Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Sillyz Bands, and a pretty cool House.





















So today I gave Steve, my check out cashier at Walmart, my silly band.


He commented on my purchase which included about 7 bags of silly bandz (yes with a "z"), saying how they really had become the trend. I told him I was beginning to realize the same thing, because it seemed as though ever since I put one on I continued getting comment after comment.

As I ran my debit card for the grand total of $15.07, I looked up at this interesting looking guy- as light as the winter snow, with bright hair and dark eyes, a red sweat band on his wrist. We made small talk about the storm coming through, and I told him the goodies I was buying were for the kids that I teach on Tuesday nights.

I was compelled..


“Well Steve, the real question is .. will you have my silly band?”

He smiled and said “No!”

Haha, that wasn’t the answer I was expecting.

“C'mon, you wouldn’t wear this thing?? You’re missing out man.”

“Ok, yes I’ll wear it.”

“Are you going to take it off as soon as I walk out?”

“Haha, no I want it.”

“I’m going to sneak around this store later on in the week to confirm this, you know that right ..”

“Good, do it. I work all week, and you’ll see me wearing it!



My silly band was a house. How? You may ask.

These glorified little rubber bandz are just stretchy plain bracelets when they adorn your arm, but off your wrist they’re free to unravel into their originiality. Whether it’s a shoe, a piece of fruit, an airplane ..

When Steve and I began conversing about how popular they had become, I took mine off and laid it on the cash counter; I wanted to show it’s true shape. It unwiggled itself..

And I parted with my little blue house.


However, the only thing that came to my heart as I handed it over to Steve were some of the lasting words of the Lord. Before He parted with His disciples He made sure to tell them what was to come. I knew I wanted to leave him with more than a silly rubber band; What I wanted to say was something more like ...


“Listen. This might be a meaningless piece of material that will sit around your wrist until the day something better and cooler comes along, or some strange girl offers you something different someday. But until then; I want to give you this house because it could just be the most important thing in your life. You see, when Jesus came to be with us on earth, He told us that In His Father’s house there are many rooms. And He was going to prepare us a place in that house. It’s the certainty of knowing that the Creator of the world knows us by name, and longs to dwell with us for eternity. So even now, this may not seem an imperative thought to mind, but I encourage you to ponder it each time you look down at your wrist to wring someone up. The bible says states:


“No eye has seen and no ear has heard what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1Cor 2:9)


Something tells me that this house Jesus spoke of might be pretty, pretty stellar; and I hope you dig the bracelet."


I have my excuses as to why these words didn't reach my tongue quick enough.

But someday I hope I find myself back in a checkout line at Walmart,

in order that God may be glorified through something as seemingly silly, as silly bandz.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Encouragement

(June 15th, 2010)

Encouragement.

It's amazing when this comes so much more deeply in times of darkness and strife. Often times, the best moments of ministry come through the thick cloud of haze that surrounds you in the midst of tragedy. As I sit on this airplane, wondering how it's possible to feel "ready" to face my now widowed sister, I still praise and worship God because He's never not Good. Life is in the blood, and it was His that symbolizes the strength to continue on.
He is there to guide us into a place that we never thought we'd come to. A place from where we look back and know that had it not been for His everlasting presence we would be full of sorrow and dismay. Yet, as His Word reminds us again, and again, and again ..It is by fire that we are refined, and perfected. The Testing of our faith produces perseverance. And we rejoice in our sufferings because they produce in us perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope. (Romans 5:4) This is what we're left with, what we cling to. The hope of the salvation of our God. The love that He graciously bestowed upon us in a way unfailing.

So Lord, now I pray for the strength to stand and rise along side my sister. Knowing that your Word brings healing and restoration to the brokenhearted.
You spoke:
"Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted."
Your peace will rest where there is none. And only you could be the perfect Father for the baby on the way.

Friday, August 6, 2010

Persevere

I don't want to just get by. I want my mission to burn as deep and strong as Yours did - and still continues to. To keep pressing .. with a perseverance that is utterly contagious, and radically selfless.