Love by Way of Sunglasses...

In the past week or so I have had the same conversation with two different friends in different states so I thought I would share a little about the topic... Actually this is quite different from my normal blog posts, but hey, it's my blog so I can post whatever it is that I want to post! Anyway, the first part of this post is actually a entry from my journal on July 12, 2009:


" *'Love is in the house, and the house is packed. So much soul I left the back door cracked. Mamma always said it's a matter of fact When love is in the house the house is packed...'- TobyMac
*'I wanna know what love is...'- Foreigner
*'Love, true love...'

What is love?

For a long time I have (and still to some degree still do) struggle with the fact of 'love'. I personally have never been able to really define love- I really have never known what love is. Very rarely do the words 'I love you' come out of my mouth and sometimes when they do, they are just empty words with no meaning behind them. I simply have struggled with love. It often gets under my skin when people carelessly toss around the phrase 'I love you.' When couples of two weeks repeatedly exchange the phrase I stop and ask myself, 'do they really know what love is or are they just saying it because that's the thing to say?' There are random people in my life who every time I see them say 'I love you', but do they really love me? Do they understand true love? Am I the only odd ball who just doesn't get it??? Needless to say 'I love you's' are few and far between with me, but I'm thinking that's all changing now.

A few weeks ago as I was having my quiet time before work I was praying over kidz kamp and the material we had just finished writing. As I was praying and thinking through the stuff we had written I was silenced in an awe-struck humbling moment. I thought about how incredible this material (and material in the past) was. WOW...I am a dirty, unworthy, no good for nothing sinner, but yet God used me. I could not begin to understand why God still chose to use me cause I was a worthless sinner, then it hit me...LOVE.

God loves me so much that #1 He forgives me, but #2 He wants to use me. Many times in my life I have pretty much looked Him straight in the face and spit it in, slapped Him, and then turned and walked away. What did He do? He pretty much grabbed me, hugged me, cleaned me up, and used me.

As all of this hit me I began to weep-hard. I finally got what love was. Looking through the outside and the actions and loving the person no matter what. Not only loving them when it's convenient, but loving them when they hate you. Not only showing love, but empowering them and supporting them in the darkest times.

Love is giving it all, all the time, through it all, in all circumstances, with all that you are."

So what does sunglasses have to do with this?

You see a few weeks ago I was at the lake with a group of friends and we went into a cove, anchored the boats, and just hung out in the water and swam. I had my rather expensive Oakley sunglasses on, but decided to swim about 75 yards to my families boat to get my life jacket. So I handed my sunglasses to my bf and asked them to hold them for me. I swam to the boat and as I was almost back to my group of friends floating in the water I heard "Where are the sunglasses?" As I looked up I saw a couple of the guys diving down and realized my nice sunglasses are now somewhere in the lake... Not cool in my world. My friend had now entered the panic stage and well, to be quite honest, I had entered the pissed stage. After a few dives down, I counted it a lost cause and swam over to the side of the boat and just kind of sat there for a while. After a few minutes I sucked it up, joined the group again and tried to let it go. I said it was all cool, but it really wasn't I just wanted to give some kind of comfort to my friend and not be mad towards them any more.

A few hours went by and we were headed home. As I drove my friends in my car carried on many conversations, but I was in my own pissy little world harping on the fact that a giant catfish was now swimming around in style. I was was sulking in my loss and I thought about my friend and how bad they must feel... I knew that there was no way to go back and change what happened, but I could change my attitude towards the whole situation. I began to feel guilty for the anger that I had felt and then God and I had a cool moment... LOVE was made real. I still love my friend even though they dropped my sunglasses. The glasses were just an overpriced piece of plastic, but my friend is a priceless treasure. I'm not going to stop loving them because of what happened, even though I must admit the thought did cross my mind. Just being honest. That's how God's love is... Never ending. If God stopped loving me every time I did something that upset Him or went against what He asked me to do, quite frankly He would never love me. But He loves me no matter what I do to Him and I just don't understand. As Christians it's time to start loving like God does. He gives it all, all the time, through it all, in every circumstance, and loves us with all that He is...

