I was going to write about this a while ago and forgot about until my friend asked me why I had a sticky note on my desktop that said "keep your fork."
It's a cute story, actually. And I have an unnatural obsession with anecdotes (mostly because they tend to put things in perspective).
So there was this little girl who grew up in the South. So every time her and her family were at an event it was centered around food (cause that's how we work in the South). And after they ate her mother would always tell her to keep her fork because something better was coming. Well we ALL know what that means! DESSERT!
So this little girl grew up and learned to always keep her fork because after she ate her "good food" she knew that something better, and sweeter, was coming.
Well every one has to die at some point. But when she did she said she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hands! When the preacher asked why she simply said "because the best is yet to come."
I get chill bumps just typing about it! But seriously, why don't we live like that? Everything we do seems to make the world hang in the balance. But this is just or meat and potatoes. The best is yet to come! So don't lose heart (that's a whole other can of worms!), but if you lose heart you have nothing to live for.
What I'm living for is dessert. Because it will be by ten million times better than the life I'm living now. Why? Because I get to spend every single waking moment for the rest of eternity praising my God and King who was and is and is to come!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Regret
We all have regrets. Don't even play like you don't.
This post kind of just fell into place in the past couple of days. It was just solidified by a post on Facebook that said "Life is like photography. It develops from all the negatives." How true is that?! But are they really negatives if we get something glorious out of it?
In Lifegroup (yes...another shout out!) we talked about how sometimes we can be given a beautiful gift of God and mistake it for a curse. How often do we find ourselves in a position that we never thought we would be in? And how often do we chock it up to things we have done wrong (aka: karma) or bad timing or something else ridiculous? Answer: a lot more than we should.
We have all heard the saying "everything happens for a reason." But we really only pull it out when we don't have any other answer for somebody we are having a hard time empathizing with. But, I mean HELLLOOOOOOO everything DOES happen for a reason!
The reason you are where you are now is because you are an anointed and active part of God's redemptive plan! Why do we make all these plans for our lives without consulting the Almighty first? Isn't that kind of silly? One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is that Psalms says "ask and the desires of your heart will be given to you," right? Funny thing, when we start praying and staying in the Word His desires BECOME our desires because all we desire is to do and to be where He desires us to be!
The decisions you make now (or in retrospect) may have seemed like the biggest deal in the world and that if you didn't make the right choice the world may very well stop revolving because you didn't say the right thing, or you did what you knew was wrong, or you made your decision to go to college based on what was easiest and most convenient.
But does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Why do we put so much time and effort into making such magnanimous decisions when all we have to do is "bloom where you're planted" so to speak.
News Flash: You're going to end up where God wants you no matter what. So chill out and just talk it out with your Abba Father! He always knows what to say.
So if you aren't where you thought you'd be, don't sweat it! It means that God has a bigger, better plan for you than you could have planned for yourself!
This post kind of just fell into place in the past couple of days. It was just solidified by a post on Facebook that said "Life is like photography. It develops from all the negatives." How true is that?! But are they really negatives if we get something glorious out of it?
In Lifegroup (yes...another shout out!) we talked about how sometimes we can be given a beautiful gift of God and mistake it for a curse. How often do we find ourselves in a position that we never thought we would be in? And how often do we chock it up to things we have done wrong (aka: karma) or bad timing or something else ridiculous? Answer: a lot more than we should.
We have all heard the saying "everything happens for a reason." But we really only pull it out when we don't have any other answer for somebody we are having a hard time empathizing with. But, I mean HELLLOOOOOOO everything DOES happen for a reason!
The reason you are where you are now is because you are an anointed and active part of God's redemptive plan! Why do we make all these plans for our lives without consulting the Almighty first? Isn't that kind of silly? One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is that Psalms says "ask and the desires of your heart will be given to you," right? Funny thing, when we start praying and staying in the Word His desires BECOME our desires because all we desire is to do and to be where He desires us to be!
The decisions you make now (or in retrospect) may have seemed like the biggest deal in the world and that if you didn't make the right choice the world may very well stop revolving because you didn't say the right thing, or you did what you knew was wrong, or you made your decision to go to college based on what was easiest and most convenient.
But does it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Why do we put so much time and effort into making such magnanimous decisions when all we have to do is "bloom where you're planted" so to speak.
News Flash: You're going to end up where God wants you no matter what. So chill out and just talk it out with your Abba Father! He always knows what to say.
So if you aren't where you thought you'd be, don't sweat it! It means that God has a bigger, better plan for you than you could have planned for yourself!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Just Whistle While You Work
This post is building off of a verse that I talked about in my last post "Time." I'm still mad that part of it is black...oh well.
This post WAS going to be about pain, but I'll save that one for when I have more plausible material. I know it's been a while since I posted. I'm sorry...I know you missed me. But I'm back!
