Sorry it's been so long. I am indeed alive and well...kicking in fact. Literally. I am thrashing about in my room/the office. The hiatus for 2+ weeks was due to many a reason, for which there are now boo-koos of blogs coming your way chock-full of insight. Just you wait. Tomorrow is a brand new day.
"God's way is unerring; the LORD'S promise is tried and true; he is a shield for all who trust in him." - Psalm 18:31
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Litter Happens
Funny story. The other day, my best friend and her husband were starving so we decided to go for tacos. These are no ordinary tacos, my friends. It's not Taco Bell (or Hell, as I like to say). It's Taco Cabana...aka "Taco C" or "TC". Cheap. Delicious. Open at the most crucial of times when one craves a taco. They're wonderfully seasoned and have a huge salsa bar. Bonus!
Here's the scene: my friend's husband (who is very tall and strong) and I were taking out a lot of trash. I carried a box of it, whist he carried a Glad Flex big black trash bag - you know, the ones that aren't supposed to break even if a piano is dropped in it? As we walked out of the apartment, he began dragging it on the concrete in the parking lot - which you should theoretically be able to do since it's a "Flex". He dragged and I carried. Merrily along we went. Until we heard a "rrrrippp" and consequential "sppppiilllll". We looked at each other like somebody pulled an SBD then looked behind us to see a myriad of trash sprawling across the parking lot. Contained within "Trash-Spill 2010" were: old scratched CDs, broken glass, crappy knick knacks, and other stuff. To top it all off...there was kitty litter. Used of course.
(Side bar - they have a cat. I'm not it's biggest fan. But it still exists and desecrates into a pan of gravel numerous times per day and therefore must be emptied.)
He and I groaned at the sight and I volunteered to go get a new trash bag. Running into the apartment and announcing the spill that rivaled that of the oil (joke and exaggeration) I grabbed two smalled white bags (b/c of course TODAY we ran out of the so-called "flex" bags) and my bff and I marched laughingly to the crime scene. We bent down to begin picking up the trash and I quickly realized that in order to help, I was gonna touch cat poo. Gross. I honestly stood dumbfounded for a while, not knowing what the right thing to do was. Do I help and actually touch Kitty Bear's crap? Do I stand here and make awkward jokes to make people laugh while avoiding the dirty deed? I was torn. After taking in a deep breath, I managed the gumption to get in and get dirty. (Ok, I didn't really want to, but I started grabbing stuff...and complaining about how gross it was along the way....character building doesn't happen right away.) As I cleaned, I got litter all over my right foot - wedged right in to my toes cracks. Ew. I squealed and continued getting in all over my hands and arms. Once the scene was relatively cleaned, we finally made it to the dumpster (nearly avoiding "part deux" of the fiasco with another potential bag break) and walked hurriedly back to the apartment to wash up before Taco Fest.
As I washed my hands, it hit me...in order to help people in life or even help ourselves (perhaps even be God's hands, feet, voice, shoulder, ear, etc.), sometimes we are going to get dirty. We may even get covered in crap from time to time. There's a reason people say "s**t happens"...or in my world "LITTER HAPPENS" (they probably shouldn't be cursing...neither should I...or you). It does. It's bound to happen. Being a Christian, doing what God asks of us is not going to be met without a little litter here and there. But you follow Love and Love will wash you off. He'll even clear the little pieces from between your toes. And Love will most likely help you laugh at the litter from time to time. Even though I was most definitely not happy with cat droppings at my toes...ya gotta admit, that's freaking hilarious. I mean, even in the moment I was near peed pants because it was so ridiculous. I mean, who scrapes up litter from an apartment complex parking lot???
Moral of the story:
When you listen, litter might happen. Love will help you get cleaned up and laugh about it...only to help you love like Love itself.
Here's the scene: my friend's husband (who is very tall and strong) and I were taking out a lot of trash. I carried a box of it, whist he carried a Glad Flex big black trash bag - you know, the ones that aren't supposed to break even if a piano is dropped in it? As we walked out of the apartment, he began dragging it on the concrete in the parking lot - which you should theoretically be able to do since it's a "Flex". He dragged and I carried. Merrily along we went. Until we heard a "rrrrippp" and consequential "sppppiilllll". We looked at each other like somebody pulled an SBD then looked behind us to see a myriad of trash sprawling across the parking lot. Contained within "Trash-Spill 2010" were: old scratched CDs, broken glass, crappy knick knacks, and other stuff. To top it all off...there was kitty litter. Used of course.
(Side bar - they have a cat. I'm not it's biggest fan. But it still exists and desecrates into a pan of gravel numerous times per day and therefore must be emptied.)
