I have made a vow to never drive by a lemonade stand without stopping and buying a glass. I have also made a vow to always throw a little extra something something to make up for everyone who does drive by without stopping. No matter how sweet, how sour, how expensive or how non-icy it may be, all that matters is I brought joy into a sweet child's heart and put a little extra spending money in their pocket.
Honestly, I have had a rough week. Am I aloud to say that when it's only Tuesday? Well, I am. It's been tough and my heart is weighing heavy. Although right now I would love nothing more than to lay on the couch and watch Cold Case or Without a Trace I have an ever growing list of things to do, including an entire course of Government. So to the point. On my way home from work today I stopped by Starbucks to get my energy for the rest of the night. After receiving my drink I headed home, exhausted from playing with kids all day (sweet kids, don't get it wrong...I LOVE my job). As I rounded the corner of my neighborhood I saw two girls waving their hands like crazy with a poster board tapped to a table reading, "Lemonade 75 Cents and Popsicles 75 Cents". Although I didn't need another drink and I was perfectly happy with my coffee I turned on my blinker and pulled into the middle school they were outside of. In a split second smiles crossed their faces, they turned towards each other with that anxious look of not knowing what to do while I got out of my car. Then a wave of panic came across me as I wasn't sure if I had any cash...don't worry I did. $1.78 I gave them for a cup of lemonade. Sweet sweet girls these were, carefully pouring the drink and scooping the ice and showing me how they were organizing their money. They talked about going into 5th grade and being the oldest girls. As I was standing there I kept watching cars out of the corner of my eyes pass them by. Is it that hard to take 2 minutes of your time to buy a cup?
I view this situation like our relationship with God. God is the girls selling the lemonade. He is standing on the corner waving His arms like crazy trying to get our attention for just 2 minutes. We are the cars...passing by like we don't have time. All He wants us to do is pull over from our calendar and crazy schedules and spend some time with Him. He will then send us on our way until He flags us down again.
I believe we can also view this from the other way around. We are the lemonade sellers seeking out attention from ANYONE or ANYTHING. We wave frantically trying to call out for help as we watch all the so called "help" drive by. The earthly things we try and fix our struggles with don't hang around for life. They drive by and we then move on to the next "car" hoping that it will help us with our sins. God is the faithful buyer of lemonade, stopping every time and remaining always. He is the car that pulls over, drops everything and helps. He will never drive by and watch you wave your hands in a panic hoping for dear life for someone to pull over. He will pull over.
So however you wish to look at it. Our relationship is like a lemonade stand with God. He will pull over when you are in need and we need to pull over when He is trying to get our attention. Lets pay attention to the signs and lemonade stands in our day to day lives, they tend to pop up in the most convenient times but we can't drive by.
So another week has now come and gone. Seriously, were does the time go? It makes me a bit sad to think how fast life flies by. Of course as humans we are always ready for the next big thing and forget that at one point we were excited for the 'current big thing'. Then before we know it we blink and every big thing we were looking forward to is gone and life has flown by in a matter of seconds.
I had time to think about this this week while I worked Sky Ranch Day Camps. I was blessed to work with eleven fourth grade girls who were absolutely precious! Yes, they kept me and Elizabeth (my co-counselor) on my toes and yes I'm pretty sure they caused me to grow a streak or two of gray hair BUT other than that God taught me a whole lot through them. For starters we talked about the gospel and what eternal life is. Can I start by saying every time I try and tell someone how we have an opportunity to spend eternal life in heaven with God I grow weak in the knees and get hit with a power of jaw dropping awe...every time.
Eternal life. ETERNAL LIFE! I can say it over and over again and still I can not grasp my mind around those two sweet words.
How long is eternal life? So we don't ever come back to earth? Is it fun in heaven? Can you jump on trampolines and eat ice cream whenever you want? Will I live with my family? Can I talk to God? If I go to heaven is there still a chance for me to go to (pointing downwards to the floor)?
These are just a few of the dozens of questions that were asked throughout the week about Jesus, Heaven, eternal life and salvation. PRAISE THE GOOD LORD FOR SUCH CONFIDENT AND CURIOUS GIRLS! Elizabeth and I did our best to explain what eternal life looks like and how long it really is (although if you have ever tried explaining that one you end up with a lot of blank stairs. As well, as girls shouting out massive numbers and stretching their arms out as far as they will go). But our answers continued to be, "yes, that big and so much more." Those were the moments when I wanted to hold each girls hands and tell them that heaven is SO MUCH better than anything here on earth. That eternal life means FOREVER and we can't put a number on it. There is no end or beginning it just is. I caught myself feeling almost like a 9 year old girl at the end of these lessons. Asking similar questions as they had. How long is eternal life? What is life in heaven like and will I see everybody whom I have lost again? I do not know the answers to these questions, actually know one does except for The Almighty King. But what I do know for now is I am ready to experience eternal life in heaven. I believe with my whole heart that through Jesus Christ we are guaranteed a spot in heaven next to Him on His throne. I want to fall to my knees and ask God my questions that I have wanted answers to for so long. I want Him to look at me and say, "You've done good kid, you've done good."
I don't have all the answers that young girls ask me and I don't have all the answers that my sister asks or even people my own age and older asks me. My mind was not made to know it all. Thank goodness because with what I do know is overwhelming enough. But the answers that God has gently placed in my heart are these, love God, love others, love yourself and even if there are times when you slowly drift away don't think He isn't drifting with you.
