The book and the cover

So Shaun and I went to dinner on Sunday to a buffet style restaurant and being a people watcher, I of course chose to sit close to the buffet tables to provide a better view.  You can see all types of people and whether you realize it or not, you being to categorize and/or profile them.

Probably my biggest pet peeve is young men that are not sure how to pull their pants up so they wear them down below their “tushie” with their boxers showing.  As and “Adult” I don’t understand why they do this and personally think it’s ridiculous.

There was a particular young man in about his mid-twenties dressed (although not as extreme and I have seen in others) like that at the restaurant.  My first reaction (in my head):  “What is wrong with this guy?  Someone needs to tell him to grow up and do something with his life… Kids like this are just what is wrong with the world”. 

Imagine my surprise (and SHAME), when a fashionably dressed older woman walked up, gave him a hug and then said: “Pastor, my son said your message in youth group was amazing!  Thank you for touching our children’s lives”!   Wow… boy did I get that wrong!!!!

It reminds me of when Shaun and I went to the doctor to get the results from the blood work we had done.  The doctor looked at Shaun and said:  “To the world, you look like the healthy one, but she (pointing to me) is the healthy one”.  He then went on to explain some of the life changes Shaun needed to make to bring down his cholesterol and other challenges.  This really came back to me in that moment of hearing that young man being addressed as Pastor

Because even though “The world” may have its own perception; how often do we (as Christ followers) allow what we see on the outside to judge the heart that is on the inside?  I had completely written this young man off and there he was changing lives for the King of Kings.  In Matthew 7:1-4 it says:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How often do we use that scripture when we feel like we are being judged?  We quickly forget verse 5 that says: “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye”.  You see we look at others though the law but expect them (AND GOD) to look at us through the eyes of Grace. 

I want the world to know what I am for because they see love, not what I am against because they see judgment.  This doesn’t mean that we ignore things that are wrong but rather that we love people in spite of them being messy and having messed up lives.  It also means that I will think twice before making assumptions.  J

Jesus Shoes and walking out patience

So I am trying to be a good girl and living on a budget and NOT taking money out of savings to make purchases but rather exercising patience and waiting for the money to come in.

 So there I was on a Wednesday night... doing my Target shopping and knowing that my pay check would be deposited shortly... and I came across these lovely little red patent leather wedges! They were just gorgeous and the Dorothy in me just had to have them. THANK GOD that a pair of new shoes were already in the budget!! They had one size 6 left... that was definitely a sign from heaven!!

So I finished my shopping and by 9 PM, my check (which is always in by 8PM) was still not in. Immediately I was frustrated... what the heck was going on?!?! There I was with a shopping cart full of groceries and my beautiful red shoes. Shaun, who is the most patient man on the planet, told me to just wait... what?? Wait?? But I have things to do and it's getting late!!!

15 minutes later I ended up in the car (alone) listening to Blessings by Laura Story and just praying... At 10, I gave it up... "Ok God, I understand... those shoes were just not meant to be". We went home and for whatever reason, my check didn't get deposited until the next morning.

After work, Shaun suggested that we go back to Target to get the shoes. I have to admit I was certain they were going to be gone because it was the last pair and they were just so pretty!! I suggested we try a different Target first on the way home, when we got there, they were sold out and the sales clerk said they sold super fast. I wanted to go home but Shaun was determined so back to our Target we went... and you know something? Not only were my pretty red shoes in my size still there... but they had been marked down from $24.99 to $7.49!! I was able to get them in black and tan also for the less than the price that I had budgeted for just a single pair!!

 How many times to we do this to ourselves?? Just assume that God doesn't want to bless us when life doesn't go exactly as we planned or settle for the "good" when the great is right around the corner??? James 1:2-8 says: Count it all joy, my brothers (and sister shoe shoppers), when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

For me? Me and my 3 pairs of new shoes like the sound of that!!! :)