Reminder to sweat the small stuff

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. Ephesians 6:5-8

I think the reminder about work is so appropriate. If we remember that even the littlest thing we do is a reflection of our love for Jesus, then we will do it with all of our energy. I am trying to view those tasks that I tend to let slide as opportunities to serve God and to humble myself, instead of as menial things that probably don't count anyway. It is not only when we are doing "spiritual" things or big jobs that we are supposed to give it all we have, but all the time. When we do the most overlooked task that is ignored by the world it is then that our motives are really being changed, I think. And God notices everything.

Micah Girl

Small town life in Kentucky?

Hubby and I had a heart-to-heart about whether or not to move. Bottom line--he has a yearning for small town life, neighborly neighbors, community connection. We have worked hard for it here, but it's just not clicking. We also long for a lower cost of living, a little bit of land, a little breathing room financially.

Latest plan--Kentucky: Bowling Green or somewhere outside of Lexington. Both have Hispanic community, universities, culture and fun family stuff to do. Both would be a culture shock, I think, coming from the Northeast. Is this the future God has for us??????

Micah Girl

Theology of romance???

Okay--this is a serious question.

If you know two terrific people who would be perfect together--at least one of them definitely has romantic feelings for the other and one of them probably has feelings for the first, but you know them both well and they've both been burned and scared before-- how should you pray for them?

I have been praying for God to work things out between them and to turn their hearts toward one another. I have been praying for him to bless them with the opportunity to come together and to marry!

I get caught up a little bit in the romance of it all in my own mind, and how I would want people to pray for me if I was in that situation. I'm also SO happily married that I would love to see those two get together.

So what do you do???

Micah Girl

September 11-- 5 years later

I don't have much to say about the anniversary, but that is partly self-preservation I think. In church yesterday we had a brief moment of remembrance, a simple prayer and a brief and tasteful worship video regarding the anniversary, and I sobbed.

This morning in my One Year Bible reading was some encouragement from Isaiah 9:2

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

May the light of God guide all the people of God to live out the radical love of God in a dark and confusing world.

Micah Girl

Three Good Reads

Here are three historical novels, written from a Christian worldview (but not preachy or cheesy) that I have read recently that I highly recommend:

Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice
Rice takes you into the boyhood of Jesus in an unforgettably earthy but reverent way.

River Rising by Athol Dickson
Dickson weaves a page-turning mystery while depicting racism and natural disaster in Louisiana of 1927.

Levi's Will by Dale Cramer.
An intimate family drama concerning an Amish man who leaves behind his traditions but needs to reconnect both to his family and to faith over the course of his lifetime.

Micah Girl

"I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso