Tuesday's Blessings

The bell rings.
First and second graders rush out to greet their Moms’ and Dads’.
Teachers give hugs and wish their students a “good day” and an “I will see you tomorrow!”
Bridgeport Families scatter to their cars, and soon enough… silence.
…with exceptions to the adorable six year old trying to balance on a wall and the sound of blowing wind.
I look to my left and I see a pregnant mother watching her son with care, but besides me and the six year old, there is no one else in sight.
Her son sees a girl about his age, the six year old, balancing on a wall, and he decides to join her.
Kids and instant friends.
They play about and I scoot a little closer to the pregnant mother sitting on the wall for conversation.
“Where are you from?” I ask.
She responds, “I am from India. Delhi, to be more specific.”
And, a great conversation follows.
Our conversation was interrupted by the second school bell that rings an hour later for the older elementary children to get out of school.
After the interruption of our conversation, it was ended with, “It was a pleasure to meet you, and I guess I will be seeing you here every day when the children get out of school.”
“See you tomorrow!” I replied.

The next thing I know, an El Salvadorian woman I met a time ago pops up in front of me to pick up her children, and another conversation with a woman of culture begins. Short, yet sweet.

Culture is so fascinating.

God loves people from all tongues, tribes, and nations, and I will get to worship my Father in heaven with fellow brothers and sisters from all parts of the world!

The rest of the day was a blessing from God with bike rides in the newly Autumn Crisp air, with a curious question asking six year old, and many neck stretching looks up above to enjoy the feathery white puff clouds scattered below the bright blue sky.

We stopped at a fountain.
She finds a penny, holds it tightly in her prayer posed hands, closes her eyes, touches the tips of her prayer posed fingertips to her forehead (Like a Buddist before Buddah), and throws the penny in the water.

I asked her what she wished for, and she said that when she was in Sri Lanka, with flower petals she wished that all of her family members would be able to be together in their next rebirth. This time around she said she wanted to make sure she included her grandma, because she forgot to include her that one time in Sri Lanka.
She asked me what I wished for, and I didn’t answer her.
I tossed a penny into water. But, inside my heart I know my Father in heaven heard a prayer for the salvation of her and her family. My care for them keeps growing.
It is interesting that both of our thoughts in this moment at the fountain were “Spiritual” in nature.
I looked into the water in the fountain and saw a reflection…
No longer am I blinded with my eyes fixed on the fog of the future.
I am all here, loving today, and the everyday opportunity God has given me. No worries about the future, just a growing trust in my heavenly Father, who is my shepherd holding my hand and guiding me every step of the way.

On this adventure with God, is right where I want to be!

Capturing Beauty and Dignity

Capturing Beauty and Dignity is Aradhna, a group whose music blends both the East and the West. Aradhna means Worship in Hindi. The beats in their music cannot be listened to without the tapping of one's foot accompanied by hands druming on one's lap! Their music is awesome and has really blessed me, especially after spending time in India! Be sure to check Aradhna out!
http://www.aradhnamusic.com/index.html

What's the Worst that Could Happen?

Failing out of a class, getting a broken heart, having a loved one pass away, loosing a job, getting in a car accident, not being able to bear a child, getting injured or ill, being at a dead stop in traffic; this is not the worst that can happen in a circumstance.

The worst that can happen in any difficult circumstance is that I would sin against a Holy and Soverign God in the midst of it.

The Holy Spirit helps God’s Children to glorify our Holy God when difficulty strikes. Lord, you are sovereign and working everything out for good to those that love you and are called according to your purpose! What a wonderful promise to rejoice in!

Whiter than Snow

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

“Anything we are and anything we have that is whiter than snow comes from Christ alone. I have lived long enough to sin against many people. I have sought forgiveness from those God brought to my mind and have been forgiven many times, but no one could make me clean. Only Jesus, whose dazzling glories are whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.” Beloved Disciple by Beth Moore

Anything good in me is because of you, Oh Lord. You give my soul strength to choose your ways, and when my flesh overwhelms me your steadfast love squeaks me clean! Less of me and more of you, Oh Lord! May my soul magnify you, because of your amazing grace and mercy.

The Fruit of Enjoying Jesus

Luke 10:38-42
Listen
Martha, was so diligent to serve, which seems like the opportune thing to do. On the other hand, Mary who simply sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching, was told by Jesus that she chose a good portion that would not be taken away from her. We are commanded to love and serve others, but if it is a distraction from listening to the teachings of Jesus, I must check my heart and nurture that first. Love God first and most, even more than working for Him, and the outpour of that will magnify Him. In contrast, service without that close intimacy with Him leads to distraction and anxiety. Examine my heart.