A lot of what a college kid has to learn about is working. I know that most college freshman don't have a job (whereas I don't really have a choice) but we still have to work at school, right? Well last night I had to close at work. I was not a very happy camper because we were one person short so nobody could maintain the lobby as well as it needed to be. So needless to say it was a MESS when it came time to lock the doors.
At first I was not very happy at the prospect of it taking me an extra 30 minutes longer than it normally does to close the lobby because it is normally all swept by ten o'clock and I didn't even get started until 9:55. But as time went on and I was bee-bopping to the crappy rock music that was on I began to think of 1 Corinthians 10:31 "whatever you do....do it to the glory of God."
This brings up a good point about us Christians. Don't you find that when you are given a task you find it hard to fulfill it half-way or is that just my OCD talking? Well, another woman I greatly admire who is to blame for my OCD tendencies (my mommy!) thinks the same way. All the time we witness people not giving their all for what they are supposed to be doing. However, we find it difficult to leave a job half done.
OCD or not, this is how it should be! Do everything as if you were doing it for the LORD (and with a happy heart at that). Would you really only do a job half-way for the LORD of the universe? I think not. So why don't we work like that for our earthly authorities so that we can show the love of God through our work ethic?
This argument may be a bit more scatter brained than I intended...but I think you get the point.
This post WAS going to be about pain, but I'll save that one for when I have more plausible material. I know it's been a while since I posted. I'm sorry...I know you missed me. But I'm back!
A lot of what a college kid has to learn about is working. I know that most college freshman don't have a job (whereas I don't really have a choice) but we still have to work at school, right? Well last night I had to close at work. I was not a very happy camper because we were one person short so nobody could maintain the lobby as well as it needed to be. So needless to say it was a MESS when it came time to lock the doors.
At first I was not very happy at the prospect of it taking me an extra 30 minutes longer than it normally does to close the lobby because it is normally all swept by ten o'clock and I didn't even get started until 9:55. But as time went on and I was bee-bopping to the crappy rock music that was on I began to think of 1 Corinthians 10:31 "whatever you do....do it to the glory of God."
This brings up a good point about us Christians. Don't you find that when you are given a task you find it hard to fulfill it half-way or is that just my OCD talking? Well, another woman I greatly admire who is to blame for my OCD tendencies (my mommy!) thinks the same way. All the time we witness people not giving their all for what they are supposed to be doing. However, we find it difficult to leave a job half done.
OCD or not, this is how it should be! Do everything as if you were doing it for the LORD (and with a happy heart at that). Would you really only do a job half-way for the LORD of the universe? I think not. So why don't we work like that for our earthly authorities so that we can show the love of God through our work ethic?
This argument may be a bit more scatter brained than I intended...but I think you get the point.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Time
It's long, short, too much of, too little of, gone before you know it, drags on forever, used up and wasted. It's valuable, precious and taken for granted.
I have encountered so many people and have been guilty myself of not using my time wisely and in an effective manner. This post has been in the draft phase for a few days. I knew I wanted to talk about "time," but I didn't really know what about it.
Then in Life Group (another shout out to my wonderful community of girls!) we talked through 1 Corinthians 5. We, as usual, got a little off topic (but not as bad as normal) and started talking about how our time needs to be spent furthering the kingdom of God and not idly. Being intentional and not settling for conversations that just happen to come up in which you can bring up your faith.
A friend in my Life Group went potluck for her roommates because she is from out of state. Well, she happened to get one that was an Atheist. Not one of those "all Christians are evil" Atheists, but she simply doesn't believe. Well, when she started being intentional with her conversation, her lifestyle and her prayers she found that her roommate started to open up. One day she came up to her out of the blue and said that she could tell she was different by the way she lives.
I had a friend at work tell me that the fact I don't cuss and take part in certain conversation topics proves how incredibly my faith impacts me.
So many prayers have been answered by being intentional with words, time and effort.
So since I chased that rabbit a little down the trail. Back to the time thing. The thing is that it takes TIME to be intentional. In Life Group we talked about how every moment of our lives should bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 5 says that on the judgement day we will be judged on the "good and bad" things we've done. However in a different translation, it means "worthwhile and worthless."
Worthless...hm. Not worth anything. How many times a day do we do things that are worthless? How much time do we spend not being intentional in what we do?
Tonight at work (yeah, I know it's late....but I had to close and I wanted to get this down before I forgot it) I was mopping. It gives you time to think....and I like it because nobody else is talking to me. I found myself talking to God. Just in normal conversation like he was my best friend! And a verse came to mind. 1 Corinthians 10:31 *side note: Paul's letters to the Corinthians are awesome* "whether then, whether you eat or sleep or whatever you do, do it to the glory of God." Whatever you do......walk around campus, have lunch with a friend, go to a party, movie night with the roomies, be alone to relax, or mopping a floor. Do it to the glory of God (which also means to the best of your ability, by the way).
