Whatever you do.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24

A month or so ago I read this verse, undoubtedly with a big smile on my face.
After reading it, I'm sure that I made some sort of "oohhhh" sound preceding a whispered exclamation of "That's so cool, Lord!"

A week or so after that moment I sat in one of the almost-but-not-quite-squishy chairs at our church. I listened and probably made all sorts of goofy facial expressions as my church family discussed the topic of work. 
Work, as in, that thing we do so that we can make a living.
The men shared different things about how they work to provide for their families, the women shared about how they work in their homes (and other places), some of my young adult pals shared about their new jobs/experiences as they've just been stepping into the work world.
We had just watched the tour about labor on "The Truth Project" DVD, which we've been using for Sunday School for many weeks now (actually, last Sunday we finished it up with much sorrow. All of us would highly recommend that you watch it if you have the chance.)

It was interesting listening as everyone came from their different perspectives, hearing their views on work.

It made me think about all things work-related. And it made me think of Colossians 3:23 and 24.
I personally work as a cashier, selling snacks at a theater that does live productions of Biblical text.
I love my job, but understand, I see so many people every single day that sometimes I just nearly lose it.
When you have customers on the left and the right, all asking you where their seats are, if they can have a bag, "oh wait, could I add a Snickers bar to that order.., here, I think I have fifty cents..",
This is just between you and me, but sometimes when I'm in that moment, I don't exactly feel like I'm working for the Lord and not for men.
I am extremely thankful for the job and I love the Christian work environment that I am so privileged to experience every day.
You should see the register I'm usually on. My coworker friends and I have decked it out with doodles, for one thing. But also, I often have a verse up there (somewhere between the my little picture of a balloon, and the "kanga-rex" doodle) Right now my verse is "Be holy because I, the Lord, am holy. And I have set you apart from the nations to be my own" Leviticus 20:26.
It's a nice reminder that even though I'm there to sell people chips, I am also there to be an example of what the Lord can do with a heart.
Many of the people that I meet, I can tell that they are not around Christian examples very often. I've been encouraged on occasion when a patron expresses to me that "everyone here is so nice!"
As if love is a rare jewel that they've just been shown for the first time.

I love the way that we employees treat each other with respect and love and forgiveness and.. yeah.
Yesterday I received a card  from my friend thanking me for being willing to switch registers with her.
A card. For switching registers.  Like it was a big deal or something.
She also wrote in the card that she can see Jesus shining through me.
I'm not bragging. Let me tell you, I so often feel like a miserable failure of a Christian example. I was just so touched to read that in the card that I couldn't help but tell you about it.
Because here's why: Even when we don't feel like we're making a big impression on anyone, or doing anything significant... we can be. Chances are, (not to sound creepy or anything), someone is watching the way you operate.
And if no physical person is, the Lord is. And *ah-hem* insert Colossians 3:23&24 here.
Work at it with all your heart, as working for Lord and not for men.
This is the point, kids. We are here to serve the Lord in everything we do, everywhere we are.
He's the one who will give us the ultimate performance review.
This is the thought that I have to cling to a lot.
Someday I'll stand before the King. I know I've said this before, but I want to hear Him say "good job".
I pray that my life and my work will be that of a good and faithful servant.
And I pray that yours will, too.

That, dear friends, is the beginning of an awesome work ethic, as well as a life well lived and in tune.

Chelsea

Just Thoughts

About 6:45 this morning I found myself sitting cross-legged on our sofa, looking through the window at the beautiful view right across the street from our house. I was in awe as I took in the image of the early sun as it cast it's golden beam over the shining, dew-laden field.
And I pondered things.
This is a rare happening, as I have a mind that tends to jump from thing to thing, never focusing on one particular thought for more than a couple of minutes, if that.
I thought about fruit.
Bananas, peaches, watermelon, grapes.
God must have had a splendid time designing fruits...
I thought about how each fruit has it's own texture, aroma, flavor.
How great is our God. He invented texture, He invented scent, He invented flavor itself!!
I love those moments when you are just blown away by the huge-ness of the Lord, and the extent of His power (not that we will ever comprehend it fully).

