God at work

Can I Have An Order for your Name?

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OU_logo[1]Being back in the world of “quick service” (NOT fast food!) has been quite an adventure to say the least.  A lot of what I used to do there has not changed, but just enough has to keep me on my toes and/or totally missing the mark!

One of the new rules for me is to get a name for each order, especially during rush times, to help identify the customer when the food is ready.  After about an hour of purely hectic lunch time, I found myself asking my next customer, “Can I have an order for your name?”  I had evidently waited on one customer too many to keep up with, and it was hilarious.  We also have table markers for guests, and they are identified by color and what food is pictured on them.  I was handed a meal to take to a customer, and was told “red nuggets”.  All I heard was nuggets, to which I promptly told my co-worker, “There’s no nuggets on here!”  More laughter, this time from my co-workers!

But I realized something. Although I am still “new” at this process, and the faster I go right now, the more mistakes I make, my co-workers are very gentle and helpful in correcting those mistakes.  One day it will be second nature to me, but not right now.  God spoke to my heart about that, and I thought about what a perfect correlation there is to the church in this.

One major way the church is failing today is in taking care of new believers, and helping them grow into long-lasting relationships with Jesus.  We want to “hurry” them through the process, and make them mature instantly.  We rush them through things that we know how to do, and sometimes even place them in a teaching role, all before letting them train and learn.  Then when we leave them on their own, mistakes happen because they just don’t know!  But a lot of times as fellow church members we are not gentle or helpful.  We tend to be judgmental, and not take the responsibility for “bearing with each other in love”.  We don’t mean to be this way, but when things that are second nature to us – like daily Bible reading, prayer, and attending church – are not followed exactly or correctly by those new to the faith – we are shocked.

So, as I learn more about my job, and am trained, I am asking God to make me more aware of those around me, especially at church, and make sure I am DOING some training for them as well.  Disciples are made, not born, and I have a responsibility to help that process happen!

Getting Squeezed

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Now that I have returned to work at Chick Fil A, it was inevitable that I would become hooked on their newest product, the frosted lemonade…or as I call it YUMMMMM!!!  Seriously!  It is addictive to the maximum, and one reason that I love it is because it has no milkshake base- it’s just their vanilla softserve mixed with lemonade.  Oh. My. Word!  I finally managed to leave today without drinking one!

But this blog is not about how delicious it is.  It IS about the process that goes into making it.  Chick Fil A uses fresh lemons, not any powdered lemonade mix or such.  Today was my day to handle that process, and God spoke to my heart the whole time.  Those lemons are quite content in their little (heavy!!) box in the cooler, having a great time.  Then along comes an employee who drags them out, sprays them with water, washes all the dirt off and then…..gasp!……starts cutting them!  Those lemons never knew what was happening!  Before long, a lemon massacre has happened in the sink, and no lemon is spared.

The next step is even worse.  There is an electric juicer involved, wherein each lemon half is placed on a whirring knob, and then pressed down on.  And pressed is a polite word!  They are MASHED on the knob, and left on there until every last possible bit of juice is out of them.  The lemon seeds are cast aside by this machine, and scooped out later and thrown in the trash.  And then that lovely lemon juice is made into some of the most delicious, refreshing drinks.

Ok – so you know where I am going with this!  Born again believers are simply sinners who have been washed clean, and then they are ready for use.  But not the use most of us think of!  They are ready to be cut, and then squeezed, in order to be made into something delicious!  And along the way, the squeezing gets pretty intense, but that is in order to wring out every good thing, and to make sure all the seeds (sins) are gone! And like the lemons, there are times that the squeezing could stop – but then some of the good stuff would be sacrificed..the lemon wouldn’t be used to its fullest potential.

Now, I do not like the “squeezing” I receive sometimes – hardship, illness, frustration, financial distress.  But without it, I will never be the refreshing, beautiful, and helpful “lemonade” in God’s Kingdom!  So here’s my prayer for today – the next time I feel “squeezed”, I will remember what God can make of it, and I will try to endure till the end of the process!

June 31st

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When I worked for the bank, in the electronic banking support department, one of the most interesting parts of my job was reading the “contact us” email.  There were emails that make perfect sense, well worded, and straight to the point.  There were also emails that threatened, whined and complained…and I was supposed to come up with some reasonable answer to all of them.

