I had one of those frustrating moments this evening that almost made me want to cry. I don’t have a washer or dryer in my new place so I have to use the laundry facility beside the office. (Which is actually fine because I am saving money by using their water!). However, I still have the weekly chore of making sure I have enough quarters so I can wash my clothes. I planned ahead this week and had just enough to wash and dry three loads. I normally only have two loads but my cat got sick on my WHITE down comforter yesterday. My fur kids are sometimes like real kids!
Anyway. So I packed up all of my laundry and loaded up the car and drove down to the laundry room. I started three washing machines and before I headed back home to start making dinner, I realized I would not be able to dry all three loads. When I counted the quarters I had left, I was one quarter short of having enough for the third load. The office isn’t open on Sunday to make change and there is not change machine, so I looked EVERYWHERE for a quarter. I searched my car, my purse and turned my apartment upside down…no quarter was to be found. I was angry and annoyed.
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
I used to complain about the fact that I put every penny I had into my last marriage and then some. Now I am just scraping to find quarters to do laundry. If I looked back at all of my blog entries over the last two years I would probably be ashamed about how many times I mentioned the fact I was struggling financially. I allow money to control my thoughts and when I do it takes my focus off what is truly important in this life. Money isn’t going with me to heaven. My character will though. Focusing on things that in the grand scheme of things are meaningless…takes away from my purpose.
My purpose is to serve God through serving others. Right now my writing is my way of doing that but I need to become more active beyond this.
Romans 12:10 “If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.”
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO REALLY LIVE!
I had several topics on my heart to write about today but I chose this instead because it is all around me today. It isn’t about money…it is about what matters most…giving glory to God by serving and loving others. In church today we were asked to fill out a sticker that said, “What is my calling” and drop it in the bucket. I am reading a couple of books that are focused on calling and serving. And then I saw the quote I posted at the top of the page this afternoon. I do sometimes feel like everyone around me thinks I am crazy. The people who do seem to understand are people I have connected with online who are on similar journeys and a couple of my very close friends. But friends don’t always get it either.
I just know there is a lot more to this life than going to work, paying bills and buying material things. Those things alone are not going to get you into the kingdom of God. God wants us to make a difference in this world…it is our responsibility. We each have different and unique gifts and it is important that we start right now and figure out what our abilities are and where we can serve, here and now.
Romans 2:8 “But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”
That is no joke. It is not an option…it is a responsibility to not take lightly.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
“There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts will tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans, and may seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it…” ~ Unknown
That is God calling. Time to pick up His call and put down everything else.
So I had to hang up my comforter to dry. I saved the 0.75 cents that I did have left and I was reminded of what is important and what isn’t. God sends us little reminders all the time. He is SO GOOD like that!
Thank You God for the unique abilities and passions You have given each one of us. We pray that we discover those gifts inside us so that we can use them to serve You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
That was a lot of info and I’ve gone way over my “suggested word count” but it’s Sunday and I’m pumped for the new week! Thanks for reading! 😊 Many Blessings!!!
Stacey ~ iamalive
P.S. Thank you to my SWEET friends for blessing me with the couch today. It’s purrrrrfect! Love you!!!
“Love overtaking our lives. Arise as our hearts come alight with Your glory. We’ll shine with Your glory. It’s all for Your glory.” ~ HU