I thought about how God's personality must be displayed throughout His creation, and if we take the time to notice it, we can learn a lot about our Lord and grow closer to Him!
I personally believe that God loves vibrant colors. Roses, clownfish, The bluest sky in October.
Just that little insight on His divine personality makes my heart happy.
Because guess what? I like vibrant colors, too!

I thought about how God is the first artist.
He is the artist. He designed everything.
I must say, I do admire His work ;-)
Seriously though! As a somewhat-artist-of-some-sort, I adore the fact that the Lord sculpted me with His own hands. He decided what voice I should have, how my teeth would be aligned, and what shape my head would be.
I've had, and still do often have a hard time accepting and appreciating my round head or my voice as I should, but I have to slow down and contemplate this.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Whoa.
Sculpted by the hands of God, The artist.

His love just falls on me like rain sometimes.
I want to be drenched in that rain.

Just thoughts. Merely the early morning ponderings of a curious mind, but I thought I'd share.

Chelsea :)

What is this.. "joy"?

At church, we youngin's like to have a Bible study together as often as we can. Typically we start off by looking at the definition of whatever it is that we're studying. Take last week, for example. We studied God's Sovereignty, so we started off by comparing some different definitions of the word "Sovereignty" that we'd found over the week in our pre-study "homework" :)
So today I'm thinking about joy.
What is it?
What's it made of?

 What's your definition of joy?
When I think about joy, I don't get a definition given in any old dictionary.  I get images, really pretty mental images. And I'm sure that's the case for many, many, people.
And I believe this is the case because I firmly believe that joy is something so remarkable, so amazing, that it cannot be explained any more than it can be contained.

I see the eyes of an adopted child light up as their new parents wrap their arms around them for the very first time. Feeling the pure love all around them.

I see a beautiful sunrise over the ocean, the crisp air of a new day blowing away the previous one.

I see a group of friends gathered together around a bonfire, laughing together and enjoying life as it is in that very moment. Not thinking of what "could be" or "should be" or of what their future will hold. Just simply loving the moment.

That's my definition of joy.

I am a child adopted by a king, who's pure love for me rocks my world all the time.
I would try to explain, but I can't even begin to grasp the concept of His pure love for me. I just know that it will never fade.

I am a morning person. You know why? "His mercies are new every morning" 
How incredibly uplifting is that? Every single morning, He starts fresh. When I feel a fresh morning breeze, I can't help but let out a little squeal, or long sigh, of utter joy.
It reminds me that I am more than choices that I've made, I am more than the sum of my past mistakes, I am more than the problems I create (thanks Tenth Avenue North, for the good lyrics in "You Are More"),
His mercies/forgiveness are new every morning.

Every now and then I have "a moment". A moment in which I feel so at peace, so in love with life, so overcome with the joy of that moment.
Content and not concerned for what could be, should be, or will be.
Just in awe of how I am so blessed... eep! Gives me chills.

Here's what I would recommend. Keep an eye and heart out for those "moments", they are cadence in a most precious form. The more you recognize the joy you feel, the more you appreciate it. The more you appreciate it, the more you live for it, the more you live for it, the more you strive for a life lived in tune and well played.

God loves it when we have joy in the work of His hands in our lives.
It's good stuff.

Find some.

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;" ;) Psalm 98:4

  Chelsea


 

See?

I Can Explain.

Really, I can. Although, I don't want to.
I know I've been gone again for a long time... because the truth is, I fell down. Completely lost my footing and the ground beneath my feet just seemed to vanish.
I had nothing to say to you for such a long time because I was distracted... and I was a bit of a mess.

There's a great song by Thousand Foot Krutch called "All I need to know", it's a very pleasant melody and the lyrics are sincere. This is the chorus:
I don't know why it's so hard to swallow our pride
and I don't know how many wrongs make a right
I don't know the reason, sometimes it just feels so good to cry.
And I don't know which way the wind will blow
but you're here with me
and that's all I need to know.
This is pretty descriptive of where I've been at lately. Swallowing my pride has been a huge step. Especially when coming before the Lord, the Creator, the Ruler of all.
It's when I come before Him and realize how insignificant and unworthy I am, that makes the change in my heart. Because it's then that I can acknowledge His absolutely power and sovereignty and turn from my own personal interests/desires... and focus on being the servant I was meant to be.

