Little Moments

Sometimes life is a little odd.
I found the moments I treasure most i'n life aren't when I'm having a ton of fun. They aren't the moments when I find myself amongst a large group laughing and having a great time. They aren't crazy moments where I feel like maybe I had just a 'tad' too much coffee.
I found the moments I treasure most, the ones that remain i'n my heart, are those little moments.
Those quite moments alone with a best friend.
Those quiet moments playing a game with a sibling.
Those moments after a crazy-wild day, when you are absolutely exhausted, but to sit i'n silence with a friend, as you both try to stay awake.

I used to take for granted those moments.
But you never know when those moments will disappear.
So let's not forget what we have. Let's not forget the ones who love us.
Life isn't about seeing how many friends you can make. It's not about being popular.

I love the song Thankful by Josh Groban. Beautiful song with beautiful lyrics.
I feel like tearing up when I hear it for a number of reasons.
1. Just the lyrics themselves are powerful
2. The first time I heard the song, it was at a going-away party for a very dear friend of mine. How I treasure those moments we had together
3. Just yesterday, We were driving home from the annual Snow Trip. Everyone was exhausted and the car was pretty quiet. Aubrey and I were listening to that song. I had been feeling exhausted and a little depressed at how the day had turned out. But listening to that song, I realized I had been surrounded by people whom I love. That moment, there i'n the car, sitting next to a friend I am so incredibly grateful God placed i'n my life, was one of the best moments i'n my life.

God how blessed me i'n an amazing way.
Those little moments he's placed i'n my life
Those little moments I will never forget.
Those little moments, I will never again take for granted.

A Burden For Prayer

     About fifteen minutes ago I saw a picture of someone I used to know, and it was disgusting. To see a person grow up in a Christian family, then turn away from the God who created them, grieves me so much. Quite often the only thing you can do for them, is pray.

     1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
     Prayer is extremely powerful. I saw this quote that said, "Pray as if your life depended on it. It does." Are we praying sincerely for those we love? Are we praying sincerely for our enemies? (Matt 5:43-44 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.")Are we praying sincerely to God? Or are we just praying during Church, when the pastor says, "let's pray"? Are we praying because it's just the 'Christian thing to do'? Why do you pray? How often do you pray? WHO are you praying for?
     When we go to someone's house, and they aren't saved, are we ashamed to bow our heads before the meal? Are we ashamed when we go to a friends house, and they are saved, to bow our heads and thank God...even if they don't?
     Prayer is something that should be taken seriously. When praying we are speaking to a God who created us and loved us! We are casting our cares upon Him. We are asking Him for grace, for mercy. We are thanking Him for all He's given us.
      Psalm 5:3 - "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will look up."
     Are we praying through-out the day? When we pray is are we letting our thoughts wander?


      Luke 11:1-13 - "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'"

More Then Just A Face

     So today I went to some property we are renting out to clean up. We keep getting new renters, and each time they leave, they leave a HUGE mess. Garbage EVERYWHERE. It's disgusting and takes us days to clean up and truckloads of trips to the dump. Today I was cleaning out this huge storage container, and it was filled with boxes and boxes and random stuff. I kept finding these old picture albums filled with old photos.
     Two things hit me really hard inside.
     1. The fact that these people would just throw away these memories.
     2. The fact that these people were such slobs.
     We were burning everything that was burnable, and each album I threw in the fire, I felt so bad. These pictures, were more then pictures, these were peoples LIVES. And you could see from all the junk that was around, these lives were so torn apart. No, I don't mean the pictures themselves were oh-so-important. But it was the people in the pictures. I saw families, friends, brothers, sisters, grandparents. Broken lives. Lives of people who didn't know the truth of God's love.
     It really tore me apart and gave me this extreme burden to help these people. With each album I threw into the fire, I would pray for them. I wanted so bad to take each of those albums home, I don't know what I would have done with them. But I just wanted to keep them 'alive' somehow. I don't know if what I'm saying even makes sense. But each picture I looked at, I saw a face, a face of someone who was a stranger to me. But though that face was a stranger to me, that face wasn't a stranger to others. This person had family and friends. This person wasn't a stranger to God. This person was like me, a child whom God created in His image.
     I'm trying to figure out how to put into words what is going on in my head right now, and I'm having an extremely hard time.
     I don't know what else more I can say, because, it's something I can't explain. I have a deep longing to help these people. Help those people who's lives are so broken.
     How often do we pass by a chance to share the love of Christ with someone? How often do we see that cashier at SafeWay, and you can see the pain in their eyes? What do we do? Do we just make our purchase and continue on our way? We can make a difference. Even if we don't have the chance to speak aloud to whoever may be hurting, we ALWAYS have the chance to pray. Pray for them. Constantly.
      Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
     This is something that is super important to me in my life. I believe God is calling me to somehow help these people. Right now I don't know what I can do other then pray for them. I'm kinda more of an introvert, so it's super hard for me to talk to the cashier I see or too give encouragement to a stranger. But it's not impossible. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 
     My plea for you is this: Though it may be hard. Follow God's calling. Talk to that person who needs to hear God's love. Pray for that person.

     Matthew 25:35-40, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
 ³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

 ⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Every Little Detail

     For school this week, my job is to basically build, from scratch, new cabinets for our kitchen. This requires measuring, sketching, erasing, measuring again, sketching, perfecting.  Repeat. If you mess up on just one measurement, the whole project won't work.  I could have taken 1 hour to do all the measurements and drawings, but then it would've been a sloppy job and likely wouldn't have turned out well. Instead, I took 4 hours, 6 pieces of grid paper, pencils, a ruler, one p&j sandwhich and a tape measure to make sure everything will work before I begin cutting the wood. It wasn't exactly the funnest 4 hours either, it got boring and long. But one wrong measurement could mean a lot. 

      I know this idea my seem a little far-fetched, but in building these cabinets I was reminded that every little detail in our life counts. How we act, respond and treat others. What we do or say, even when we are alone. 

     Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

     It doesn't say, "some of the things you do" it says, "whatever you do". Whatever you do, every little detail of what you do. Don't do it sloppy, do it as unto the Lord. 

     When we begin to forget the little details, to just let a 'few' things slip by, that isn't honoring to God...before we know it, it becomes a habit. It ruins the whole project, it turns us away from what God wants us to do. 

     As I said before, relating those two things together, maybe seem a bit far-fetched, but...usually that's just the way I think. ;)