Perspective

I've been really stressed about work lately - it's the busy season. I have the tendency to think and worry about work when I'm not at work, too - so I need a little perspective.

God delivered some perspective tonight. After working late, I wanted to take a walk through a store to wind down so I go to my favorite store - Target. I walk around pick up a couple things and go to the register. After checking out I leave the store and a woman stops me and says 'Can I ask you a question?'. I say sure and let her tell her story. She lives in the area but has lost her job and home, so she's living at a motel and is 3 days behind. She has a part-time job, but needs $120 to catchup. A guy drives up, rolls down his window and she barely starts her story when he hands her some cash. She turns back to me not knowing what to say. I tell her that I'm sorry, but I don't have any cash. I asked her if I could pray for her and she says yes (I never do this!), so we pray and then she asks if we could pray for her sister...we continue praying and after we're finished we said goodbye and I start walking to my car.

I have a general rule that if I am asked for money and have cash, then it is supposed to be given away. But I didn't have cash and I was really - I hate to use a churchy word - burdened about her situation. As I'm walking to my car, I look down at the totally unneccesary stuff in my hand and think - "What if she doesn't have food? Should I offer to buy her some?". Then it hits me - i can go back in and get cash.

Obviously, I helped her out, but that's not my point and I don't tell this to toot my own horn. If I had had cash on me, I probably wouldn't have prayed for her. Which did more good? She said she felt so 'thought of' that 'God was really looking out for her' and 'it's amazing what can happen when we're yielded [to Him]'.

As I drove home in my nice car to my nice apartment full of tons of stuff, I realized how much God has really blessed me that I could help her. I won't even really miss it. But I won't soon forget that God is mindful of us. I am so blessed - work doesn't matter so much as the God who provides it for us. He has already taken care of the things that worry me. He is Great and Good.

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Matthew 6:30-33

Shout to What Lord?

This week has been a big one... storms, tornadoes... and I finally got cable and internet at my apartment. I haven't been watching tv since I moved since I couldn't get any reception. So, I finally bit the bullet and got cable. Wow... there's a world out there. :)

I was watching the TV Guide channel today and they were showing clips from last week's American Idol Gives Back. I realize I'm humming along as I'm trying to find something else to watch and it hits me - they are singing SHOUT TO THE LORD!!!! I couldn't believe my ears. This is a blatantly religious song we sing AT CHURCH. I looked it up on good ol' You Tube and...


There is one notable lyric change in the first verse that leaves me wondering what lord they are shouting to, however I am still very surprised they performed a blatantly religious song. While they do not mention Jesus, they still refer to My Shepherd, My Savior, and of course Lord. I am sad that singing a religious, almost Christian song on prime time tv would surprise me so much. I don't think it has the same meaning without Jesus, of course; what a shame they sing a great song and miss the point. Of course, since I didn't have cable and was busy with friends that night, I didn't see the whole thing, but I'm wondering why this selection? What did it have to do with giving back or American Idol? Strange. I guess overall I'm glad they performed it. And, better yet, they did it well (lyric change notwithstanding).

There have been several little things lately have pointed out to me the importance of being blatantly honest that Jesus is THE Way THE Truth and THE Life and that there is no way to the Father except through Him. To say anything less is to cheapen His sacrifice for us. I know that in a society with endless options it seems worse than backward to suggest that there is only one way to get to God. But we accept absolutes in many other parts of our lives - we accept that the sun always rises in the east (though it is often obscured by clouds); we accept that gravity holds us to the earth; we accept that murder is wrong, that love is good, that family is important - in other words some things are just true. Some things aren't. Why is it a stretch to believe that what the Bible says is absolutely true? That Jesus IS the only way? Because we have to accept something about ourselves before we can accept that we need a Savior. We have to accept that we are not just imperfect, but sinful and that separates us from God. That is offensive, a stumbling block. But it's true.

