Crazy Love In Action

Ahhh, Monday.  You've been good to me today.  Thank you.  :)

Sleep eluded me last night, and my fear was that I would drag all day long.  Thankfully, however, I did not.  I felt refreshed and well rested.  It was odd.  But I am thankful.

The work day was calm and peaceful.  One of my co-workers blessed me with a bag of M&Ms, which I happily shared with all.  

My plan for this evening is to simply relax.  I rented a movie - Gone, with Amanda Seifried - and hope it is good.

What really made my Monday was waking up to an email from one of my Centerpoint friends.  This past weekend my church sponsored our 4th annual Crazy Love Family Day.  It's a 100% free event for the community that was birthed out of a desire to give families in our area an opportunity to have a one day mini vacation.  This year we were able to give away 1300+ free hot dogs, bags of popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones.  Kids jumped in inflatables, got their faces painted, rode horses, learned how to juggle and make balloon animals, and got to see an aerial acrobat show.  The adults were able to register for giveaways, and thanks to our awesome local businesses, we were able to give away over $1000 worth of free stuff!

The point of Crazy Love Family Day is to show the crazy, unbridled love of Jesus to folks who might never experience it anywhere else with no strings attached.  We don't preach at them.  We don't require them to come to church.  We don't stuff their mailboxes full of tracts or show up unannounced at their homes to witness to them.  We just show them love for four hours one Saturday a year in hopes that they will uncross their arms long enough to open up their hearts.

And it works.

Back to that email.

My friend shared in the email how one mother had been through the food line several times to get hot dogs for her kids.  On her third visit, she asked my friend if she could have a couple of hot dogs for the road.  The mother told my friend that she wasn't sure how she was going to feed her family that night, but now she did.  She told my friend that she didn't realize there were people/churches who existed and gave so selflessly.  Before leaving, the mother said she would see my friend again at church sometime.

My friend also shared a story about a father who had lost his job this summer and was unable to take his family on vacation.  He had been praying for an opportunity to do something fun with his kids before the end of summer when one of his kids came home with a flier for Crazy Love Family Day in their backpack.  He said it was an answer to his prayers!

One man simply said that the event restored his faith in God.

Wow.

These stories are just a few of the many I've heard over the weekend.  Add those to all the stories over the past four years and it is easy to see why crazy love in action is so important!!  

So, how was your Monday?  If you participated in the Manic Monday Challenge, please link up your blog in the comment section!

What My Dog Taught Me About God

My lovable pup, Brutus

Has your pet ever taught you something about God?  

Last night, mine did.  Brutus and I went for a short walk a little after 10pm.  Not far from the house, I spotted the teeniest, tiniest frog you can imagine.  He hopped right in front of me and then stopped.  Brutus, being the curious little pup that he is, wanted to check the frog out.  He would get as close as he could to sniff the frog, but then he would get scared and jump back.  Then curiosity would get the best of him, and he would creep closer to the frog and start sniffing.  All the while, the frog stood stone still, allowing Brutus to check him out.  This process went on for a few minutes, then we resumed our walk.

What does this have to do with God?

Well, I may be stretching things a bit, but bear with me.  I started thinking how God is like the frog and we are like Brutus.  (Yes, I just compared God to a frog & people to a dog!)

What do I mean?

Psalm 34:8 tells us to "taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him." Often times God hops right in front of us and just sits there, patiently, for us to come check Him.  He wants us to come near to Him and see that He's OK.  That He really, truly is good.  And that He's not going anywhere.  He wants us to trust Him, and as another version says, to take refuge in Him.

More times than not, we're like Brutus.  We timidly approach God, thinking He's going to scare us, or get angry with us, or just plain leave.  Sometimes we sniff in His direction and think that maybe He's alright, that maybe He really is OK.  Maybe we even begin to think He's good.  Then something happens, and just like Brutus, we jump.  We turn away from God.

But something draws us back, be it curiosity or simply remembering that God never left.

And the process continues.

I don't know about you, but I've acted like Brutus on numerous occasions in my relationship with God.  He bids me come, to know His goodness, but I've been timid.  Afraid that He might leave or not really be good like He says He is.  I've turned away from Him so many times, and returned just as many.

Thankfully, just like the frog, God stays stone still.  He never leaves.  And He continues to draw me near, encouraging me to taste and see that He is good.

What has your pet taught you about God?  Are you like Brutus, curious about God yet afraid that He might not be as good as He says He is?

He Overcame

Poetry is not my thing, but today I was inspired to write.  And this is what came out.

He overcame

     my grief

          my sorrow

               my pain

He overcame

     my disbelief

          my doubt

               my disdain

He overcame

    my sin

         my shame

              my chains

The inspiration came while listening to Jeremy Camp's song "Overcome" on Pandora.  As his song proclaims, "Savior, worthy of honor & glory. Worthy of all our praise.  You overcame!  Jesus, awesome in power forever.  Awesome & great is Your name.  You overcame!"

Thank you, Jesus!