Don't Blow It

One thing has struck me over the past few weeks - I tend to let the people I'm surrounded with either enhance my joy or kill it. Lately I've felt like my joy is slowly being strangled. The people I work with are unhappy. They use language that I can't stand listening to. They constantly focus on what's bad in their lives rather than be thankful for what's good.

Consequently, I feel like my candle is being extinguished. I feel like I'm starting to be negative like they are. I haven't allowed my sponge-self to soak up their language thankfully. I certainly would like to think that my filter can keep that out. I think using that kind of language makes you sound horribly unintelligent. Why would I be interested in that?

But I do know that I wake up every morning that I work thinking, "Oh, I HAVE to go to work today." I would much rather think, "Oh, I GET to go to work today." I'm not saying every job is perfect. However, if you're doing something you love or enjoy it's not much like work. It's like getting paid to do what you love. I wish I had that. But I don't this summer.

I try hard to make the most of every situation. I'm trying so hard to be optimistic. I'm trying to find joy in every day. After all, God woke me up, he gave me the ability to get out of bed and he gave me a job to do for the summer. I just don't want it to rob me of my joy. I don't want to be this grouchy, depressed person I see myself becoming. It's not me. It's not who God wants me to be. It's not who I was made to be.

But I also want to be careful that I don't build the wall around me so thick that I can't be a shining light to those around me. Many of the people I come face to face with each day need to see Jesus. What if I'm the only Jesus they'll see? If my wall is so thick they can't see Jesus through me, then what good am I doing?

So, I'm remembering the words of St. Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words." Please pray for me that I could shine the light of Jesus without my candle being blown out by the darkness around me.

Special Occasions

I had a very sweet woman come in to the store today. She was very friendly from the moment she walked in. When she came to the cash register, I could smell the beautiful fragrance of lotion or perfume.

I told her I didn't know what she was wearing but it smelled lovely. She said it was called Youth Dew by Estee Lauder. I knew it wasn't anything I would be able to purchase for myself. She went on to tell me it was her late mother's favorite and she had the rest of her mother's last bottle. She wears it on special occasions to feel like her mother is with her. She was heading to a wedding today so that was a special enough occasion for this special perfume. I wished her a blessed day and she went on her way... or so I thought.

Moments later, she walked in to the store once again. She handed me a small glass bottle and said this was the last of her mother's perfume. I thought she just wanted me to see the bottle or maybe spray a bit on myself. No. She wanted to give me an incredible gift. My dear customer, I don't even know your name. But I will think of you on my special occasions when I wear your mother's perfume.

Life in a Bubble

I never thought about it before. If I did, I guess I didn't give much attention to it. I've lived much of my life in a bubble. I grew up in a Christian home. I went to church camp. I ran around with friends who were also Christians. I went to a Bible college. I worked at church day cares. I directed a summer church camp. I went back to college at a Christian college. I've never tried cigarettes, I tried alcohol for the first time as an adult. I work at a school with mostly fellow Christians where it's common to hear the local Christian radio station playing and people share prayer requests.
Then I look at my recent summer job experiences. Last year I worked with some great people. I became friends with several. However, there and where I'm working this summer, I hear language like I've never heard before. Now, I've heard those words. I've even spoken some out of anger before. However, they're not a part of my vocabulary. To hear so many of them that an entire prime-time television show would be bleeped out because they're so frequent, is just shocking to my system. It's a rough environment for me. I'm trying to let my light shine. I just pray that the darkness I feel around me doesn't blow my light out. Please pray for me. I feel safe in my bubble. But I know God has once again placed me where He wants me "for such a time as this."

Thankfulness

Negativity. It's everywhere around us. On the news. In the paper. On Facebook and Twitter. People being negative. People being greedy. People being unkind to others. In light of all this negativity, I've decided to make a list of things I'm thankful for.

Let me preface this by saying I've decided to focus on making a big change in my life: I'm not going to be negative anymore. I'm going to be positive and optimistic. Does that mean my life is perfect? NO! Does that mean I have it all together? NO! It only means I've decided to be thankful for what I DO have rather that be upset about the things I DON'T have. Here goes...

1. A God who loves me more than I could ever ask or imagine.

2. A husband who works almost as many hours as 2 people yet is willing to spend time with me when he gets home from work.

3. My kids who have become better people than I could have ever imagined.

4. My grandsons who are the light of my life

5. Movies

6. Springtime

7. Flowers

8. My front porch

9. The Bible 

10. The freedom to read my Bible

11. An amazing group of teachers that I get to spend 180 days working alongside.

12. A job that is more like a mission than work

13. A summer job that's being flexible enough to give us some income yet give me the time I need to go to workshops for my licensing and have weekends with my grandsons.

14. Fire pits

15. Cool shade on a hot day

16. The ability to laugh with students

17. Hearing a student say, "Thank you for encouraging me" after I spent the day cheering on kids as they ran field day relays.