However, there were some that were just downright hilarious, and were amazing in what they said.  One of my favorite ones was a sweet, sincere note..asking for help with their online statement.  It seems they had downloaded the statement, but they felt it was incomplete.  The email basically read “I am having problems with my statement.  When I download it I only get June 1-30 – and I can’t figure out why you cut off the 31st!”. Ok, if you haven’t caught on, June only has 30 days!  And I very politely replied to that effect.  But now when I have one of those days, just the thought “June 31st” can make the worst moment very bearable.

I believe God allows days like that for a very specific purpose.  One is to get us to quit taking ourselves and our immediate “worlds” so seriously…to get us to step back and say, “Really? Am I so worked up about this?”  God does want His children to laugh, and smile, and enjoy their lives…and we need to act like we have unending joy and peace in our lives.

Another reason is to make us humble.  We can be very impressed with ourselves sometimes, and we forget that we are just one step, one thought, one moment in the wrong cirumstances to start downhill towards some very ugly attitudes and habits!  And we just really DON’T impress anyone when we have a judgmental attitude.

And finally, I believe God gives us those days to say, “Look – I am in charge here, if you will just let me work.  And since you won’t always, I have to make you weak so that I can be strong.  In your weakness I shine…so here’s __________to help remind you whose power you need to be walking in!”

So, when a June 31st day happens to you, or maybe a June 31st week, stop.  And look around.  And pray. And ask God what He needs to do through you, or show you, that you aren’t picking up on.  And above all, LAUGH!  To Him be all the glory as we pursue this life as His children!

Do You Know Your Role?

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My stepson and his wife have recently moved to a country area near south Atlanta, and they are making a great effort at living off the land, and living economically, since they have their own business now as their sole income.  To help that process, they recently purchased 3 wild hogs, and plan on eating those hogs later this year.

Their two girls are will soon turn 12 and 10, so they are old enough to know that (1) these are dangerous animals and not pets and (2) they are not there forever – they will be food later!  So, when Robert and I visited recently, the girls were very excited to let me know that the hogs had been named.  I was a little worried, thinking they might have gotten too attached to them and there might be trouble down the road.  However, I fell out laughing when they told me their names – bacon (smallest hog), sausage (next bigger one), and pork chop (the largest one)  They had assigned those names based on the meat that would be provided!  So their understanding of the hogs role in their lives is firmly intact.  They are taken care of accordingly, fed accordingly, and they act like – well, hogs!

Which of course led to this thought.  Those hogs have a specific purpose.  They are being groomed for that purpose, and they are expected to grow fat enough to fulfill it.  On the other hand, they have no other REAL purpose.  They are not expected to run and play with the kids, clean the yard, or have chidren ride on them like the horses next door.

So how about me?  I wander through my days sometimes with no sense of accomplishment or purpose.  That would be ok if those days didn’t sometimes turn into weeks…I become so absorbed with the routine of living that there is no distinction between my life and any other person’s.

AND YET!  God did NOT create me for that!  He created us in HIS image, and then He saved and redeemed those of us who are born again, and now we are to live for ONE purpose – His glory!  Can you imagine how simple our lives would be if we just lived for that one thing alone?  It would take a lot of stress out, and it would also cause the heart of our God to rejoice.  So why not join me in a renewed quest to live for the ONE purpose we were created for?

Shining in the Dark

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DSCN0198I was very blessed to get this picture last fall when I was driving home from church one night.  I love the light breaking through the darkness, refusing to be swallowed up, and shining on.

I always think of this Scripture “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:16). Our world today in general is a very dark place.  It seems every day that there is new wickedness, new brutality, and new evidence of man’s fallen state, and very little of the victory of God and His people.  It is so easy to watch a 30 minute nightly news cast, and think, “what’s the purpose?”  And sad to say, this is very true of Christians as well.  I have heard this more lately than not, “even so, Lord Jesus, come!”  Or “I am SO ready for the Lord to come back and take us home!”  As if there are no more victories to be had, no more sinners to be saved,and no more good to be done on Earth.

AND YET!!  Our God says that WE have the victory, and we are more than overcomers, and WE are the ones He has chosen to use to penetrate the darkness of this world! What gives us the right to give up, if we have the most powerful source in the world – the Lord – working on our behalf??

Look at this picture again.  What is the predominant color?  Black/dark gray.  But what is the color you notice first?  The light!  And why is the light so striking?  Because it’s surrounded by dark!  That’s the way God’s people – you and me – need to be especially now.  We need to look the darkness in the face, and say, “You will not drown out my light – in fact, you will just emphasize it!  We need to remember that God expects us to share that light, and work to bring as many people as possible to Him – because the Scripture also reminds us that He is not willing that any should perish, and that His longsuffering towards us is because He wants to give as many as possible an opportunity to know Him.