Here I am enjoying my second day at the beach. I decided to change themes for my blog until it gets closer to school just as a reminder for everyone to enjoy the last weeks of summer. As for me I couldn't be more excited to get back to school, start work up again and move into my new house BUT I am a small minority. As for the beach I have successfully been stung by a jellyfish, won a game of Apples to Apples, finished a book and half, received a nice red burn from the sun, finished and started a summer school course, caught three marshmallows on fire and fallen asleep on the beach with a gentle breeze blowing and the sound of waves crashing in the background. Life is good. Yes, I may be eating to much and I haven't worked out EVERYDAY but I need to be thanking God for a loving family and the ability to experience such a beautiful vacation. Thank you Jesus!
Sweet friends, be good, be safe and count your blessings. August 25th (26th?) will be here before you know it. If you aren't as excited as I am then don't rush the days, enjoy them. As for me, I will be attempting to crab and attempting to finish the third book in the Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief series (don't judge).
It is defiantly summer time in Texas! I can't even say the heat has finally arrived because IT'S BEEN HERE SINCE MAY!! Hopefully everyone is finding a way to stay cool. For me that means dragging a massive fan around with me in my house. I don't do heat so much for those of you who don't know. I'm ready for fall and winter :) Well, these past few weeks I have been beyond blessed with some amazing conversations. Conversations with friends, mentors, old coach's, youth leaders, Sky Ranch staff, kids,Phi Lambers and God! Oh and even God showed me a little something when two Mormon's came to my house yesterday! It's actually a little bit odd at how I am learning things this summer. I was planning on learning this one big huge lesson from God that would make everything crystal clear about my life and my world would be forever rocked. As usual His plans have gone a little bit different from mine (come on Caitlan you should know this by now). I have been learning dozens of lessons! I mean just a small piece of a lesson from this person, a small piece from Bible Study, a small piece from the books I'm reading and so on... I must admit my brain is pretty jumbled with new insights to life but all the pieces of the 'knowledge' puzzle have yet to be put together to form the crystal clear picture. And I think I'm okay with that for now. Would I love to have just learned one thing this summer instead of cramming my mind with vast amounts of stuff...yes. But at least the jumbleness in my brain is AMAZINGNESS from God Himself!!
So here we go:
Women of God have 4 major characteristics: Wisdom, Nobility, Devotion and Virtue.
God has invited each and everyone of us to live an eternal life with Him, free of bondage but we must be willing to accept the invitation.
God is patient in all circumstances. But at times when we continue 'pushing His buttons' He will place a few mountains for us to cross in order to learn Truth over lies.
We need to ask ourselves why we are making our lives so busy?
Who/what are we bowing down to? What are our idols? What are our addictions?
God breaks down our earthly strength in order to provide us with His strength instead.
The word love is thrown around to loosely.
I have seen what true Godly relationships look like. And I am prepared to wait as long as it takes in order for me to have a relationship based around Christ.
Watching Sex and the City is probably...okay, isn't the best show to watch. God showed me this when my blockbuster didn't carry Season 4 Disc 4.
Sometimes convictions come in ways far more scary than we would like.
Being a woman of Christ in a non christian sorority is unbelievably hard. I am so thankful for Phi Lamb!
There is such a thing as a premature testimony. And we need to make sure that when giving testimonies we keep the focus on God and how He brought us through a circumstance or what He has done in our lives.
If we don't put on the ENTIRE Armor of Christ EACH morning we are in for a long day of battles with satan.
A day in constant prayer truly does make a difference.
From the Mormon's: Two young men (old boys?) came by yesterday morning. My mom was gone and Morgan was still asleep. I answered the door and let them speak for a little bit. They then asked me if I knew about the book of Mormon's or the Bible of Mormon's I can't remember. I told them that I had heard about it but I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and a Christian. They asked if they could come in for a little bit to talk more about the Mormon beliefs. I politely told them no thank you, that I was not interested. I then proceeded to give them a little bit of encouragement for what they were doing...going door to door sharing what they believe to be the 'good news'. I gave them water and told them good luck as they went along to the next house. Now, do not get me wrong I am not wishing them luck to convert others to Mormon but God tugged at my heart because as Christians we are doing the exact same thing all over the world. I can list dozens of people who are on mission trips over seas this summer preaching the Gospel to many who will probably close the door saying they are not interested. There are so many summer camps going on right now, Sky Ranch and Pine Cove and SO many others full of loving counselors who are telling young kids and teens how they are loved by a God so huge we can't even grasp the concept. Some kids will be open to this idea and become believers but others will not be so sure about it and turn their head the other way. I have friends in other states working to share Jesus' story! Shoot I'm sharing His story at Sky Day Camp and at my Bible Study each week here at home. We all, as Christians want EVERYONE to know Jesus Christ and what He did for us and what He will continue to do for us. We all know what it feels like to have the door shut in our face and we are sadden because that is one less person who knows Christ. As I watched the boys walk down the sidewalk I couldn't help but pray for them, that they too will one day understand and know God's truth
Friends, it is amazing how much we can learn from God if we just are open to it. Yes, this summer is full of school, work and 'business' for the coming semester but don't let those things be the jumble in your brain. God has taught me things from my runs in the morning, Mormon's coming to my door, my four year old cousin telling me Jesus is in her heart and sitting in a waiting room at the doctor's office. Don't just look for the clear picture...look for all the pieces that put together the puzzle.
