Roses. You. Lunch. Go.
Ever have conversations with yourself?
Yeah. I do, too.
Our minds are an interesting place. It's never a good idea to stay there for too long on your own.
Anyway, here's what mine looked like today:
Me: "You really need to run errands during lunch, Christie. Really. 1 hour without children. A To-Do List on steroids. You have places to go. You have things to do. Be a big girl and go do it."
Me: "But I want to go with Ree and watch the Camp Gifted performance."
Me: "No. Run errands."
God: "Stop and smell the roses, honey. I created them for you to enjoy."
Me: "Huh?"
He had another cart on the other side of the street and I HAD TO PASS IT before I got to my car. :)
In the cart? Free lunch.
Oh how He loves me. (He loves you, too, but this is my story! Haha...)
So, I grab my free lunch and get in the car to go see a program called "Camp Gifted" that highlights the gifts of students with special needs. The kids are 12 years old and up and today was all about showcasing what they learned through their camp experience and highlighting what is fantastic about them... or so I thought.
Today was about showcasing them, but it was also about TEACHING me.
I arrived late and almost turned around. The self talk was something like this:
Me: You are lost. Go to the bank and run other errands. This was a bad idea.
Me: God said to go enjoy wonderful stuff... like His kids.
Me: But, I'm LOST and these signs say they will tow my car if I don't have a guest tag.
Yeah. I do, too.
They are some of my favorite dialogues ever. They can also be some of the scariest conversations ever.
Our minds are an interesting place. It's never a good idea to stay there for too long on your own.
Anyway, here's what mine looked like today:
Me: "You really need to run errands during lunch, Christie. Really. 1 hour without children. A To-Do List on steroids. You have places to go. You have things to do. Be a big girl and go do it."
Me: "But I want to go with Ree and watch the Camp Gifted performance."
Me: "No. Run errands."
God: "Stop and smell the roses, honey. I created them for you to enjoy."
Me: "Huh?"
God: "Stop and smell the roses, honey. I created them for you to enjoy." (When I just don't get it, God puts the lesson on replay for me.)
Me: "Um, God... have you seen my desk at work? I can't find my chair or my keyboard. And... have you seen my debit card? Yeah, me, too. It's at home... and I need to go to the bank to get cash today because I can't get back until tomorrow. Planning this out makes my head hurt, Lord... and my shoulders are up by my ears... and they won't go back home where you originally put them."
God: "Exactly. Roses. You. Lunch. Go."
God: "Exactly. Roses. You. Lunch. Go."
Me: "But I haven't had lunch, God, and I'm going to be hungry if I skip lunch..."
God: "GO."
And so, I went...
I left my desk and was immediately reminded of Matthew 6:26 (aka "the birds of the air verse").
"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
On the way to my car in the middle of the sidewalk there was a cart. I skipped it as I thought they were selling something and I was in "go-mode."
My God, however, is good at getting my attention and had a plan.
My God, however, is good at getting my attention and had a plan.
He had another cart on the other side of the street and I HAD TO PASS IT before I got to my car. :)
In the cart? Free lunch.
So, I grab my free lunch and get in the car to go see a program called "Camp Gifted" that highlights the gifts of students with special needs. The kids are 12 years old and up and today was all about showcasing what they learned through their camp experience and highlighting what is fantastic about them... or so I thought.
Today was about showcasing them, but it was also about TEACHING me.
I arrived late and almost turned around. The self talk was something like this:
Me: You are lost. Go to the bank and run other errands. This was a bad idea.
Me: God said to go enjoy wonderful stuff... like His kids.
Me: But, I'm LOST and these signs say they will tow my car if I don't have a guest tag.
God: Oh, sweetie. Ask directions and ask them about the tag while you are there.
And so, I did...
15 minutes later I enjoyed the most beautiful showcase of diversity, love, genius, truth, and more. The presence of God was so rich in that room as I watched a chosen group of people share their wisdom.
This group of students that the world sometimes short changes because of their "disabilities" taught me more in 20 minutes than some of the "best and brightest" (per the world's terms) have taught me in a lifetime.
They spoke of diversity.
They danced with pure joy.
One of my favorite quotes from today was, "Someone told me no one would listen to what I had to say. I said what I had to say anyway... Then I learned that one voice can give strength to another voice... and another... and another."
God gifts us with dreams that He places in our hearts. I have a dream that revolves around special need families and single mom families. Today reminded me that the dream was not there by chance. It was placed in my heart by God himself and now I'm faced with a choice.
Do I choose to give strength to another voice?
Do I choose to stop and smell the roses-- trusting that God will provide the resources?
Do I choose to walk through fear and temporary obstacles-- and to ask questions when needed-- to get to God's beautiful moments?
And the answer today is, "Yes, Lord. Use me."
Now it is YOUR turn.
Roses. You. Lunch. Go.
Do it.
PS- No parking ticket!!! :)
This group of students that the world sometimes short changes because of their "disabilities" taught me more in 20 minutes than some of the "best and brightest" (per the world's terms) have taught me in a lifetime.
They spoke of diversity.
They danced with pure joy.
One of my favorite quotes from today was, "Someone told me no one would listen to what I had to say. I said what I had to say anyway... Then I learned that one voice can give strength to another voice... and another... and another."
God gifts us with dreams that He places in our hearts. I have a dream that revolves around special need families and single mom families. Today reminded me that the dream was not there by chance. It was placed in my heart by God himself and now I'm faced with a choice.
Do I choose to give strength to another voice?
Do I choose to stop and smell the roses-- trusting that God will provide the resources?
Do I choose to walk through fear and temporary obstacles-- and to ask questions when needed-- to get to God's beautiful moments?
And the answer today is, "Yes, Lord. Use me."
Now it is YOUR turn.
Roses. You. Lunch. Go.
Do it.
May you make mistakes, crave peace, and dance in grace... because He sure does love you.
PS- No parking ticket!!! :)
Copyright © 2013 by Christie Aitken. All rights reserved.
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