So, the next time you notice you are surrounded by darkness, remember – that’s your time, and God’s, to really show off His love and let others see Jesus in you!  Remember – we have the rest of eternity to live in His light – so what’s a little darkness now?

A Daily Scrub

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I love bath and body products – love, love love them!  And I am always finding one that works, and then going to the store a month or so later, and then finding out that of course it was being discontinued and would never be mine again.  If you are a woman, you KNOW what I mean!

I ran out of my face cleanser last week, that I loved, and of course today when I went to buy it again…..not there.  Not anywhere.  So I looked and pondered and considered this afternoon, mulling over all the possiblities, and chose a scrub this time by the same company.

I evidently did not read the entire label, because when I used it tonight, the first sensation was scrub….and the second was my face being on fire!!  As soon as I could get my face rinsed and my eyes focused, I looked at the label and saw these two words:  energizing (no joke!) and “pore-reducing” (loss of skin cells!)  Oh yeah, I was definitely impressed that I got my money’s worth.  And then I saw another word – peppermint – on the label – there’s the fire!  I don’t know if you have intentionally poured peppermint on any part of your skin lately, but it will ENERGIZE you – to get it off as soon as possibile!

However, now that the fire is out, I can feel a difference in my skin.  It does feel smoother, and it does feel much cleaner.  And I dare any dead skin cells to still be there.

Which leads me to this thought – that’s just the way I feel after reading God’s Word.  The Word of God is designed to “scrub” my heart, soul, mind and emotions.  It is designed to close those “pores” – the inroads that sin may have begun to make.  And it definitely energizes me!  It makes me cleaner – and more usable.  It makes my path smoother, because I have been directed by God for that day’s journey and I am less likely to get “dirty” with sin. And it removes all those dead “skin cells” – those unpleasing thoughts, attitudes, and words that may be lurking in my soul.

So – while I will never recommend peppermint for the skin, I will always recommend the Word to anyone whose life or journey needs energizing – its the best thing around!  To Him be the glory!

Obedience + Forgiveness = Blessings

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obedience 2[1]What an awesome lesson learned!  A couple of days ago I shared my experience with asking for forgiveness and how God used that in my life to restore a relationship and bring peace.  Today, I am announcing:  I HAVE A JOB!!

And I do not for a minute believe that is a coincidence.  Now, does everyone who is unemployed have unconfessed sin/need for forgiveness in their life?  Absolutely NOT.  There are all kinds of reasons for unemployment and I would not dare to presume to have some special “key” to fixing that.  Not at all.

But my struggle was with God shutting door after door for fulltime work anywhere in our community.  Slammed shut.  But there was one job I had left – voluntarily – and not in God’s timing, and the way I left was not pleasing to Him.  And I have always known that I had left some bad feelings on both sides unresolved.

AND YET!  God provided the opportunity for me to now go back, work for His glory, not my own, and rebuild some bridges that I tore down and have been a hindrance to His work in my life and my ministry for Him.  What a mighty God we serve!

He has also given me, again, the opportunity to work part time.  Yay!  Less money, but less stress.  Fewer benefits, but more time.  Less “prestige”, but more ministry.  What a mighty God we serve!

So, as the title says, I believe my obedience in seeking the forgiveness I needed to receive has directly resulted in this new opportunity.  Scripture is quite clear that as we forgive others, God forgives us (Colossians 3:13) AND that we are to go ask for forgiveness  (Matthew 5:23-24). I am a living testimony today that God is faithful to His Word, and that you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain!  Let’s go out there and pratice some obedience!

Just Give it Up!

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I am not generallly a person who bears a grudge, and I find forgiving others is usually not a problem.  HOWEVER..I am not as good at asking forgiveness.  Saying I’m sorry does NOT come easily.  It is scary, and nerve wracking, and generally not something we rush to.  But if I only offer forgiveness to others, but don’t asked for it myself, I am only practicing half of what God intended.

I was able yesterday, with the Lord orchestrating the whole event, to have an opportunity to ask for forgiveness from someone that I had terribly wronged 4 1/2 years ago.  I told you I am slow at this.  But I wronged someone that I see about 3 times a week in various places, and over the last 4 1/2 years, we have been cordial – but there has always been this unspoken “thing” between us.

