Thankful for the Weird Things

            I really struggled with how I should go about this one. I didn’t want this post to be the typical “I’m thankful for God, my family, and my friends” thing everyone would expect*. Not that anything is wrong with that… but I want something unique! Here are several weird and unusual things I’m thankful for. If you asked me why I'm thankful for some of these, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell you:

1) When I’m driving and the window fogs up suddenly. I don’t know why, but I’ve always found that funny.

2) When a friend of mine I haven’t seen in a couple years completely surprises me by visiting and we sing “Puttin’ on the Ritz” in my car. That happened this morning. Side note: the music video for that song is really weird. 

3) When I have a pile of clean clothes I have to put up in my closet or dresser. I don’t know why, but I actually enjoy putting away clothes. My mom must’ve brainwashed me or something.

4) Those moments when you tell a joke and your friends PRETEND it isn’t funny… but you know they are dying of laughter inside; they just don’t want to show it.

5) When a limb of mine falls asleep. I love that feeling.

6) When I’m at church and I have a family member to lay my head on so I can pretend I’m listening to the sermon.

7) When I say something really, really obvious and/or stupid. I realize it, and look at my friend. My friend pauses…. knowing he or she can nail me with the classic “DUH, genius” or “really, you just realized that?” line. And he or she lets it slide. I’m always thankful for those moments. I hate “duh”s. They make me feel like an idiot. I appreciate their tolerance for my dumb-ness.

            There are tons and tons of little things like these in my life that I’m thankful for. They just spice everything up! Spend some time and think of all the odd little things you are thankful for. It’s a lot of fun! This post has been a blast to write. Or, and here's one more:

8) When I hit "publish" when I'm done writing a post. Knowing that maybe I can make someone smile, cry, or do something in between. Knowing that there are some people in the world who actually care about my thoughts enough to waste three minutes of their life reading them. Thank you.

*I am very, extremely thankful for God. He is everything to me. I’m thankful for my family because they are the only 5 people on this planet who have been with me through everything. And I love my friends. They’ve given me so many memories. I’m so glad they put up with me!

Just a Thought

            Right now I am sick. This morning I woke up with a horribly scratchy throat, a voice that sounds like a bass guitar, a Niagara Falls nose (don’t spend too much time thinking about that), and a cough to wake the dead. It’s not very much fun. I wasn’t meant to live life like this. 

            But as I’ve gone on with my day… I’ve gotten used to it. It’s not abnormal anymore, and I don’t think twice before unwrapping a Hall’s or grabbing a tissue. It’s just me and my life.

            I know in the back of my mind what my body is going though is not normal. I shouldn’t be like this. But what I know in my mind doesn’t change the reality that I am sick and have to adjust accordingly.

            I look at the world and realize it’s the same way. Our world is sick. The symptoms are hunger, crime, disease, death, and pain in general. But we’ve gotten used to it, really. A hundred people slaughtered? We yawn. 50 people dead of a disease outbreak? We ask, “Is that it?”

            You get the point. 

            It’s so important for us to be able to look at our world and realize THIS IS NOT HOW THINGS SHOULD BE. Our world did not start like this, and this sickness will pass one day. The horrific things we witness are symptoms of an underlying cause: a cursed world.

            One day Jesus will come back and reign. Our world will become new again, and so will the people in it. 

            In the day to day grind, it’s hard to maintain perspective. Being able to step outside of it all and hold on to truths like this is very important. If I didn’t know there was hope for this world, I would literally go insane because everyone is suffering for no reason.

            But we are not. There will come a day when everything is going to change. 

You Will Be Known by Your Fruit

           I’ve been thinking of the fruits of the Spirit recently. I remember as a Sunday school child how I would proudly raise my hand when asked if I knew all of them. I would stand up and invariably miss one. And that was it. I wouldn't think about them after that.

            But the fruits of the spirit aren’t just a church-ism. They are real. Paul writes:

            “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV).

             I looked at those and realized that, as a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in me. How should people be able to tell? By what emanates from me. Am I loving? Joyful? Peaceful? Patient? Kind? Good? Faithful? Gentle? Self-controlled?

             When you give your life to God, He starts molding you into the person you need to be. This process lasts until you die. Now, certain factors affect how quickly you are shaped, but it begins as soon as you enter God’s Kingdom.

             The Holy Spirit is given to comfort and guide you. If you are living in loving obedience to God, these qualities will shine in everything you do.

             Someone will wrong you. Your response? You will lovingly forgive them.

             Someone will grate at you. Your response? You will treat them kindly.

             People will betray and hurt you. Your response? You will be a faithful friend to them; you won’t treat them how they treated you.

             You are given a responsibility. Your response? You joyfully step into your role and demonstrate self-control.

             You see, when God takes over your life you can’t help but change. How you see others and respond to situations will change. These “fruits” (i.e. qualities) will show in your godly outlook on life and your willingness to serve.

             As always, I’m going to finish by asking you questions. Most likely you are a Christian. Are these qualities evident in how you treat others? When life throws you a sucker punch, do you respond with these traits?

             No one is perfect, but God is here to help us. Be the person you need to be.