He and I groaned at the sight and I volunteered to go get a new trash bag. Running into the apartment and announcing the spill that rivaled that of the oil (joke and exaggeration) I grabbed two smalled white bags (b/c of course TODAY we ran out of the so-called "flex" bags) and my bff and I marched laughingly to the crime scene. We bent down to begin picking up the trash and I quickly realized that in order to help, I was gonna touch cat poo. Gross. I honestly stood dumbfounded for a while, not knowing what the right thing to do was. Do I help and actually touch Kitty Bear's crap? Do I stand here and make awkward jokes to make people laugh while avoiding the dirty deed? I was torn. After taking in a deep breath, I managed the gumption to get in and get dirty. (Ok, I didn't really want to, but I started grabbing stuff...and complaining about how gross it was along the way....character building doesn't happen right away.) As I cleaned, I got litter all over my right foot - wedged right in to my toes cracks. Ew. I squealed and continued getting in all over my hands and arms. Once the scene was relatively cleaned, we finally made it to the dumpster (nearly avoiding "part deux" of the fiasco with another potential bag break) and walked hurriedly back to the apartment to wash up before Taco Fest.
As I washed my hands, it hit me...in order to help people in life or even help ourselves (perhaps even be God's hands, feet, voice, shoulder, ear, etc.), sometimes we are going to get dirty. We may even get covered in crap from time to time. There's a reason people say "s**t happens"...or in my world "LITTER HAPPENS" (they probably shouldn't be cursing...neither should I...or you). It does. It's bound to happen. Being a Christian, doing what God asks of us is not going to be met without a little litter here and there. But you follow Love and Love will wash you off. He'll even clear the little pieces from between your toes. And Love will most likely help you laugh at the litter from time to time. Even though I was most definitely not happy with cat droppings at my toes...ya gotta admit, that's freaking hilarious. I mean, even in the moment I was near peed pants because it was so ridiculous. I mean, who scrapes up litter from an apartment complex parking lot???
Moral of the story:
When you listen, litter might happen. Love will help you get cleaned up and laugh about it...only to help you love like Love itself.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Got bad roots?
This morning (afternoon rather) as I was about to jump in the shower, I checked out my hair. It was looking particularly messy and as I tried to run my fingers through the "wavstruls" (that's wavy-straight-curls) I noticed that my tendrils were a few different colors. You see, I've dyed my hair a lot. Okay, not a lot, but a good amount. I have blonde hair naturally....in the summer it gets really blonde. I like it darker. Hazelnut actually. (That's the name of the color I use.) Last time I dyed it was a few months ago and now I have blonde roots with slightly darker hair, which ironically is the opposite of most people. Traditionally, as a tidbit for those of you who may be living under a rock, most women go from brown to blonde hair. I am different, ergo special and unique. (Joke.) But I digress. I have roots. They don't look too terrible but they are noticeable....to me at least (and Aaron who tends to point out all my flaws as a good big brother should).
As I hopped into the shower, it hit me (rather, God hit me): bad roots are like sins or wounds in our lives. We make decisions to sin or people make choices that hurt us and while there is healing, ultimate mercy and forgiveness in the Sacraments, we have to live and readjust our lives to the consequences. Just as I have to deal with my blonde roots for quite some time until it completely grows out (or the sun naturally lightens it) so we have to cope with brokenness due to wounds either from our own choices or those of others who have hurt us intentionally or unintentionally.
Because my hair has been dyed, I have to condition it every day. We all have "bad roots" in some aspect of our lives and we need the conditioning power of Christ and prayer to grow healthier. We've got to not just pray some times, but every day. To get healthy hair, it might even mean seeking help from a trusted friend or someone wiser than ourselves to help with our "bad roots", and that's okay. That doesn't mean we're hopeless or helpless, it just means we could use a hand from a hairstylist who knows a thing or two. It can be hard to recognize that we need some one, that we need help, that we need God...but He is bigger than it all, uses professionals to helps us, and can handle whatever crazy colors we've put in our mane.
Be open to God's severe and benevolent mercy and intense love in your life. Chances are, he's gonna show it to you in an ordinary way. You've gotta be listening.
As I hopped into the shower, it hit me (rather, God hit me): bad roots are like sins or wounds in our lives. We make decisions to sin or people make choices that hurt us and while there is healing, ultimate mercy and forgiveness in the Sacraments, we have to live and readjust our lives to the consequences. Just as I have to deal with my blonde roots for quite some time until it completely grows out (or the sun naturally lightens it) so we have to cope with brokenness due to wounds either from our own choices or those of others who have hurt us intentionally or unintentionally.