I don't know about you, but I sure am glad that God loves me now matter how many times I "drop His sunglasses in the lake." Maybe it's time we start doing the same thing.

Pressing On.


...thanks...

The Little Things in Life...

Lately I have been repeatedly reminded of how the little things in life can make a BIG difference. To be honest it has been rather entertaining, but it has been rather convicting too.

The first instance happened during VBS last week and came from a first grader. When asked if she was having fun she quickly replied with "Yes, it's better then that Methodist church. It's longer and funner and the bathrooms are cleaner!" Who knew that how clean the bathroom was during VBS would have such a HUGE impact on a first grader! Certainly not me!

The second instance started during VBS and continued this week during camp prep. A sixth grade boy asked if he could be on the purple team at camp. He had been to camp since he was in first grade and NEVER has been on the purple team. (Milan's colors are purple and white and well, let's just say this town bleeds purple!) Such a small thing as what color team he is going to be on is a BIG deal to him. I can't wait to see his reaction when he gets to camp and realizes that he is on the purple team!!!

The third instance happens quite often, but I just realized it this week. One of "Small Childs" favorite things in the world is to play with my phone. To take pictures, video, play games, or just listen to my ringtones. Typically it is rather annoying, but as I was sitting on the couch this past week with her and her brother they cracked me up. For 20 minutes they took turns taking short video clips of each other laughing, singing, and acting crazy and they LOVED it! Overall it really wasn't a big deal, but it was BIG to them. They were still talking about it the next day...

I could go on and on, but I will spare you. As I sit and reflect it's the little things in my life that mean the most. From a simple text from a friend just saying "hope you have a great day" and that they are praying for me to a family inviting me into their home for dinner since I'm away from mine to a simply thank you for all the work I put into my job to a reassuring smile and a "everything's going to workout."

I just started reading a book and have already been taken back by a comment in it. We are commanded in scripture to "love your neighbor as yourselves." I don't know about you, but I love myself a whole lot. Often when I meditate on this scripture I think that I have to start loving myself less and others more, but this book has made me think differently. Instead of decreasing the love of ourselves so we don't have that high of a "love bar", if you will, to reach with others, why don't we just start loving others as much as we love ourselves?!? If I loved everyone I know as much as I love myself, WOW...That would be a lot of lovin' going on!

This doesn't mean that you have to go out and do BIG crazy things for everyone you know. Simply love them and treat them as yourself. For me it's the little things that make a BIG difference, so I've decided to start making a conscience effort to do little things for people.
Little notes or texts, simple prayers, some thank you's, and maybe even a free lunch here or there just because.

So my challenge to you simply is to love your neighbors as yourself. Figure out what you love and how you want to be treated and then go and treat the world that way...

It's the little things that make a BIG difference... Go make a BIG difference...

5 Lessons... Part 5!

Instead of recapping the whole story up unto this point, I think I am simply going to recap the first 4 lessons. Here we go...

Lesson 1~ Attitude

The first lesson we can learn from this miracle of Jesus is ATTITUDE. In order to be all you can be for Jesus you have to take on the right attitude. With God ALL things are possible. God has put us where we are for a purpose and He has placed large tasks in our lives. We have to take on the correct attitude in order for God to use us and conquer these big tasks.

LESSON 2~ Give it All

The second lesson we can learn is GIVING IT ALL. God has incredible things in store for our lives and He wants to use us beyond our comprehension, but in order to do so we have to give everything to him. Just as the young boy gave all of his lunch for Jesus to use, we have to give Jesus all of ourselves.

LESSON 3~ Keep On Keeping On.

The third lesson we can learn is that you have to KEEP ON KEEPING ON! It looks impossible sometimes, but with the right attitude, and when you give all you have, and keep on keeping on no matter what, God will use you and bless you far beyond your imagination. As you keep on, you daily have to come back to God in order for Him to "refill your basket" just as He had to do for the disciples. You cannot serve/feed others when you yourself have not been fed and refilled.

LESSON 4~ When it's all said and done: JESUS.