So the point of this not really focused post is that God is doing great things. All you have to do is be in an intentional relationship with Him and use your time to His glory!
And this ISN'T as hard as it sounds.
oh, right. The bottom line is that we only have so much time. And I don't know about you, but at the end of mine I want to hear "well done, my good and faithful servant."
Time for bed!
I have encountered so many people and have been guilty myself of not using my time wisely and in an effective manner. This post has been in the draft phase for a few days. I knew I wanted to talk about "time," but I didn't really know what about it.
Then in Life Group (another shout out to my wonderful community of girls!) we talked through 1 Corinthians 5. We, as usual, got a little off topic (but not as bad as normal) and started talking about how our time needs to be spent furthering the kingdom of God and not idly. Being intentional and not settling for conversations that just happen to come up in which you can bring up your faith.
A friend in my Life Group went potluck for her roommates because she is from out of state. Well, she happened to get one that was an Atheist. Not one of those "all Christians are evil" Atheists, but she simply doesn't believe. Well, when she started being intentional with her conversation, her lifestyle and her prayers she found that her roommate started to open up. One day she came up to her out of the blue and said that she could tell she was different by the way she lives.
I had a friend at work tell me that the fact I don't cuss and take part in certain conversation topics proves how incredibly my faith impacts me.
So many prayers have been answered by being intentional with words, time and effort.
So since I chased that rabbit a little down the trail. Back to the time thing. The thing is that it takes TIME to be intentional. In Life Group we talked about how every moment of our lives should bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 5 says that on the judgement day we will be judged on the "good and bad" things we've done. However in a different translation, it means "worthwhile and worthless."
Worthless...hm. Not worth anything. How many times a day do we do things that are worthless? How much time do we spend not being intentional in what we do?
Tonight at work (yeah, I know it's late....but I had to close and I wanted to get this down before I forgot it) I was mopping. It gives you time to think....and I like it because nobody else is talking to me. I found myself talking to God. Just in normal conversation like he was my best friend! And a verse came to mind. 1 Corinthians 10:31 *side note: Paul's letters to the Corinthians are awesome* "whether then, whether you eat or sleep or whatever you do, do it to the glory of God." Whatever you do......walk around campus, have lunch with a friend, go to a party, movie night with the roomies, be alone to relax, or mopping a floor. Do it to the glory of God (which also means to the best of your ability, by the way).
So the point of this not really focused post is that God is doing great things. All you have to do is be in an intentional relationship with Him and use your time to His glory!
And this ISN'T as hard as it sounds.
oh, right. The bottom line is that we only have so much time. And I don't know about you, but at the end of mine I want to hear "well done, my good and faithful servant."
Time for bed!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Endorsements
This week is dedicated to my new endorsement! Giving blood, it is equivalent to giving life. (and you get a free t shirt!)
My roommate, Kellye, and I like to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (a show specially designed to make you cry and bring to the surface all your hidden emotions). Well last week it was about a girl that had a red blood cell disease called Diamond Blackfan Anemia. This disorder left Lizze Bell with an extremely low red blood cell count and finds her life only through those that provide transfusions.
*side note, Google Lizzie Bell. It's amazing!*
Well after we blubbered over the beautiful house that Ty and his team built for their family, I decided I wanted to give blood. I had wanted to give blood for a while, but never got up the courage. My mom used to be an avid donor, but got black-listed because of Hep C (which she never had anyways) so I feel it is a sort of duty I owe to her to donate.
Well what do you know I saw Monday morning sitting right in front of the library? I Life South truck. After a few days of feeling guilty every time I walked past it Kellye and I decided to go. Until she psyched my out by talking about the size of the needle and the amounts of pain involved. Needless to say, we didn't go.
Well shoutout number two to my Life Group. Every week we write our names on cards and draw them out randomly so we get together with someone and get to know them one on one (fantastic idea, by the way). Well this week I was to meet with Sarah. We were going to meet Tuesday, but I had to postpone due to a History midterm Wednesday morning. And it turned out even better!
After passing the truck for about the tenth time this week, I decided I wanted to go. For real this time. So I texted Sarah and asked her if she was afraid of needles. She isn't! She's a nursing major, too! So Sarah agreed to go with me and not only did we give life but we started to build the foundation of a beautiful friendship, I'm sure.
Not only is this another lesson on the importance and blessings of community, but it is to encourage you to give blood. Even better, I found out I'm type O, so depending on whether I'm + or -, I could potentially be the universal donor. What more encouragement do you need??
I know, I know. You're afraid of needles, aren't you? Suck it up and be a big girl/boy. People go through a lot more pain than a little needle stick just to get through the day.