Because my hair has been dyed, I have to condition it every day. We all have "bad roots" in some aspect of our lives and we need the conditioning power of Christ and prayer to grow healthier. We've got to not just pray some times, but every day. To get healthy hair, it might even mean seeking help from a trusted friend or someone wiser than ourselves to help with our "bad roots", and that's okay. That doesn't mean we're hopeless or helpless, it just means we could use a hand from a hairstylist who knows a thing or two. It can be hard to recognize that we need some one, that we need help, that we need God...but He is bigger than it all, uses professionals to helps us, and can handle whatever crazy colors we've put in our mane.
Be open to God's severe and benevolent mercy and intense love in your life. Chances are, he's gonna show it to you in an ordinary way. You've gotta be listening.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What's the story, morning glory?
For those of you lacking a pop culture reference point, that was a line in the musical "Bye Bye Birdie" long before it was the album title (and song) from the band Oasis. Tidbit for the day. You're welcome.
I love stories. Right now, I am nearing the end of a book I have recently been utterly engulfed with - "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. Check it out from your local library. Buy it. Listen to it. I don't care how you read it, just read it. (This goes for the guys too.) Redeeming Love is a novel based on the book of Hosea from the Bible and is set in the 1850s, during the time of the gold rush in California. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "Becca, how can this be?" Well, my dear friend...it can be very good. Trust me here...I was immediately sucked in. I could go on and on (and on) about why I love this book so much, but I digress. That can be for another blog another day. The point of today is all about the story.
For some of you, you may know Scripture really well like Lord Farquaad knew the Muffin Man in Shrek. (I didn't use the phrase "like the back of your hand" because I do not like it for many reasons, one of which being that I could not draw the back of my hand without looking at it, ergo defeating the purpose of knowing it at all.) I pretty much know the story of Hosea. A brief synopsis: God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute, Gomer, who continues to cheat and betray him, but Hosea stays faithful...it's a story that shows God's faithfulness to his people Israel. Great story. God loves intensely and without exception when we do not. (Yet another reason why God is God and I am not.) See, I know it...basically. God is triumphant. There's a struggle but in the end, He wins. The devil loses. Story of Salvation in a nutshell. Boom. I know that in this novel that I am so engrossed in, that God will win and Love will be triumphant. I know this, I do. But, I am freaking out about how the end will play out! How will Love conquer all??? I mean, I know it will, but honestly HOW?!?!
We do this a lot in life.
We know that God will save the day. We know that Love endures all things. We know that God is a Father who keeps His promises. We know that Jesus conquered death.
We know the end of the story.
Maybe God has spoken to you in prayer a truth so TRUE that it cuts deep in the tissues of your heart. I've been there. (Remember, I'm the girl that God speaks to in the bathroom.) Maybe you are learning for the first time that God loves you and has a plan for you that includes your happiness (go figure) and that He gave everything for you without condition. Maybe you think this a load of poo that deserves to be in the toilet.
Whatever you think right now, wherever you're at, God wins. We (maybe it's just me) think too much about the "how" not enough about the "why". "How will God win?" "How will Love conquer?" "How will these promises be fulfilled?"
Ask instead today "Why will God win?" "Why will Love conquer?" "Why will these promises be fulfilled?" You'll find your answer in the question: God is Love and cannot go back on His word.
The story God has written is "beautifully and wonderfully made". We know the end - God wins. I'm not at all saying sit on your butt, read this blog and wait for God to win - do things! What I am saying is that if we do nothing, we just wait in suspense (much like I am with this book....omg it's so good). Take part in your story. Read THE story (that would be Scripture). Know the author and you know the story. Learn the story and know it like the Muffin Man.
I have no clue how God will do things. At all. I have some ideas, but I'm usually wrong. Maybe I'm wrong just so God can show me how right He is. I do, however, know that God will do it because He loves me. He is Love. Sometimes life doesn't make sense. Sometimes it seems stupid and we can get down on ourselves and doubt that God is there and He's listening. Trust me, I've been there. Lots of times. But I get back up off my sorry butt and stay faithful to Him because He is faithful to me. An you.
"I will be with you as I was with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you. I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:5, 9
The end of the story is set. Don't worry about the "how" - God has that. He wants you to live the "why".
Jezu Ufam Tobie.
I love stories. Right now, I am nearing the end of a book I have recently been utterly engulfed with - "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. Check it out from your local library. Buy it. Listen to it. I don't care how you read it, just read it. (This goes for the guys too.) Redeeming Love is a novel based on the book of Hosea from the Bible and is set in the 1850s, during the time of the gold rush in California. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "Becca, how can this be?" Well, my dear friend...it can be very good. Trust me here...I was immediately sucked in. I could go on and on (and on) about why I love this book so much, but I digress. That can be for another blog another day. The point of today is all about the story.