The fourth lesson we can learn is that whether it's a project at school or work, a lesson you teach, a group you lead, a task you complete, or the life you live, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE let it be JESUS that they see and praise!

AND FINALLY, Drum roll please......

LESSON 5~ Unique and Special

The fifth lesson that I think we can take away from this Miracle of Jesus and help us to "be all we can be for is Jesus" is to understand that we are unique and special. You see, my favorite thing about this miracle is not lessons to be learned, it's not the little boy giving it all, it's not the disciples serving, it's not Jesus multiplying food to feed the thousands of people, but it's the fact that this is the only miracle that is recorded in all 4 gospels! I love that! Like I said in lesson 1, that makes this miracle special. I also think that this miracle is unique. Although there are several miracles of Jesus, even one where He feed 4,000, this one is still it's own unique miracle.

Just as the miracle is unique and special, you are unique and special. Created for a specific reason with incredible plans (Jeremiah 29:11). The Psalmist tells us in Psalms 139 that we are fearfully and wonderfully made and that we were woven together by God. WOW! God stopped and took the time to weave you into creation just the way He wanted you to be.

God spoke all of His creations into existence, except for humans. He created us and breathed life into us. He went on to leave His unique mark on us and even gave us our own unique and special marks, fingerprints. Just as this miracle is special and unique, you are special and unique. God loves you beyond your imagination and has plans and thoughts for you that are beyond what you can fathom (Isaiah 55:8-9). Your fingerprints distinguish you from the rest of the world, so be unique, don't conform, and live the special plans that God has for you! God has left His fingerprints on you, now go leave His fingerprints across the world...
I wrap this point up with lyrics to a song that came from a late night conversation with a friend and thought that were swimming in our heads over the course of a few months.

It's simply titled "Fingerprints"

As I look at the stars I can’t help but think about the
day you formed them into existence.

The moment you spoke the words the creation
in its perfect forms for me to enjoy and see

Each star and constellation a unique creation in itself
it’s like you left your fingerprints on the night sky

As I look in the mirror I can’t help but think about the
day you formed me into existence

The moment you created me in your perfect
image and Woven with beauty only by your grace

Given a specific purpose to impact this world

When I was created, your fingerprints were left on me

Just as a potter leaves his prints on the clay

God has left His fingerprints on me

If you are the potter then I am the clay.

I am a creation skillfully mastered by the master’s hands

Woven with beauty in the image of God

I can’t help but see the fingerprints you left on me

I am your creation, yours and yours alone

I am shaped and created to be what I am supposed to be

Get the right ATTITUDE, GIVE IT ALL to God, KEEP ON KEEPING ON, in the end WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE let everything you do and say point to JESUS, and be your UNIQUE and SPECIAL self that God created you to be and you will be all you can be for Jesus!

I hope that God has spoken to you just as much has He has spoken to me through this story...


John 3:30 He must become more important. I must become less important...

Pressing On.

Five Lessons... Part 4

Yeah, it's been a LONG time... Anyway, let's do a quick recap of lessons 1-3 then take care of 4 and then maybe 5 in the next day or two so I can move on in my ramblings!

Jesus had gone away with His disciples and the multitudes had followed. It was dinner time and Jesus took charge to feed all the people. In the first post I noted that the first lesson we can learn from this miracle of Jesus is ATTITUDE. In order to be all you can be for Jesus you have to take on the right attitude. With God ALL things are possible. God has put us where we are for a purpose and He has placed large tasks in our lives. We have to take on the correct attitude in order for God to use us and conquer these big tasks. In my second post I noted that the next lesson we can learn is GIVING IT ALL. God has incredible things in store for our lives and He wants to use us beyond our comprehension, but in order to do so we have to give everything to him. Just as the young boy gave all of his lunch for Jesus to use, we have to give Jesus all of ourselves. When you give it all sometimes you have to do things that you have no desire to do or things that look impossible, but as I noted in the last post the third lesson we can learn is that you have to KEEP ON KEEPING ON! It looks impossible sometimes, but with the right attitude, and when you give all you have, and keep on keeping on no matter what, God will use you and bless you far beyond your imagination. As you keep on, you daily have to come back to God in order for Him to "refill your basket" just as He had to do for the disciples. You cannot serve/feed others when you yourself have not been fed and refilled.

