Charlie

The other day we took some of the students to do community outreach at what is called the ROCK. It is a place for inner city kids. We usually try and go twice a semester and hang-out with them. I had the privilege to cross paths with a little kid named Charlie. Charlie was awesome. One of the sweetest boys you'll ever meet. He was only about five or six. He was just like all the other kids, except he has lost one of his legs from the knee down. You would never know that he had a fake leg until you looked closely. What was cool was that Charlie never complained or tried to get others to feel sorry for him. Most of the students that came with us didn't even know that Charlie was without part of his leg.
Most of us will live our lives without the fear of loosing a leg or arm, but most of us will find ways to complain and cry about things in our lives that really don't matter. (Pity party is the word I'm looking for.)
The next time I begin to complain about something, I pray that all I see is the face of Charlie smiling at me with blue raspberry icee dripping down his face (that's what we brought them for snack that day).

Listen

"Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." From the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel 3:10

God has been showing me some awesome things lately and this is one of them. I want to have a willing heart like Samuel did when God came calling. Too many times I have been distracted by "other" things going on.

Even when you read the verse in context of the whole story you realize that Samuel was ready to serve Eli, who he thought was calling him at first. I wonder how many times I have missed God's voice because I was not focused upon Him like I should have been, but rather distracted by less important things around me.

I want, no desire, to be used by my Lord and King. May we all be ready when He comes calling!

"Speak Lord, I'm your servant, ready to listen and follow."

Living

Live each day as though it could be your last. Not just living it to say that I am pleased with it and that I have done well, but rather live it to serve others, serving others as though you are serving God. As followers of Christ we must show this world what or actually who we have truly become (or trying to become). Don't be like the world returning hate for hate, hurt for hurt, revenge for revenge, and despair for despair. But let us give or return love for hate, caring for hurt, forgiveness for revenge, and hope for despair. Not that I don't refer back to the old self of doing things (once again, trying to become like Christ, I'm not perfect), but I must die to selfishness or to put it plainly my wants.

The one word that keeps coming to mind lately is : PASSION!

I want to be passionate about my walk with God. I want everything to flow out of that walk, everything to be measured by that walk. One of the problems that I've found is that I allow other "things" to push that walk with God out of place. They may be good things, godly things, but not the "True Thing". I think that we sometimes become too much of a softy when it comes to putting God first in all things. We come up with reasons (oh, I mean excuses) that we have not spent as much time hanging out with the One person that knows us the best, that wants only the best for us, and has everything in our future planned out for us. When you really stop and think about it we are such idiots when we don't live sold out for God. Of course I feel like the biggest idiot of all because half the time I feel like I have become lazy in my journey with God (Is this confession time?). Isn't grace awesome? Not to abuse it, but to live through it (grace) with a passion like no other and for no other.

People all over the world are passionate about something. We all have things in our lives that we are passionate about. Passion keeps us moving, but we must ask ourselves, "Are we being moved in the right direction and by the right Person?

Live each day with a passion that could only begin with Jesus and flow out into everything else around you.

wisdom

There's a big difference between hearing what you want to hear and hearing what you need to hear. Most of the time we just ignore the need for the want. We get mad at those that tell us what we need and keep looking for those who will give us what we want. We are a selfish people. I don't understand why God continues to put up with us.
Today was one of those days, along with the last few weeks, that I wanted to hear only what would benefit me and my train of thought and nothing less. Guess what, I ran into someone who told me like it is. God graciously placed this person in my life so that I would see and hear what I needed to. I was being so self-centered and thinking inward only. It was ugly. I was getting off track, getting out of focus with God's purpose and plan for me. Wisdom comes in many different forms from God, sometimes it's in small packages.
My passion and energy is given to you Lord Jesus, use me how you will! Help me to be the answer and not the problem. I'm ready to jump in!
Thanks Laura! I love you.

kids

Thank God for kids!!!(especially mine)
I look at their passion for the little things in life and it reminds me how I need to live. I believe that one of the reason that God gave me my kids was to keep me grounded in Him.
The similarities are interesting:
1. My kids rely on me for food, shelter, and love.
I must rely on God for my food, shelter, and love (everything).

2. When I leave or have to go away from my kids it makes them sad and I can't wait to be back with them.
When I move away from where God wants me to be or I am not spending time with Him I feel a need to be back close to Him again.

3. My kids don't worry about the little or big things in life, they know that we'll (mommy and daddy) take care of them.
I must allow God to take control of everything in my life, big or small, and know that He has everything in control and that He will take care of everything.

4. My kids just want to be held sometimes, nothing else, just want to know that I'm there.
Sometimes I just want to know that God is there, nothing more than just holding me.

Thank you God for the children that you have given to us - our own and the many others that we come in contact around us. I pray that I never lose sight of the wonder that you hold and the passion that you gave for us.

waiting

Waiting is not one of my favorite past-times, but I know that the Lord has things in control and that I need to trust Him completely. (Even though I have to admit I want to take things into my own hands at times)
Patience, patience, patience.....