Hey! That's mine!

A few years ago, I bought this mug. You can see, it's just a plain old mug. I would put tea in it at the office and it would keep me warm. It's ceramic, so it would keep my hands warm. After using it, I would put it in the dishwasher at the office. The next morning, someone would empty the dishwasher and I would find it in the cupboard, all clean and ready for more tea.

In the summer, I don't drink tea much, so I left my mug in the safety of the cupboard. Then one day - I saw it. In the hands of someone else in the office. The next day, she had it again. Every day she was using it like it belonged to her. I didn't say anything to her, but I thought it - "how dare she use my mug? It's mine, and she can't have it!"

OK. So why am I so upset about a mug that probably cost me about $2? I mean, I like to think of myself as a fairly generous person - I give where I feel God is leading. But don't touch my mug!

Today was clean up day at the office. Time to deep clean the office and purge files. I found my mug to take this picture - then I put it back, and have surrendered it to my co-worker. Seems like such a simple thing, but as God strips away the things that I am holding on to my hands are open to receive what he has for me. Even the little things block my view of Him and plug my ears to His voice so the only voice in my head is my own and that's a dangerous place to be.

Got shoes?

How many pairs of shoes do you have? Go on, count them. It's OK. I'll wait. If you have more than one you are blessed beyond measure. If you only have one pair, you are still in much better shape than most of the world. Over 300 million people around the world don’t have shoes and are forced to walk around unsafe and in potentially life-threatening conditions.

I have bad feet. I need to wear shoes or my feet ache and my back aches and my legs ache. I wake up in the morning and I can barely walk if I didn't wear shoes the day before, so I can't imagine living life without them. For many in the world, wearing shoes is not an option. Not because they are forbidden or anything; they just don't have them. It's crazy to think about.

I've joined Soles4Souls in trying to dress up feet everywhere. Today is the launch of the 50,000 Pairs in 50 Days Challenge. I can't wait to see what God does with the feet He puts in these shoes. Today, blogs, emails, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and other social networking sites are lighting up with this challenge.

Here's some info if you are interested in learning more.
50,000shoes
Soles4Souls
Facebook
Wayne Elsey
Anne Jackson

People Watching

I've been doing a little people watching lately. I don't usually do it because I think it's kind of rude to stare at other people while they go about their lives. I have a friend who is always staring at people. I know other people who try to watch people as if they are under cover... hiding behind menus in restaurants, behind friends and peeking over their shoulder.. which seems a bit like stalking, but that's just me.

Today, I was sitting at McDonald's (I know... not the best choice) and I was watching some kids play in the play area. I couldn't see them most of the time except right when they were climbing into the play structure thingy (I wasn't actually in the room, just could see this through the window). It occurred to me how transparent kids are with their emotions. When they are sad, they cry, when they are made, they pout and stomp around. When they are annoyed, they roll their eyes.

At one point, all of the kids (maybe about 8 of them) were running toward the entrance at the same time and the littlest one was trampled. She was flat on her face. She started to get up and go in, but at the last second, started crying (I can relate to that delayed response). She ran to her dad, who knelt down and spoke to her, then kissed her hand. At that moment, she was fine - turned around and went right back to playing. How cool was that? All the parents were laughing at how quickly she bounced back.

It occurred to me that she had the utmost faith in her father to make her better - to feel better and to no longer hurt. As soon as the pain set in, she knew exactly where she needed to go to get help. One touch of the father's hand and her strength was renewed - she could go on. She may have a bruise, a cut or a scrape, but she was willing to return to the task at hand as soon as she felt his touch.

It makes me ask the question - do I run to my Father when I need help? Do I know where healing comes from? Or do I try it on my own and go to other people for comfort and strength, only running to Him as a last resort? I fall somewhere in the middle. Sometimes, I know right where to run and He is always faithful. Other times, I run around a while, then go to Him. And again, He is so faithful. Always.

He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:2-4

Purpose

We all wonder what our purpose is. Why were we created? Isn't there more? Is this really what God wants me to be doing? I think even if we think we know what our purpose is we still struggle at times if we are really living it out to it's full potential.

As I was driving home I was thinking about my job and my life and asking those questions. God spoke to my heart (or out loud in my head) that the only way to find my purpose is to first seek him with all my heart. Funny how you think you are doing something right then realize you are wrong. Ok, maybe funny is the wrong word. I keep trying to figure things out in my head. I could do this or that and maybe that's what God's purpose for my life is. Really, if I listened more closely to Him he would make it perfectly clear.

I know it's not earth shattering news. I already knew that. You know how sometimes someone will say something to you and you don't hear it until someone else says it? When God says it(and I actually hear it), I tend to listen better.

OOPS...

... I think I'm religious. I hate that.

I hate when I realize that I'm not really loving people but judging them. I hate when I realize that I'm going through the motions of "Christianity" instead of focusing on my relationship with God and others. I hate when I start to think I've got it all figured out. I hate when I realize I haven't.

I love that He forgives all of that. I love that I can fall at His feet and be refreshed by his love, be refilled and refueled to start again.