I am a Sparrow

Have you ever been blind-sided, bowled-over, had-the-wind-knocked-out-of-you by generosity?

I had been praying about our finances, reminding myself to trust God with our finances, and thinking about all the ways God could help us with our finances. Maybe my husband will gain another class, maybe I'll try to teach piano, maybe a magazine will pick up an article... but God, our great God, likes to surprise us. And He likes to involve the people around us.

Last night, my husband came home with an envelope, given to him by the young men that he mentors weekly in a Bible study. We didn't know that the envelope was full of cash. These men, many of whom work just as hard as my husband to make ends meet while living in this affluent area, were prompted by the Spirit to help us. I still don't know how to respond, except by hugging these young men, some of whom I've never even met! A thank you card just doesn't seem like enough! Maybe I'll host a Christmas party for them.

Anyway, party or no party, that's not the important issue. What's important is that I remember God's generosity to me the next time I see someone in need, and that I get down on my knees and thank my Father who watches over the sparrows, and me.

Sacred Days

Your work is sacred.

I've heard it before, but I always need to hear it again.

Today, our pastor talked about faith in the workplace. I loved it when he said, "My job is not more sacred than yours. Our jobs are equally sacred, because we are all made in the image of God." Back in the Garden, God put man and woman there to work. God gave us work. We may no longer be in the Garden, but we still work for God, and depending on our talents and situations, each of our 'gardens' look different.

It is easy to wake up and dread the day ahead, to count down the hours until relief comes, to look forward to the weekend or next holiday. But whether you have an hour commute at 7am, or you barely leave the house all day, you can still view your work as sacred. Every minute of your day at work is sacred if God is your employer. He gave you a garden to cultivate, and He can give you the energy and grace to deal with a difficult co-worker, client, or boss, or just get through a tough day 'on the job'.

Whatever your Monday looks like tomorrow, I hope you have a sacred day.

(And this morning, I had another opportunity to shush the rowdy teenagers behind me.)

Spread Thin

This week is spreading me thin.

An unexpected medical bill, a to-do list that grows faster than it shrinks, a cold from my 2-year-old, and a baby that is looking to make more room where my diaphragm should be... oh, and it's only Tuesday.

I started school today 15 minutes late, before realizing that I hadn't even done the breakfast dishes. Everything after that was off, either late or out-of-place. I tried to lie down for a nap at two o'clock, but my mind would not stop racing. The image that came into my head was Elastigirl (from another one of my favorite Pixar films), her limbs being pulled in four different directions. Of course, Elastigirl has an ability that I don't have. She can make her body into a parachute, spread thin but not broken. I, on the other hand, am a piece of cloth that is stretched to the point of tearing.

But then a new image comes into my head. The piece of cloth is being pulled, and held up to the window. The sunlight shines through the pattern and sets it aglow, like a beautiful stained glass window. And that is when I understand: when I am spread thin, God can shine through me.

Standing Up for Truth

This morning's sermon was not given by our teaching pastor, but by a seminary student named Charlie. Charlie and his wife are both people I highly respect, of amazing wisdom and servants' hearts. 

Anyway, Charlie recounted a time when he was on an airplane and overheard (not that it was difficult to overhear people who were practically shouting) a group of athletes in the back of the plane. The young men were passing around pornographic magazines, holding them up for all to see, and talking about the photos in extremely vulgar and obscene language. At first, Charlie, like everyone else on the plane, tried to ignore the situation and mind his own business. But he couldn't ignore the Holy Spirit prompting him to stand up for truth. After a few minutes, Charlie, not being a man of confrontation, took a deep breath, literally stood up to his full six feet and some inches, and basically told the young men to be respectful to others on the plane. When he sat down, his heart was jumping out of his chest, and he half-expected the whole sports team to jump him once the plane landed. But nothing like that happened; in fact, people thanked him for what he did. And Charlie can only hope and pray that the young men learned a little about the self-destructive nature of their actions that day.

When I heard Charlie's tale, I was reminded of all the times I DID NOT stand up for truth, starting in elementary school. In the third grade, when other students made fun of the new Chinese boy, I joined in, though I knew that I shouldn't. All through my growing-up years, I would turn my head rather than face confrontation. I was always afraid of the consequences if I chose to stand up against my peers. What if the team did attack Charlie for speaking out? Would that mean his choice of actions was wrong? Is truth ever wrong?!

One Sunday a few months back, I found seats in front of two teenagers. As soon as we started singing, I realized that the boys were not there for the same reason I was. When their joking and playing continued even when the sermon started, I knew something had to be done, by someone. But no one did anything! Was it up to me?! For some reason, I felt like a highschooler again, the quiet and nerdy wallflower sitting in front of the popular and charismatic football players. But I finally took a deep breath, turned around, and quietly and calmly told the boys to stop talking. Looking back, I should have said with a smile, "This is good. You should listen to this!" But at least I did something instead of nothing; it was a small step, but a step nonetheless.

This was a good lesson learned today. I am no longer a teenager and I no longer need to be controlled by the fears that haunted me in high school. God's truth is truth, no matter what. Whom shall I fear?