The Small Stuff

An interesting phrase I found...
"Don't sweat the small stuff...it's all small stuff."

It that's true then "big things do come in small packages" because the "stuff" I dealt with this week didn't seem small! What about you?

Isaiah 6:1
I see the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and teh train of his robe filled the temple.

King Solomon realized this as he gave his dedication of the Temple.
1 Kings 8:27
The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain You.

So maybe it's a matter of perspective. When stop and spend time with God and think about our Creator and Lord, then we realize how awesome He is and our stuff becomes small in comparison of His power and glory. The amazing thing is the flip-side. Although it is true that compared to God our "stuff" may seem small...He cares about every little thing.

I love how kids get this...ever listen to them pray? Thanks for my puppy, please help my cat get better, thank you for the clouds, my new game, for letting me play with my cousin, etc.

If we take a lesson from the kids, then we will just have a conversation all day. I've noticed something through some "bigger & harder" times lately...when I notice the small stuff and talk to Him about it then my attitude softens and becomes more positive. The same God that created the universe also knows the number of hairs on our head so there is nothing I can't talk to Him about...big or small.

So how's your conversation lately? Give Him everything...no matter how big or small...He cares about it all!

JJ

Living a Life of Prayer (even with the little/small things in life)

Be unceasing in prayer (praying perseveringly)– I Thessalonians 5:17

This verse has been convicting for me because I do not follow it. The more I think about the more I understand why. It’s easy to remember to pray and ask for God’s guidance, wisdom, help, and intervening when BIG things happen - when things go wrong; someone I know is sick with cancer, a family member is struggling with an addiction, a co-worker is an atheist, or my dad lost his job (which he just did a couple weeks ago), but then on a daily basis (day in and day out) I may read my Bible/write in my journal/read a devotion, but did I stop to pray, thank God for the LITTLE things in life that I daily take for granted; financial support, food for 3 meals a day, transportation to and from work, a roof over my head, a bed to sleep in, medications, healthcare, and good health.

Too many times I think we even take God and His impact/power/influence in our lives for granted. We can accidently treat him like a good luck charm (something that brings us fate or luck like a rabbit’s foot or coin), and we only use Him when we need something. When we do this we are missing out greatly on God’s free gift of true love, joy, and peace. We miss out on the best relationship there is in life with the best lover; with Jesus Christ our best friend and Heavenly Father. I struggle with not putting God first in my life; especially with prayer. I do not breathe in and out prayers as I should.

God cares about the little things in life. I’m not saying we should ask God what outfit we should wear each day (He gave us a brain to make decisions like that), but He does care about YOU and ME and what is going on in our personal lives at home, at work, at school; He cares, but we need to take that step of faith and talk to Him about it.

Childlike Faith

Keeping God in the small stuff... What does that mean? When I first thought about this I thought "Sure God is in everything", however when I sat down to write about this I realized how many things I really do try to do on my own.
I remember as a kid when I had lost my shoes and I was getting yelled at because I misplaced everything all the time. I started bargaining with God that if he helped me find my shoes I would promise to love him forever.
Now I know that seems a little over the top, but I think God might actually smile when little kids come to him for the little things. I was trying to implement this thought during the week and found it was hard to go to God first instead of calling my husband or friends.
On Monday night, I was laying in bed after watching Law and Order and it was pitch dark. All I could think about was someone coming into the house and taking Baylor. I was really scared and nervous for a while and then remembered to pray about it. Immediately I felt a peace that could only come from God. I fell asleep right away and was amazed at how quickly God answered my prayer. I wonder how many things he would help us with if we just asked???

WWJD

I lead a group of 11th and 12th grade girls in Bible study on Sunday mornings.  I feel blessed to work with such an amazing group of young women! This week one of the girls was telling us about a book she had just finished reading.  I can't remember the name of the book, but it was about a youth group that decided they were going to stop sweating the small stuff and start going to God for every decision no matter how big or small.  This eventually led to the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) phenomenon.

 I decided to do some background research on how WWJD came about.  I found this story at www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org

What Would Jesus Do? - How This All Came About
"What Would Jesus Do?" all started with a youth group from the Calvary Reformed Church of Holland, Michigan. As members of "Generation X," they wanted to influence their community for Christ. Inspired by the 1896 Charles Sheldon Book, "In His Steps" (which asked the same query), these youths were moved to apply this question to the daily choices that they all faced. As a tangible reminder, they had simple cloth bracelets made that used the abbreviation, WWJD. The bracelets caught the attention of friends, classmates, parents, and town's people. Soon, almost everyone was wearing one of these bracelets. As their popularity grew, the bracelets were mass-marketed, causing the retail revolution that we see today.

To the youths of Calvary Reformed Church in Michigan, "What Would Jesus Do?" had nothing to do with fad, popularity or wealth. They asked this question because their lives had been transformed by what Jesus taught and did about 2,000 years ago. They desired to influence their community by living their lives the way Christ taught. They wanted to give their faith a tangible connection to their everyday lives.

The premise behind the concept is a good one.  We don't have to wait for the big things or the emergency situations to call on God.   God WANTS to be involved in every aspect of our lives no matter how big or how small.  These teenagers from a small town in Michigan began to do this and unwittingly influenced a whole generation of people.

I have issues!