John 12:1-8
Purity
Martha served (which is great, but…), Lazarus reclined with Jesus at the table, and Mary anointed His feet with perfume (the second two really seemed to enjoy His presence). Judas Iscariot questions and rebukes Mary for using her perfume for Jesus’ feet. Judas Iscariot was a disciple who ended up betraying Jesus. He seemed to have lacked intimacy, and as a result of that he put on a façade that appeared as though he cared for the poor and would rather use money for the poor versus a perfume for Jesus’ feet. Jesus, knowing the heart knowing the heart of man knew that Judas Iscariot’s true intentions were to pocket the money for himself. Jesus ends the passage with, “The poor you will always have with you, but you do not always have me.” I want to cling all the more closely to Jesus, because I do not want to fall to such wickedness that starts in the mind if I am not hiding God’s Word in my heart and enjoying Him. Jesus knew that Mary’s intentions with the perfume were pure. Reminders: 1. I cannot hide my heart from Jesus, He knows it better than I do. 2. It is about pleasing God, not about pleasing man. 3. I will be more focused on pleasing God, if I am walking closely with Him. Examine my heart.

Matthew 17:5
Know
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain, so that they could see Jesus in a different form and know that He was different than all other men. These three men were blessed to be chosen by God to see Jesus’ purity and hear God’s voice. God tells them, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” I know God’s Word is complete and that He will not appear to me in that way on this side of heaven. However, His son is still beloved, and today we know that He fulfilled the ten commandments, which I could not, He became sin for me by dying on the cross so I can have eternal life, and I am to LISTEN and enjoy Him, because with that will come greater intimacy and OBEDIENCE. I am so thankful God gave me His Word so I can get to know Him better. Those I spend the most time with, I become more like. I want to spend a consuming amount of time with Jesus and become most like Him. Examine my heart.

Read God’s Word (Know Him), Apply God’s Word by being obedient (Listen, Rely & Trust Him), and have greater intimacy with God (Purity before Him; Mat. 5:8). Disobey God’s Word and be Far away, Which one do I want? I am always having to remind myself of these truths! …makes me oh-so-thankful for, Jesus! Because of God's great grace, I do not have to work to get to heaven, but I sure am tired of this sin that separates me from Him. Lord, I need you to carry me through!

At the Railroad Cafe Last Friday

Sitting in the Café.
Lady comes in to buy a coffee.
She heads towards the exit, until she sees me with my Bible.
She stops, rewinds, then pulls a chair out at my table and asks me, “Are you doing a school assignment?”
I explain myself to her that I am studying about Jesus’ beloved disciple named, John.
She asks me to tell her what I am learning, and I share about Jesus’ transfiguration.
She smiled and shared with me what she read during her devotion that morning.
The metro train across the street arrived, which interrupted our conversation.
“I am so sorry to cut this short, but I have to catch the train. Continue on your journey!”
And, out the door she went.

When the pendulum swing of the door came to an end the barista, Jennifer, asked, “Heather, do you know her? It seems like you knew her really well!”
I replied, “No, I just met her.” Jennifer chimes in, “Wow, I am surprised. I thought she went to your church or something…”

As a child of God it is so neat to meet other believers (brothers and sisters), and see the automatic bond we have because of Christ. Sometimes, I may only cross paths with a brother or sister for a brief moment on this side of heaven. However, because of the work of the Holy Spirit, such an encounter has the opportunity to leave just the finger print my soul needed to continue becoming more like Christ.

This lady and I, may not have been a part of the same local church, but we are both a part of God’s church. Praise God for the unity found in the body of Christ, His church!

Ready, Set, Go!

This weekend I got to support my housemate and friend, Bridget, in the annual Disney half marathon. I am so thankful for this sister; she not only disciplines her body by running hard physically, but she also disciplines her mind and heart through running hard spiritually. She is a sister that I have seen continually PUTTING OFF that which pollutes life, and PUTTING ON righteousness. She loves Jesus so much and wants others to see Him through her! This sister’s prayer request in weeks past has been that she would have opportunities to share the gospel with people that she would meet through the Disney marathon. The Lord answered by having her run into an old friend from Michigan, where she grew up. He found her before the race began, and as they briefly caught up with each other’s lives before the race, Bridget got to share the gospel with her friend the first four miles of the race (Yes, while running)! She didn’t know if she would see this friend again, so she could not pass this opportunity up. She had tried to share with him a couple of years back, but had lost contact with him. I really see the hand of God in bringing this old friend back into her life. So neat to see when the Lord does those kinds of things and answers prayers in those ways. He will put His saints who love Him right to work if we are willing and asking for those opportunities!

As for my time with Bridget, we got to enjoy the Orange County culture for the weekend: Wonderful Galdamez family hospitality, Huntington Beach, sand, the pier, swimming, reading, sun, and shade (we didn’t want to leave the beach, but we had to move out of the sun. If I stayed in the sun any longer and got any darker I think I would have turned black, and if she would have stayed any longer she would have gotten sun burned. So, we moved to some shade underneath the pier). It was such a blessed time of sisterhood and a reminder of how much I enjoy one-on-one time with people over groups. Groups can be fun, but there is nothing like that one-on-one time with people that is so encouraging, refreshing, sharpening, and a treat from my Father above. God has blessed me abundantly in this season with godly sisters, and I am trying to soak it all up, while I can!

