Memorial Day

Enter alarm at 9:30 am.

Worked from 11-4.
Napped.
Went to store with Anne and Kayla.
Ate s'mores and played four-on-a-couch with a whole MESSA people. Anne, Kayla, Aubrey, Chet, Gus, Megan, Kyle, Chris, Pete, Bagley, Matt, and Noelle.
Talked about bookery and ridiculousness with Anne, Aubrey, Chet, and Gus.

End scene.

I have some footage I'll edit and put up tomorrow. I'm also applying to a newly-opened position at RJ Baskett Middle School! Pray me in! :D

It's 10:42 am and 84 degrees. The high today is a delicious 92 degrees. 

Harry Potter brings up some philosophizing

The quintessential moment in Harry Potter -- the moment he realizes he must die and walks towards his death. I sobbed as I watched the movie moment with Kayla, Kyla, Anne, and Rachel. I am utterly convinced that self-sacrifice and resurrection are the ULTIMATE plot points. The most epic moves a character could make. I think the depth of these two concepts have been planted far within us. We respect stories like this and love like this and long to be a part of something so... much. So weighty. 

It's ridiculously fascinating that we are. 

A pause occurs in Harry Potter. Right after Harry reveals that he is alive by jumping out of Hagrid's arms, the crowd of people that believed in him stare. When this happened, I said out loud, "GO! He's alive! Move!" The audience wants the "good guys" to react and band behind Harry. 

I pull the "screen" back farther, into big-picture reality, and see a supernatural audience watching the Church as they pause before the reality that Christ is risen. I think heaven spends a lot of time shouting excitedly, "He's alive! MOVE!" knowing that we have a gap of time to make an impact.

Dishes

So yesterday I walked to Midwest Coffee from Jimmy Johns and ended up swapping stories and doing dishes in the back room for a ride home. How fun!

This morning I woke up and did dishes and read. Now I'm going to attempt my first bike ride to Jimmys. So I can do more dishes! Wish me luck!

... Thanks!

:)

Hellooo, life. :]

Stewardship: Pre-Carol or Post-Carol Scrooge?

In church, Chris talked about what our "resources" look like. The stuff with which we should be "good stewards." Resources are material, definitely. But they're also very immaterial: our talents, passions, abilities, time.

Through parables, Christ rebuked the man who buried what he was given. He praised the men who used the gifts -- who took risks and emptied what they were given into something that could pan out. God is not interested in our desire to be safe. God has assured mankind that worry is unnecessary. That safety is in Him.

I, therefore, can pour out my gifts. I must give under the mindset that God is an unquenchable supply of everything and will refill me. I am not meant to present little bits of perfection from myself. Those tidbits of help or love or service help my reputation more than they help those whom I am serving. As someone with a lot of gifts, talents, and abilities, I have been given a responsibility. I am meant to risk my reputation of "that person who is good at a lot." I am meant to rely wholly on God so that my priorities stay straight and so that I am renewed.

I've been wanting to get involved in our church in a more central role. I have dreaded the idea that I would be "stuck" into children's church. I've done that for a decade and wanted to teach on a more mature level. I was thinking about this as Chris began to say things like, "We're afraid to offer our services because we're afraid people will have us use our gifts in a way that we don't enjoy. Or that won't work out. And it will make us look bad." That is so true. I want to be used in just the right way to prove that I'm good at what I do. I'm giving this perspective to God. This summer He will purify me of that. I will offer myself without concern of my reputation. The current implications of this will affect how I am involved with my lovely home, my lovely church, and my hopefully-lovely job.

Do you feel stingy with your resources? 

Do you fully invest without concern for your reputation or the possibility of little failures? 

Do you trust that God will renew your resources if you pour them out freely? 

Summer challenge.

Maybe it could turn into a life challenge. :)

little, vague resolves with great potential

I want to live. Create. Inspire. Teach. Learn. 

I'm not trying to be artistic or poetic or dramatic. I'm just excited to be alive!

Twenty-two years has felt like forever. I'm anticipating sixty more years and that is a lot of time to LIVE.

The truly tricky part is living selflessly. I know the Key to that, though.

I'm anticipating blogs of thankfulness and pursual of God. Keep your eyes open.