For some of you, you may know Scripture really well like Lord Farquaad knew the Muffin Man in Shrek. (I didn't use the phrase "like the back of your hand" because I do not like it for many reasons, one of which being that I could not draw the back of my hand without looking at it, ergo defeating the purpose of knowing it at all.) I pretty much know the story of Hosea. A brief synopsis: God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute, Gomer, who continues to cheat and betray him, but Hosea stays faithful...it's a story that shows God's faithfulness to his people Israel. Great story. God loves intensely and without exception when we do not. (Yet another reason why God is God and I am not.) See, I know it...basically. God is triumphant. There's a struggle but in the end, He wins. The devil loses. Story of Salvation in a nutshell. Boom. I know that in this novel that I am so engrossed in, that God will win and Love will be triumphant. I know this, I do. But, I am freaking out about how the end will play out! How will Love conquer all??? I mean, I know it will, but honestly HOW?!?!
We do this a lot in life.
We know that God will save the day. We know that Love endures all things. We know that God is a Father who keeps His promises. We know that Jesus conquered death.
We know the end of the story.
Maybe God has spoken to you in prayer a truth so TRUE that it cuts deep in the tissues of your heart. I've been there. (Remember, I'm the girl that God speaks to in the bathroom.) Maybe you are learning for the first time that God loves you and has a plan for you that includes your happiness (go figure) and that He gave everything for you without condition. Maybe you think this a load of poo that deserves to be in the toilet.
Whatever you think right now, wherever you're at, God wins. We (maybe it's just me) think too much about the "how" not enough about the "why". "How will God win?" "How will Love conquer?" "How will these promises be fulfilled?"
Ask instead today "Why will God win?" "Why will Love conquer?" "Why will these promises be fulfilled?" You'll find your answer in the question: God is Love and cannot go back on His word.
The story God has written is "beautifully and wonderfully made". We know the end - God wins. I'm not at all saying sit on your butt, read this blog and wait for God to win - do things! What I am saying is that if we do nothing, we just wait in suspense (much like I am with this book....omg it's so good). Take part in your story. Read THE story (that would be Scripture). Know the author and you know the story. Learn the story and know it like the Muffin Man.
I have no clue how God will do things. At all. I have some ideas, but I'm usually wrong. Maybe I'm wrong just so God can show me how right He is. I do, however, know that God will do it because He loves me. He is Love. Sometimes life doesn't make sense. Sometimes it seems stupid and we can get down on ourselves and doubt that God is there and He's listening. Trust me, I've been there. Lots of times. But I get back up off my sorry butt and stay faithful to Him because He is faithful to me. An you.
"I will be with you as I was with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you. I command you: be firm and steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:5, 9
The end of the story is set. Don't worry about the "how" - God has that. He wants you to live the "why".
Jezu Ufam Tobie.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Surf's Up
(Which is an amazing and hilarious movie. Watch it, for the love, watch it...)
There are many things in life that come in waves...you've gotta figure out which one to surf.
That analogy would work really well if I surfed.
But I don't. I wish I did. But alas, I do not. "I'm not cool enough" (School of Rock).
This is one of those waves that should be surfed. By this, I of course mean, blogging. I don't want think so highly of myself that I think everyone should hear (or read) every inner thought I have. Let's face it, most of my ideas are cockamamie (ie: ridiculous or implausible) but sometimes they can be candy coated goodness. I am inspired by God (who speaks to me in the bathroom), Jon Acuff and many others who I think are ordinary and hilarious. (Check him out for a think and a laugh.)
The ordinary is extraordinary. That's the point of this whole shenanigan I have concocted in my head (and heart). I choose to surf today the ordinary life in extraordinary ways. You should too. It'll be great (said in a Scottish brogue for emphasis). So stay tuned for outrageous, run of the mill, everyday occurrences that in all actuality are quite extraordinary.
Listen in the Loo. He speaks in the mundane.
"Do everything for the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31
....surfs up, my friends.
There are many things in life that come in waves...you've gotta figure out which one to surf.
That analogy would work really well if I surfed.
But I don't. I wish I did. But alas, I do not. "I'm not cool enough" (School of Rock).
This is one of those waves that should be surfed. By this, I of course mean, blogging. I don't want think so highly of myself that I think everyone should hear (or read) every inner thought I have. Let's face it, most of my ideas are cockamamie (ie: ridiculous or implausible) but sometimes they can be candy coated goodness. I am inspired by God (who speaks to me in the bathroom), Jon Acuff and many others who I think are ordinary and hilarious. (Check him out for a think and a laugh.)
The ordinary is extraordinary. That's the point of this whole shenanigan I have concocted in my head (and heart). I choose to surf today the ordinary life in extraordinary ways. You should too. It'll be great (said in a Scottish brogue for emphasis). So stay tuned for outrageous, run of the mill, everyday occurrences that in all actuality are quite extraordinary.
Listen in the Loo. He speaks in the mundane.
"Do everything for the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31
....surfs up, my friends.
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