Whew... Awesome, let's jump into the scriptures and take on point 4! We're going to look at John 6:14-15

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Everyone in the story had had a BIG day and the day was almost over, but yet I think there is still a lesson to be learned from these 2 verses. The people had come, the disciples attitudes had been seen, the little boy had given it all, Jesus had preformed a miracle, the people were fed, the disciples kept on keeping on, and they had received their "reward". WOW, could you imagine the conversations going on between the people in the crowd. Stories were made that day that would be past on for many generations to come... It had been an INCREDIBLE day.

The disciples could have received tons of recognition for serving the people food over and over again, but they didn't. The little boy could have been given recognition for giving his lunch to enable the process to happen, but he wasn't... Jesus spoke a few words, multiplied the food, and handed it to the disciples... He was the talk of the town.

LESSON 4~ When it's all said and done: JESUS.

When the amazing day was over, who did they see? They saw Jesus. They didn't talk about what the disciples did or what the little boy did, they recognized Jesus. They realized that He was the prophet they had been hearing about, He was the one. I must admit that these two scriptures hit me the hardest.

We, as servants of God, do a lot of cool and incredible things for God and on His behalf. I know when God calls and equips me to do things for Him, they usually turn out really good. Big things happen, people walk away changed, and God really moves, however a lot of times I want to take the credit. When all is said and done I want people to see Meredith and what Meredith did and how awesome it was because of what Meredith did... WOW, now that my friends is selfish and way wrong. When all is said and done JESUS should be the only person that the people see. When all is said and done people should walk away saying "WOW, look at God and what He did. Look how awesome He is and at the incredible things He has accomplished!"

In the end it should be all about Jesus. When your life is all said and done are people going to look at you and see what all you've done or are they going to see Jesus and all the things He did through you and all the lives of the people who were impacted because you were His vessel?

In Matthew 5: 14-16 Jesus says

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Whether it's a project at school or work, a lesson you teach, a group you lead, a task you complete, or the life you live, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE let it be JESUS that they see and praise!

I leave you with the lyrics to "Do They See Jesus in Me?" by Joy Williams. A friend gave this song to me a few months ago and I think it fits perfectly with this lesson...

Is the face that I see in the mirror the one I want others to see?
Do I show in the way that I walk in my life the love that you've given to me?
My heart's desire is to be like you in all that I do, all I am

CHORUS:
Do they see Jesus in me?
Do they recognize your face?
Do I communicate your love and your grace?
Do I reflect who you are in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me?

Well it's amazing that you'd ever use me, but use me the way you will
Help me to hold out heart of compassion and grace
A heart that your Spirit fills
May I show forgiveness and mercy the same way you've shown it to me

CHORUS

Well I want to show all the world that You are the reason I live and breathe
So You'll be the one that they see when they see me...

Pressing On.

Five Lessons... Part 3

Quick Recap: Jesus had gone away with His disciples and the multitudes had followed. It was dinner time and Jesus took charge to feed all the people. In the first post I noted that the first lesson we can learn from this miracle of Jesus is ATTITUDE. In order to be all you can be for Jesus you have to take on the right attitude. With God ALL things are possible. God has put us where we are for a purpose and He has placed large tasks in our lives. We have to take on the correct attitude in order for God to use us and conquer these big tasks. In my last post I noted that the second lesson we can learn is GIVING IT ALL. God has incredible things in store for our lives and He wants to use us beyond our comprehension, but in order to do so we have to give everything to him. Just as the young boy gave all of his lunch for Jesus to use, we have to give Jesus all of ourselves.

Sweet... Let's jump into the scripture. This time we are going to look at Luke's "version" of the miracle~ Luke 9:14-17

(About five thousand men were there.)But he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

At least 5,000 men were in attendance at this gathering, that is not counting women or children. Wow, now that' s a whole lot of people! Like I noted in a previous post, Bible Scholars believe that was an estimated 10,000 people there all together. For the sake of wanting a number to help get my thoughts across we are going to go with 10,000. It really doesn't matter, but it will help with a little visual!