18. Visits with my neighbor

19. Quiet evenings at home with my husband

20. Grace

21. Cool lotion to put on sunburned skin

22. The ability to spend the day outside and enjoy every minute of it

23. Yard work

24. God's creation

25. Forgiveness

26. Mercy

27. God's unconditional love

28. My education

29. My friends - I'm blessed with many that I don't see regularly but we can pick right up where we left off like there was no time in between

30. The ability to make a list of things I'm thankful for

This is certainly a working document. There are many other things for which I'm thankful. How often do you take time to sit and think about all the things you have for which to be thankful? Or do you get like me and wish you had more or better this or that? I resolve to stop wishing I had more or better this or that. I resolve to be truly thankful for what God allows me to have at any given moment. If He chooses to give more or better, great! If not, I will trust Him for what's best.

Garden Variety

A couple weeks ago, I was checking out our gardens to see how everything was looking. In the wildflower garden, I noticed these green stems with spiky balls on them. Certain they were a weed, I decided I would pull them that weekend.

When I went back during the weekend, they were no longer just spiky green balls. Sprinkled throughout them were pink and white spots. I thought they might be flower buds. I decided to wait and see what happened.

This week I went out to look at the gardens again. Those white and pink spots were beginning to open up into flowers! What looked like ugly weeds have opened up to be some of the most beautiful flowers in our garden.

So this got me to thinking. How often do we look at the outside of a person and assume they must not be anything worth keeping around because of how they look? Perhaps if we gave it time, we would begin to see the beauty within as it emerges. Can God use people we think look less than ideal? Can God use "ugly" things to bring us joy? I have always believed He could. Now I know for sure!

Tomorrow Might Be Too Late

It's late. God hasn't given me anything more profound than a brief thought. I've been waiting for something better. But apparently, this is what God wants someone to hear.

On Monday when I was driving my husband to work, there was a fatal car crash on the highway. We weren't rerouted because we weren't going that far down the road. But someone lost their life because someone else was in a hurry and put others at risk.

That evening, I had to turn around and go another way because there was a fatal motorcycle crash down the street from the pawn shop as I was heading to pick my husband up. Again, someone lost their life because of poor choices.

The next morning, our family was reeling with the news that a young man we've all grown to care for and love was fighting for his life. Unfortunately, he passed away Wednesday. His wasn't a matter of poor choices. He was extremely ill and trying to get home from work. His girlfriend thought she would be coming home to him. That moment never came.

So I ask you...are the lives of you or any of your loved ones worth hurrying for? Are you willing to risk someone's life because you're running late and trying to make up time? Think about how drastically your life could change if it was your loved one. There have been too many accidents lately. The roads haven't changed. People have. We're all in such a hurry. No one has time for anyone these days. It's sad, really.

Make the most of every moment you have. Tell your friends and family you love them. Don't tell me you'll do it tomorrow. What if tomorrow is too late?

If you're reading this, you matter to me. Don't let time slip by.

Trusting the Unknown

Trust. Such a small word. Such a big problem for many. A co-worker and I had this discussion today. Why is it that people, myself included, have such a hard time trusting God's plan for our lives? We try to do all the right things. We go to church, we read the Bible, we pray, we help others. But things seem to be crashing around us. Then we watch the news and wonder if God is really still there. How in the world could people be killing other people, countries starting wars with other countries, earthquakes, famines, destructive tornadoes that rip towns to shreds, etc. Is God there?

We work hard at our jobs every day, we work to take care of our families, yet we never feel like we're getting anywhere. We see other people not work because one spouse makes enough that the other stays home. We see people be able to get a new car every year or two. We see people buy all new furniture every year. And the list of things that we see that frustrate us goes on and on. We envy vacations, clothes, cars, houses, etc. And then we wonder why God seems to be giving so much to everyone else and ignoring our pleas even thought we're bending over backwards to do all the right things yet are struggling just to meet the most basic needs of our family.

We hear people say that God will provide over and above what we need right when He wants to. We hear people say it must not be in His plan. Then we wonder if God even truly has a plan for our lives.

Let me tell you right now...He does and He cares! James MacDonald says, "Nothing can be done outside of God's almighty plan. No event in human history is outside His influence even in the slightest. No world ruler can change God's program. Do not fear! God Almighty is working out His awesome plan."*

Job 38:35-38 says, {God speaking to Job} "Do you send the lightning blots on their way? Do they report to you, 'Here we are'? Who gives the ibis wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? Who has the wisdom to count the clouds? Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens when the dust becomes hard and the clods of earth stick together?" Now, I don't know about you but I can't do any of that. But I know the One who can and does!

Psalm 8:3-4 says, "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the starts, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" If God cared enough to spread the stars in the sky, don't you think He cares enough to take care of what you NEED? Don't worry about all those frivolous
things other people have...fancy clothes, new cars, expensive purses, jewels, etc. I have what I NEED...the love of a heavenly Father Who is going to make sure I have a roof over my head, clothes to cover myself with, a family to love and care for and food to eat.

*James MacDonald Gripped by the Greatness of God. Page 62