Bridget and I got to do a lot of walking around the OC the day before her race. She had to register in downtown Disney, which was far from where we parked. While walking we noticed a young mom and her daughter who was about two and a half years old. The daughter was very cute, one of those chunky toddlers whose legs could barely fit side by side as she sat in her upright stroller. Her mom had bought a slice of pizza for her daughter and put the small pizza box in a bag (I imagine so they could walk to a prettier place to sit down and eat it, because there wasn’t really a place to sit and enjoy it where they were standing outside of the store). However, when the daughter saw the little pizza box, she forcefully grabbed it from the bag, pushed the top of the box open, and screamed as her mother pulled it away from her hands. The little girl’s arms and legs got really stiff, stuck straight out, and her fingers looked like spirit fingers reaching for the pizza. Her Mom said, “No, you need to wait!” And, the girl jumped out of her stroller, stomped her feet on the ground and said, “Noooooooo, I want it nooooooowww!” This little girl was no longer cute, in fact, the situation got quiet ugly. Her Mother didn’t tell her she could not have the pizza, she just said that she had to wait. As Bridget and I walked away from the situation, I told her, “That is me!” God always has me in a time of waiting; if it is not one thing, it is another. He knows that waiting until He brings the situation and circumstances together is what’s best, but sinful me is discontent, and wants that instant gratification that is falsely satisfying. When I do that, I am like that screaming child, only this is before the Father (Yuck, I don’t want to be that Lord)! The mother knew that it would have been better to find a nice place to sit first, but the daughter had her eyes so fixed on the pizza that she couldn’t even hear or see where her mother was coming from.

I love when my heavenly Father puts wind in my sail to help me get through and grow during the numerous waiting periods that come in life. Seeing how this girl responded, encouraged me all the more to be patient and be thankful for how my loving Father uses those times to draw me closer to Him. Reminds me of that song, “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.” Heavenly Father, ultimately I CANNOT WAIT TO BE WITH YOU!

After Bridget and I saw this situation, we were encouraged all the more to listen to the road signs and signal lights from above. To enjoy the moments of getting ready (get ready!), the moments of setting (set!), before the going gets going (go!)!

1 Chronicles 16:11--Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

Philippians 1:6--being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Psalms 125--Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion; which cannot be moved, but abides forever. (Wow, Mount Zion!)

Burnt Out Light Bulb Repair

My father in heaven knew that I would have this job; working as a nanny for a devout Buddhist Sri Lankan family. He even sent me to Sri Lanka for a week this summer, and gave me many Sri Lankan friends to learn the culture and have an understanding and an appreciation for it. Toward the end of my travels, I began to ask the Lord to provide a job for me when I returned to California. I prayed not knowing that the Lord was already preparing me for what that job would be. It has been two and a half weeks now since I have been working, and yesterday marked the day that I got to share the gospel with the grandma of this family. She asked me what books I like to read and I told her the Bible and books by Christians who have written about what they have learned from the Bible. I added, that I also like poetry and enjoyed reading many poems written by a women named, Amy Carmichael . After she learned these knew things about me. She had so many questions which started an intense conversation that took place between 2:20pm and 2:50pm. She wanted to know how Jews and Christians are different, because from her perspective they were the same. She thought that Jews celebrated Christmas and was surprised when she met a Jew here in the states and received a startled look of offense when she asked them how they celebrated. As I explained the differences of Judaism and Christianity, the Lord gave me the opportunity to share the gospel. It is so sanctifying to share about the Bible and salvation, because I realize how much there is to know and that I cannot answer many of the questions that people have right away. My now adopted Sri Lankan grandma said that she is so happy to have someone who she can ask questions about Jesus. I left at 2:50pm to pick up the older sister of the two girls that I take care of, and when I returned the first thing that she said was, “Okay, so back to our conversation about Jesus..” This is a woman who crosses her ankles and meditates everyday and worships the idols in her hallway and I had the privilege of sharing with her the truth that can set her free. Lord, you are right, this is what my life is for, for your glory! God has a mysterious way of working, because the day before yesterday I struggled deep in thought about this family and their blind eyes as they talked about rebirth and nirvana. This family is so hospitable, so giving, they are willing to share many of their things with me, they have very good manners, and value modesty. Their culture even follows a BIblical model of manhood and womanhood. How can I be an example to these people? How can I stand out in the way I live to demonstrate that I am set apart because of Jesus? Our externals look the same (sometimes their eagerness to serve others even puts me to shame), but it is our motivations that are different. That is what my God in heaven cares about! The heart. Isn’t that what unbelieving people try to teach their children too? “Hunny, it is not about what is on the outside that matters, it is about what is on the inside!” or the famous quote, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” This idea is a hint of truth that many people have acculturated. These thoughts brought me to realize that there was going to have to come a point where I couldn’t live by example alone, but I would have to speak up and be the voice of truth in their lives, I just didn’t know that this was going to be the next day. I am happy to have a job where there is an open door to be influential and talk about the pearl of great prize; May the grace of God cause the scales to fall from this families eyes to discover it! Praying for boldness, opportunities to love them, really love them, and speak the truth!