Last night as I drove home from a friends house, the Lord really grabbed my attention.
I was on a main road, driving back to my cozy little house as I drove under an overpass. To my right, I saw a man with a shopping cart and a couple of bags full of what appeared to be all of his belongings. He was laying on the ground sleeping. I've seen this man there for the past few weeks and I haven't had a second thought about his situation. Last night I found myself thinking "that must be humiliating..." and then in true girl fashion, the tears began to fall because I was making such a hasty generalization. Now, I'm not sure that this man woke up one morning and thought to himself, "I'd really like to live under I-540, and sleep on the cold ground..." No, I don't think that was his thought process at all.
I, my friends, make snap judgments and it is really hard for me to go back on them once they enter my mind. I really dislike this, because it robs the beauty of a story created by God, the intricate details of a journey that we are each on. When I am making these judgments, I am in essence, trying to write a portion of a strangers story and that's not my place. I am not anyone's savior- and sometimes I forget that, because I like to 'fix' and make things better.
In that brief moment as I drove under the overpass, I chose to write a portion of this man's story and title it 'humiliating.' I was critical of his current situation, and in my head immediately decided that God couldn't use that portion of Walnut Street to write a man's beautiful story.
THEN, I got home and was doing some reading before bed, and Brennan Manning got my attention with this thought:
"A person, in real sense, is what he or she sees. And seeing depends on our eyes. Jesus uses the metaphor of eyes more often than that of minds or wills. The old proverb, "The eyes are the windows of the soul," contains a profound truth. Our eyes reveal whether our souls are spacious or cramped, hospitable or critical, compassionate or judgmental. The way we see other people is usually the way we see ourselves. If we have made peace with our flawed humanity and have embraced our ragamuffin identity, we are able to tolerate in others what was previously unacceptable in ourselves."
In Acts 26:17-18 Jesus is talking to Paul, and he says...
'delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
My prayer from all of this, is that my flawed self would remember that I am just that...flawed, but through God's grace I am made whole again. That I would look to each person as a gift, with a story, and praise God that the journeys we are on have intertwined for a little while, because (thank goodness) the Lord is a better writer than I am.
Blessings.
C
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Something New
Summers are typically the time of year that I escape, and head to camp. I have spent the past 5 summers at camp, and to not be there right now is weird. While camp does, and always will hold a special place in my heart, I was really excited to just spend a few weeks there and then come back and relax until school started again.
As my time at camp ended, that excitement started to fade, and I became more hesitant about removing myself from the camp ministry for the time being, and plugging into a much more low-key summer. I was anxious because I knew the amount of down time my introverted self would have. (There are only so many Pinterest DIY projects I can fill my walls with.) I was also excited/nervous about nannying two boys I had never met.
After my roller-coaster of a year, I knew when I decided to stay in Arkansas for another year that the immense peace I felt in my heart was provided by the Lord. I knew when He provided opportunities for me to have a little part-time job (so I don't go stir-crazy) that the Lord was using that to affirm that I am right where I am supposed to be, and my needs are of first importance to Him, and His provision comes at just the right time.
Even after being gone for only a month, when I came back a week ago I was welcomed with so much LOVE. I have developed really wonderful friendships, and the Lord used that to remind me, again, that I am in the midst of something beautiful that He has me here for.
My prayer, as I continue to embark on this type of summer that has become so unfamiliar to me is that I would meditate over these Scriptures, and that these words would dwell in me deeply as I walk through each day the Lord has made.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 ESV)
I am SO excited to have even more time to be intentional with the friendships that mean so much to me AND work on the stack of books that I keep neglecting on my book shelf.
Love you all!
C
As my time at camp ended, that excitement started to fade, and I became more hesitant about removing myself from the camp ministry for the time being, and plugging into a much more low-key summer. I was anxious because I knew the amount of down time my introverted self would have. (There are only so many Pinterest DIY projects I can fill my walls with.) I was also excited/nervous about nannying two boys I had never met.
After my roller-coaster of a year, I knew when I decided to stay in Arkansas for another year that the immense peace I felt in my heart was provided by the Lord. I knew when He provided opportunities for me to have a little part-time job (so I don't go stir-crazy) that the Lord was using that to affirm that I am right where I am supposed to be, and my needs are of first importance to Him, and His provision comes at just the right time.
Even after being gone for only a month, when I came back a week ago I was welcomed with so much LOVE. I have developed really wonderful friendships, and the Lord used that to remind me, again, that I am in the midst of something beautiful that He has me here for.
My prayer, as I continue to embark on this type of summer that has become so unfamiliar to me is that I would meditate over these Scriptures, and that these words would dwell in me deeply as I walk through each day the Lord has made.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17 ESV)
I am SO excited to have even more time to be intentional with the friendships that mean so much to me AND work on the stack of books that I keep neglecting on my book shelf.
Love you all!
C
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