We are studying forgiveness in Wednesday night Bible study, and God has been convicting the hound out of me each week.  So last night, I sucked it up and apologized, sincerely, and asked for forgiveness  What an experience!  They had already forgiven me, but the hug didn’t come until I owned up to what I had done and how wrong I had been!  And the relief I felt was SO worth all the struggle!

I don’t say this to pat myself on the back, because I don’t deserve it.  I am sharing this to say……apologizing is not NEARLY as hard as the anticipation of having to do it!  The enemy has lied to us to have great fear – of humilliation, of rejection, of being seen as weak – andi is robbing us of the joy of reconilication with our brothers and sisters!

AND YET!  God so loved me that He died for me, when I didn’t even know or care what He had done (Romans 5:8)  And he commands us to ask to apologize to each other so that there will be unity in our fellowship (Epheaians 4:31) and for our health (Hebrews 12:15).

So, I say this morning – GIVE IT UP!  Give up the fear, the dread, and the pride!  Give up your need to be right, and admit your wrong to whoever needs to hear you say it!  Give up the feeling of “that happened so long ago it doesn’t matter”!  It does, and God always wants us to deal with it!  To Him be the glory and honor as we learn to love each other more!

That’s How We Roll!

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unnamed[1] (17)This picture is of my favorite, favorite little guy, Anderson.  He is one of the best “and yet..God!” stories of my life.  His parents, Jamie & Candon, came to know the Lord late – after 12 years of living together, and two children ages 11 & 10 at the time.  After their salvation, they wanted to honor the Lord in all things, and they got married in July, 2012.  They had been told much earlier that they could never have any more children…..AND YET!!  Two months after the wedding, Candon was pregnant. This little guy was the glorious result, and after the shock wore off, they realized that God indeed blessed them with this miracle in response to their obedience. Anderson will be 2 next month, and although he has outgrown being my worship buddy in “big” church, he is still all mine on Sundays.

Candon sent me this picture the other day, telling me “this is how we roll at age 2!”  As you can see he  is watching TV, all snuggled up, pillow behind his head, favorite stuffed animal by his side, favorite blanket at his feet, and there’s a juice cup in there somewhere.  All the comforts of his life, and his Mom on standby if he needs anything else!  And that confident look on his face indicates he is seriously pleased with life and he has no worries.

Wouldn’t it be great if we lived our lives that way?  Not that God has promised us all the comforts of life.  To the contrary, He has promised us that there will be trials and suffering, and believing in Him will GUARANTEE that we will be hated and persecuted by the world, because they hated HIM.

But we can live victoriously!  We know, as they say, how it all turns out, and it all works out for good for those that love Him (Romans 8:28) that in all things we conquer (Romans 8:37), and that NOTHING can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39)!  So, while we can’t climb into laundry baskets anymore and expect to be waited on hand and foot, we can still adopt my little guy’s confident smile, and KNOW that we will be taken care of, and we win in the end!  Amen!

Rearranging is NOT Progress

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Yesterday in the Walmart parking lot I watched a very interesting thing happen.  I had just pulled in and something caught my eye in the row across from me.  A woman and a young boy were struggling to get something out of the car..and I mean struggling!  Not wanting to miss out on anything, I stayed put to watch.  They were finally able to get it out after about 10 minutes and it was a very large car seat.  Humongous. They took the carseat and threw it into the back side passenger seat on top of something else. Just then another woman approached with 2 -two-FULL buggies of stuff!  And they were going to that car!

I watched again as they began to put the bags in the trunk they had just emptied.  The first buggy full barely made it in there, and they began trying to stuff part of the 2nd buggy in there as well.  No go.  They finally opened the back passenger side door and began to cram bags in on top of the car seat…up to the ceiling of the car!  Then they stuffed the poor young boy on the other side, they got in, and took off.

So what’s the point of all this?  The point is that they had too much junk in their car to put in what they needed!  AND they thought that rearranging the junk was going to make a difference.

God spoke so clearly in that moment.  The junk in the car represents the junk in my life..all the things I need to throw out because they take up too much room.  The sin, the bad habits, etc.  The buggies represent all the good things, the blessings, the joy, and the peace that God wants to give me.  And I look at Him and say, “just a minute God and I will make room for those”..but all I do is rearrange my junk..not get rid of what is blocking the way! And I am not a bit more successful in creating room for the good things.

moral of this story is, I am going to start throwing out, not rearranging..so that God can work in me and add the good stuff!