God is Good

I just want to take a second and say God is good. Way good. He has provided a new job, new friends (and more time with current ones), a new attitude, and - we'll see - a new apartment? Life was the toughest it has ever been for me last fall and PRAISE GOD that time is over.

I'm working in Allen now and have met a great new coworker who is quickly becoming a great friend. Seriously one of those God things.

Depending on the outcome of negotiations with my apartment management company, I may be moving to a new place soon. Didn't plan on it, but I'm kind of excited about the possibility of something new.

I picked up my dad at the airport the other day and he gets in the car and says "I had a great flight!" - which never happens. He had met this guy on the plane who was a Christian and they had this wide-ranging conversation in which the guy said he was interested in starting a singles group at his church. My dad explained how I had been really involved in developing a singles group and the guy said to ask me to call him... I did and we talked for about half an hour or so. Really nice guy and I think God is really going to do great things through him. Another odd connection is that he works at the airport my company flies their corporate jets out of. God thing!

Hmmm... wonder what will happen next?

The Risen King

Check out the latest post on my brother's blog. He is a very talented man and you'll see a lot of his artwork on his blog, but today you'll find an eloquent post about what's really important to him.


J. Randy Hayes' Sketch Portfolio: The Risen King

Busyness

So I haven't posted in a while, but hey I've been busy! Not a good kind of busy, a work kind of busy. :(

Over the last year or so, I've deliberately taken myself out of a place that kept me connected to a certain circle of aquaintances, so the many surface relationships that made up my human interaction have gone by the wayside. A year ago, I was busy with tons of activities that involved this place and those friends. Some friends I met at this place have become my closest friends and I think because of that, this place will always be special. But it isn't the same anymore and that makes me sad and I miss the way it used to fill up my life. Fun times!!!

I'm busy at work now (not that I ever wasn't, I just had something else that was more important). I am stressed out and depressed because I feel that is the only thing going on in my life...work, work, work. I have an awesome new laptop and all I do is take work home to do. Well, the novelty will wear off with that soon. :) Anyway, I get really upset when work starts to be the only thing available to throw myself into. Work will never get the best parts of me, not that I don't give it my best effort, but that there is more to me than being a drone. I really long for something to pour the best of me into and I'm realizing only God can give that. So God, throw it in my lap! I'm soooo ready for it!

So, in the meantime, I will make God the priority He should be (so hard!), I will do my best at work each day, work to deepen the precious relationships I have with family and friends and keep my eyes open for that next opportunity God brings. Can't wait!

God and His box

Have you ever heard the expression "putting God in a box"? I've heard it millions of times, usually from people describing others' conservative views in contrast to their progressive attitude.

This expression irks me primarily because of the condescension with which it is said, but also because of the glaring reality that WE ALL put God in a box. Our finite minds cannot fully grasp an infinite God. In His grace, He allows us to put handles on the dimension of His Being, to create rules or patterns for His behavior, to set boundaries to define our ideas about Him.

Just occasionally, though, He challenges those ideas. He pushes at the walls of our box just enough to wake us up. He reminds us that He is the Living God. He's done this a lot for me over the last year or so. With my walls being nudged, I find I'm presented with three options. The first option would be to resist - to ignore the movement of God outside my walls, to assume that the pressure against those boundaries is coming from outside and not within; to maintain my box as is. The second option would be to move my box; to respond to challenges by assuming my first box was wrong and move it to the left and treat former moves of God as passe. The third option is the one I'm shooting for. I think God's real purpose in challenging the walls of my box is to expand my views. Maybe that wall needs to be pushed out a little more and maybe those mysterious and kind of scary 'moves of God' could be given a chance. Maybe my friendships with those people should stay open even if I'm uncomfortable. But I should never stop listening for that still small Voice that has always guided me even if it is passe. Some things are Unchanging. Steadfast. Faithful. Those ways God has worked in the past are still valid today. God is so cool. God is so BIG. :)