**Check out our sidebar for our summer 2009 project - the Conspiracy of Kindness. Our goal is to commit acts of kindness this summer and report our progress to our readers. We encourage you to participate with your own acts of kindness. Check out the purple notes at the end of each post to see what acts have been committed each week by all of the Queens!!**


I remember when I was young my Sunday School teacher used to tell me that God counted and knew every hair on my head. I felt bad when I went to get my hair cut because that was just extra work for God, you know since he would have to recount mine. Sounds kind of silly to think that way now as an adult but is it really any different then other “small” issues we don’t take to God because we don’t want to bother him? Speaking for myself, I tend to only go to God with the 911 emergencies. He’s my ‘in case of emergency’ contact – which is good, but it’s not enough. It’s a shame I don’t consider his willingness and capabilities all the time. Life sure would be a lot easier.

I really haven’t though much about keeping God in the small stuff but I will say, my husband is great about reminding me. If something small comes up that I’m stressing myself out over, my husband will say to me, “Why don’t you just pray about it?”. The first thought that crosses my mind is whatever – God doesn’t have time for my freak out. But, I will say in the rare occasion I have actually taken the hubby’s advice, it has definitely calmed me down and helped me work through it.

One occasion comes to mind that I thought would be funny to share with you. It happened last year when we were in Moldova on our mission trip. We were doing inner-city baseball camps at local school yards with no restroom facilities. On the way to the school we went through the drive-thru at McDonalds. At this point we had not had any ‘American’ food and I foolishly decided that right then would be a good time to eat a double cheeseburger. Uh yeah – big mistake – BIG! HUGE!! Of course right when we arrived at the school and were unloading our equipment, I started getting all shaky and breaking out in the cold sweats. That burger was going through my system faster than the speed of light and I was in dire need of a toilet – STAT! Of course I was too embarrassed to ask someone to drive me back to our apartment, which also would have required me to get on the scary elevator all by myself, but I had to do something or this movement was going to take over in a big way! So I just asked God to take away the pain and need. I’m sure I promised a few things in return but I was desperate. And guess what? Immediately I was fine. Just like that. Now don’t worry, as soon as we got back to the apartment at the end of the day, and I mean literally the second we stepped in the door, I was hanging on for dear life to that blessed porcelain stool! It’s funny because I asked God for a crazy ridiculous miracle, and He came through, but not for a second longer than necessary.

Who thinks of going to God in a moment like that? God does deal with a lot of our crap (sorry – just give me one), but as our Father, His desire is to do just this. Nothing is too small to take to God – if He is a part of your life he should be included on all of your decisions and desires, your dilemmas and fears. God is in to details so just let Him be for you. We all have issues, big and small, but God is all-inclusive...so always keep him in the equation!



**Sat next to an older gentleman on the plane this week. He was a sweetie and kept me entertained with WWII stories from his time in the Navy! Our flight was canceled after being on the plane for over an hour...a madhouse ensued trying to get everyone rebooked...unfortanetly for me and my sailor we had to overnight...I gladly gave up my seat on the hotel shuttle to the older gentleman and waited in the humid Nashville weather for the shuttle to return for me...**

Yep, I got 'em...

Idols, that is... 

I have spent the week looking at idols in my life. A scary adventure at best. No need to bore you with the laundry list, but, because we are a curious sort... here's a few:

my laptop/Internet

my classroom

my students

work

activities that keep my family too busy

praise of others

pleasing others

food

obsessing over plans

my to do list

FACEBOOK!

emails

$

and topping the list this week: 

http://apps.facebook.com/bejeweledblitz/?lpt=bookmark

So, I am pretty great at identifying the idols but, the real question is/the God question is...

"What are you going to do about it?"

Please note I am not trying to demean or underestimate the severity of contemporary idol worshipping, in fact, the truth and sneaky way these idols steal from my joy, peace and intimacy with God actually scares me to the bone. 

Our world, like no other time before, is filled with THINGS that are made into idols. Everything from obsessing about popularity, possessions, television shows, relationships, music, movies and the infamous Internet. These modern day idols are not small trinkets or great golden calves of the days of Biblical history but, equally steal our attention and strength and above all create a deep separation from the one and only who is eternal. Our soul should ache for God not another round of Bejewled Blitz or another "You've Got Mail" message. 

Our God is a very jealous God. He wants our undivided attention and nothing less. The Word of God is crystal clear on idols worshipping; 

"Thou shalt not have any other God before me." - Exodus 20: 3

The warning is also very clear: Have idols? be cursed! - Deut. 7:26.

So, again, what am I going to do with all this head knowledge about my God and idols? Can I move the head knowledge into heart knowledge that actually penetrates my stubborn ways? 

I must take action: commit God's word to my heart in order to combat the contemporary idol worship that seems to lay low like a dark cloud some days. 

I  keep on identifying these idols in order to banish them from stealing my attention from my God. 

I will work to continually turn every thought & word captive in order to honor my God and not these idols.

I will be cautious with my time, energy & attitudes to prevent more worldly influences from becoming idols in my life. 

I will commit to spend time with God not idling turn over this precious time to the Internet or mindless time wasters. Good bye Bejeweled Blitz and all the other online games that come before my God.

As a parent, I realize my example of putting aside these worldly idols is paramount for training up my children in the way they should follow God. So, off with the TV, the Internet and prioritizing our activities so, that we don't become ruled by the IDOL of BUSY... is above all my call to action for my family.

I'll never be perfect... but, My God is... and through his strength I will pray that his favor and not curse will rule over these idols and the idols won't rule over me. 

Now, off to seek his kingdom and not another Facebook friend. 

ElizaBeth