"what we have done for ourselves dies alone with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." ~Albert Pike
My roommate, Kellye, and I like to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (a show specially designed to make you cry and bring to the surface all your hidden emotions). Well last week it was about a girl that had a red blood cell disease called Diamond Blackfan Anemia. This disorder left Lizze Bell with an extremely low red blood cell count and finds her life only through those that provide transfusions.
*side note, Google Lizzie Bell. It's amazing!*
Well after we blubbered over the beautiful house that Ty and his team built for their family, I decided I wanted to give blood. I had wanted to give blood for a while, but never got up the courage. My mom used to be an avid donor, but got black-listed because of Hep C (which she never had anyways) so I feel it is a sort of duty I owe to her to donate.
Well what do you know I saw Monday morning sitting right in front of the library? I Life South truck. After a few days of feeling guilty every time I walked past it Kellye and I decided to go. Until she psyched my out by talking about the size of the needle and the amounts of pain involved. Needless to say, we didn't go.
Well shoutout number two to my Life Group. Every week we write our names on cards and draw them out randomly so we get together with someone and get to know them one on one (fantastic idea, by the way). Well this week I was to meet with Sarah. We were going to meet Tuesday, but I had to postpone due to a History midterm Wednesday morning. And it turned out even better!
After passing the truck for about the tenth time this week, I decided I wanted to go. For real this time. So I texted Sarah and asked her if she was afraid of needles. She isn't! She's a nursing major, too! So Sarah agreed to go with me and not only did we give life but we started to build the foundation of a beautiful friendship, I'm sure.
Not only is this another lesson on the importance and blessings of community, but it is to encourage you to give blood. Even better, I found out I'm type O, so depending on whether I'm + or -, I could potentially be the universal donor. What more encouragement do you need??
I know, I know. You're afraid of needles, aren't you? Suck it up and be a big girl/boy. People go through a lot more pain than a little needle stick just to get through the day.
"what we have done for ourselves dies alone with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." ~Albert Pike
Sunday, October 2, 2011
American Idol
It's a sad day when the people of America worship a sport more than the One True God.
Football: a sport. Is it really that important in the grand scheme of things? Yes, it's fun to watch and it provides an atmosphere that provides for fun and fellowship with friends and family. But how far is too far?
Just to clarify, you go to college to get an education. Not to worship a group of men that ran around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get a piece of pig skin into the right part of a painted field. I'm not ranting, I'm just pointing out that people take this sport way out of proportion. I am an LSU fan. A bayou bengal forever because that's the home I was born in, my family and heart are in Louisiana, and I love the atmosphere. I am a student at the University of Alabama. I do not cheer for the Crimson Tide. Is that such a crime? Other students that go here cheer for teams all over the country, but they aren't constantly berated. Why? Because they aren't a "rival" or because they aren't in the same conference. How ridiculous is that?! Just because I don't go for the team of the school I go to doesn't mean I should transfer.
Ok, now I'm done "ranting" or whatever you want to consider that. People seem to get so caught up in these kind of idols. What would our country be like if we, collectively (I'm no exception), spent the time, money and effort that we do on sports and spent it on more important things? I'm not saying being involved with sports and fun activities is a bad evil thing, but shouldn't our priorities be in check first? It is sad when families are torn apart because they are centered around doing well in a sport rather than being a spiritual stronghold.
Just saying, we all need to make sure our priorities are in check before we rip people apart for being an LSU or Florida or whatever fan while you are attending college so you can gain an education.
Football: a sport. Is it really that important in the grand scheme of things? Yes, it's fun to watch and it provides an atmosphere that provides for fun and fellowship with friends and family. But how far is too far?
Just to clarify, you go to college to get an education. Not to worship a group of men that ran around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to get a piece of pig skin into the right part of a painted field. I'm not ranting, I'm just pointing out that people take this sport way out of proportion. I am an LSU fan. A bayou bengal forever because that's the home I was born in, my family and heart are in Louisiana, and I love the atmosphere. I am a student at the University of Alabama. I do not cheer for the Crimson Tide. Is that such a crime? Other students that go here cheer for teams all over the country, but they aren't constantly berated. Why? Because they aren't a "rival" or because they aren't in the same conference. How ridiculous is that?! Just because I don't go for the team of the school I go to doesn't mean I should transfer.
Ok, now I'm done "ranting" or whatever you want to consider that. People seem to get so caught up in these kind of idols. What would our country be like if we, collectively (I'm no exception), spent the time, money and effort that we do on sports and spent it on more important things? I'm not saying being involved with sports and fun activities is a bad evil thing, but shouldn't our priorities be in check first? It is sad when families are torn apart because they are centered around doing well in a sport rather than being a spiritual stronghold.
Just saying, we all need to make sure our priorities are in check before we rip people apart for being an LSU or Florida or whatever fan while you are attending college so you can gain an education.
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