As for knowing "how many wrongs make a right".. well, don't take that the wrong way.
Technically, wrong + wrong = wrong.  But, we are bound to be wrong, and we will fail time and time again.
Because we are human, and it happens. But the good news is that God doesn't just let us fall that far and leave us there, Only He knows how many wrongs make a right, and He's the one that makes them right.
God is a God of Holy Correction... and I absolutely adore this about Him. I often think about how "God is my favorite teacher", because when He allows me to go through this stuff, it's because He wants to show me something. He wants to correct me.

May I just say, I stand wholly corrected.

Maybe I do know the reason it feels so good to cry sometimes. My recent tears have been those of realization of my wrong, and realization that it can be right. Only because of His grace.
Boy, that grace is something else.

I don't know which way the wind will blow. And you know what? That's been my issue.
Analogy time.

Once upon a time there was a girl named Chelsea. She had been given a beautiful kite, and she wanted to fly it soooo bad. But, the wind wasn't blowing. So she prayed and prayed and prayed for the wind to blow. And it did! But, then Chelsea decided she didn't like the way the wind was blowing her kite. So she prayed and prayed and prayed for the wind to blow the other way.
It didn't, and Chelsea got upset.
She prayed and prayed and prayed again for the wind to blow the other way.
 It still did not.
So she gave up flying her kite, and walked the direction she had wanted the wind to blow, only to find a giant tree that surely would have wrecked her beautiful kite that she had been given.
Then she praised the Lord for knowing everything and protecting her kite.

Okay, so I'm not extremely spectacular with analogies.
Anyway, the kite is my life that I've been given, it's a beautiful one. I have everything I need.
But I wanted it to fly, so I asked God to help me make it fly, and He did, and all was well.
But then! I got distracted and wanted it to fly the other way. So I tried to make it go the other way, but God didn't want it to go the other way, because He knew there was a tree in the way, and surely my kite would be brought to ruin.

God is good. All the time. Watching out for me, even when I am being ignorant and selfish.
That's how I know He's here with me. And that's all I need to know.

So there you have it.
I was just reminded how bad pride tastes.
And how good forgiveness feels :)

Chels

This is just the Prelude.

I went on a walk this morning; it was only a 20 minute walk at the most, but I spent those minutes in the sunlight and fresh air, doing two things: thinking and imagining. (Two things I think we often forget to do)
And what a walk it was.
I would encourage you to do this, even if you have done it many times before.
Just think and imagine really hard of what Heaven is like.
Doing this for only twenty minutes made me joyful, energized, hopeful, and woke me up from what seemed like a never-ending lull.
Sorry to sound like I'm trying to sell you something here, but you really can't imagine the feeling until you've got it.
So anyway, as I headed for home, it occured to me exactly how long "forever" is.
Let me put it this way:
wow.
It also occured to me that "forever" is exactly how long I have yet to live.
Sure, I'll die here on earth,
but this is only the prelude!

Think about this! Forever is how long it's going to take us to get to really know the Lord. And this is just the prelude to an eternity with Him!
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God!
(1 John 3:1)

But we need to be aware that nobody ever thinks as much of the actual performance if the prelude is bad.

If we just waste our years on earth, pitifully trying to please ourselves with trinkets of temporary amusement.. isn't it going to be a little awkward when you're staring into the eyes of the One who created you in His very own image? And had high expectations of you?

God gives us each a certain amount of years on earth to decide whether we want to spend eternity living with Him in splendor and victory and love, or dying again and again and again. He gives us this time to get to know Him, and to further His kingdom. It's the prelude to a "forever" of either dying in the consequences, or living in the reward of what we did, or did not accomplish here on earth.

It's our time to decide what our forever looks like.
I think I'll go with Heaven, and I can just say that, because my ticket has been payed for.
You have one, too, in case you were unaware. All you have to do is pick it up at the box office located in your heart.

I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. Jeremiah 17:10

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. Luke 8:17

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has recieved from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Isaiah 40:1

I just pray that I will use the prelude years for some hardcore good.
I want to be greeted and welcomed into Heaven with a smile, a hug, and a "Well done" from my Savior.
I can think of no greater reward, and what a motivator to lead a useful life, hm?

:) later!
Chels

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name,

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;

the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.

The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;

the Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh.

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forest bare.

And in his temple all cry "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to his people;

the Lord blesses his people with peace.