am still here, working with kids, but steadily pursuing my calling to share the good news with children.

The only animal I can think of that graphically depicts this steady pace is the Tortoise. It is true, that the tortoise is rather intentional in its gate and direction, never much in a hurry, but determined when moving. I know that I have “long-haul” view of ministry. I have never had any intention of “burning up” or “burning out” for God. Rather, I have purposed to keep moving forward, much like the tortoise, one step at a time.

In reflecting on this idea further, I think this typifies by desert writing activity. However, I have actually developed many one-step disciplines, that have shown up in my Kidology-Coaching Program.

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