Shiver Me Timbers!

We have hit a cold spell in Visalia. The past few nights the temperature has plunged below freezing! The temperature during the day has been reaching a very mild 50 degrees. Lucky for me, I work inside a nice warm office all day. I even have a portable heater under my desk, keeping my feet warm. Sure, I have plenty of sweatshirts and windbreaker jackets, but when everyone else starts to put on their warm Winter coats, I am left behind. However, the only time I must brave these adverse weather conditions is if I have a special event to go to. This past Monday was one of those times.

I had been notified the week before that Visalia's annual Christmas parade down Main Street was set for Monday. Several of my youth were to be involved in the parade and still more would be in attendance to watch. In fact, approximately 20,000 people would be at the parade to watch the entries follow the parade route down Main Street, the core of our small town. At about 3pm, 4 hours before the parade were to start, I received a text message from one of my youth, inquiring if I had planned to attend. Amidst all the weekend activities and the list of tasks I needed to accomplish this week, I had completely forgot about the parade. This wouldn't have been such a bad thing, (because I had no other plans for the evening in place) except I hadn't worn so much as a sweatshirt to work that day. To add to that, I had nothing that might keep me warm in subzero temperatures. I quickly drove home and picked up a windbreaker to go with my long sleeve shirt and undershirt already in place and ran out the door. I arrived at the parade around 5:30pm, early enough to get a curbside seat, and already the temperature was almost unbearable. I sat there shivering all night while band after band, after float after fire truck paraded by, filled with people with nice warm Winter coats and gloves waving and wishing me happy holidays. I saw many of my youth there that night, yet what I take away from this experience is the thought that frostbite would probably really hurt. I got home that night at about 9:30pm. I quickly turned on my heater and found the heaviest blanket I had and wrapped myself in it and was still cold for the next two hours!

I can't help but compare this experience with our position in this world as Christians. We are called to be in the world, not of it. This means that we go to church, we read our Bibles, and we pray daily, in the safety and comfort (and warmness) of the kingdom of God. Yet we are called to much more than that as followers of Christ! We are called to brave the cold weather of the world. We must go out and bring people back in to the warm. When we go, however, we must take with us the coats and gloves God has supplied us with, or else we get caught up in the cold and may not make it back. If we stay in the warmth and never go out, we have disobeyed God, and not lived the life that he has called us to. Our love for the people caught in the cold must match his love for the people caught in the cold. I vow to be prepared for the Christmas Parade next year!

Whistle While You...Break???

I find it funny how many people make comments to me about how much time I spend at my job. Perhaps it comes from a well meaning idea that I must have some other great plans that I have so graciously declined to attend due to the over abundance of work there is to be done. I agree with the latterhalf, because there is always more work to be done in the kingdom of God, but the former leaves me pondering. I am told that there is no greater joy than to be in a position that allows you to be working for God on a daily basis; if this is true, then why would anyone be concerned that I take regular breaks for this highly rewarding task set before me?

Could it be that even in the community bubble we call church, that people still consider earthly work and kingdom work two seperate entities? I propose that kingdom work be of such a high importance that it spill over into the earthly. For me this may be a simple thing, for I happen to work in the church bubble. For those less fortunate, their aim should be to dedicate their workplace for the kingdom of God and always keep in mind whom it is they are trying to please, God himself. I have no doubt that if you have been convicted that you are "working for the Lord and not for man," success and job satisfaction will follow. Breaks are always welcome, but don't be surprised to find someone with this conviction working extra hard or even putting in a few extra hours.

Dreams of Paper Cutters

If you have been in the church office lately, you may have noticed that we bought a new paper cutter. This was the result of many petitions and complaints by me throughout the year. Anytime I had to do any cutting I would drop a hint around the office to make sure everyone knew the grief the cutter was causing me with its dull blade and ancient ruling system. One day while trying to blindly line up some pencil marks with the blade of the cutter I came up with a brilliant idea. If you could somehow put a laser line down the length of the blade, it would be so much easier to line up my pencil marks with the blade. I didn't know, in fact, if something like that even existed, but my complaints soon changed to the need for a new sharp paper cutter with a laser sight. One day, about a month ago, a few of us were looking at the church's budget and found some extra money (an amazing feat in itself!). The very next week there was a brand new, sharp paper cutter with a laser sight sitting on the counter in the office. Oh the joy that floods my soul! I have since found many a reason to use the cutter and it never disappoints.

I thought my dream of a paper cutter with a laser sight was grander than anyone had ever dreamed about paper cutters. After all, how many people dream about paper cutters? But, as usual, the industry was one step ahead of me. In the same way, God is always one step (or more) ahead of our own hopes and dreams. You may think that you have the biggest and best plan for your life, but God would beg to differ. The plans that God has, not for humanity, but for you individually, are far greater than even your own plans. You may think that what you have planned is awesome, but wait for God's plan to unravel! You will not be disappointed. Look at Moses' plan for himself, as opposed to God's plan for Moses. Spend your life in hiding in Midian after killing an Egyptian, or become the leader of the Israelites? God's plan seems to have a better ring to it, don't you think? I don't suppose God has planned for all of us to become leaders of nations, but if you think you dream big, then wake up and have a taste of what God has planned. Its the best part of waking up. I would even suggest dreaming as big as you can, don't hold back, because when you realize that God's plan is even better than your biggest dream, there is no one to give credit to except him. Dream your dream, and then follow God's lead. Perhaps there will be something waiting to surprise you on the counter in the office.