Now as you recall from previous posts that Jesus had crossed the sea of Galilee with His disciples and they had gone up and sat on a mountainside. Keep that in the back of your head for a moment! Anyway, they had gone up and Jesus decided it was time to eat and the disciples had no clue what Jesus was about to do. A young boy had given his lunch to Jesus and the disciples did not know what He could do with such a small lunch. Jesus told them to sit the people down in groups of about 50, so they did. But I think that they still did not understand what they were fixing to experience... Little did they know that their job was about to begin!

Stop. Soak it in. Think through the story up until this point. Got it? Here we go...

LESSON 3~ Keep On Keeping On.

There are 3 different things I want you to see from this.

#1- Jesus had 10,000ish people sit down in groups of 50. Now by my calculations that means there were roughly 200 groups! Now pull that fact out that I asked you to store a moment ago. They were on a mountainside. That means that they were probably on or around the mountain and Jesus and His disciples were most likely at the top. Jesus blessed the food and began to give it to the disciples to hand out to the 200 different groups of people. 200 groups divided by 12 disciples= 16 trips per disciple with a few trips left over. 16 times the disciples had to get a basket go out and distribute it and come back get another and to it all again. I can only imagine that they were probably playing paper-rock-scissors to see who had to go to group #200 who was the furthest away. WOW... What a job they had. A task that probably seemed like it would never end. 16 trips up and down the mountain just to do what Jesus had commanded them to do. In their minds the still did not understand what was going on. They saw an impossible task before them of feeding that many people. They saw Jesus bless the little lunch to create enough resources to do what He called them to do, but yet they still had to do the work. They kept on keeping on, doing the work that Jesus called them to do. I'm sure that by the 10th or 11th trip back up the mountain they were done and ready to stop, but they didn't. The kept on until everyone had food and they were satisfied. Which leads me to point number 2.

#2- The disciples did not quit. The kept on until the task that they were called to do was finished. The endured through it all and finished. When everyone had eaten and they were satisfied the disciples went through and picked up 12 baskets of left overs. Coincidence? I think not. 12 men who had given it all, they left everything, they had nothing. 12 baskets left over- I think this was their reward. Since they had given up everything and had nothing I'm sure that a basket of food was a huge blessing. They kept on keeping on doing what they were called to do and I believe that they were blessed and rewarded for it. God has called each one of us for a specific purpose. He has called us to keep on keeping on.
Maybe you are in the middle of a situation and you don't know when or how you are going to get out... Keep on keeping on.
Maybe God has called you to do something and you are frustrated and ready to give up... Keep on keeping on.
Maybe the task before you is bigger than you and you're just not sure if you can do it or not... Keep on keeping on.
Maybe God has told you to be patient and just wait... Keep on keeping on.
I promise that if you keep on keeping on God will give you the strength and resources that you need to keep going. I also promise that after you have come through the storm, accomplished the task, climbed your mountain, or whatever it is, a blessing/reward lies on the other side for you. Just as the disciples gained their baskets, God has something incredible for you, it might not be an earthly reward, but I promise there's something for you. This brings me to my favorite insight from this whole passage.

#3- In order for the disciples to keep on keeping on feeding the people they had to continually come back to Jesus and get another basket. They would go to Jesus, get a basket, feed the people, come back and get a refill. Then they would go out and feed some more, and then they had to go back to Jesus, over and over again. In order for us to keep on keeping on we have to daily go back to Jesus and get our "baskets" refilled before we can out and serve and feed His people. Daily we have to come to Him in prayer and Bible study in order to be refilled for each new day. You can't go out to serve and feed God's people when you have nothing to serve and you yourself have not been fed to have the energy to keep on keeping on.

It looks impossible sometimes, but with the right attitude, and when you give all you have, and KEEP ON KEEPING ON no matter what, God will use you and bless you far beyond your imagination.

I leave you with these verse from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Pressing On.