When I was in college, I took a Spanish writing class. I still remember my precious, very elderly, professor who walked with a hobble. We could barely understand his Spanish, because he was at that point later in life when speech becomes a little slurred. In hindsight, my struggle to understand him helped me as I encountered all different dialects. Another example of how God works struggle into his good plan for you...even in the details. He is always at work.
I loved this professor. He had a kindness about him. Most people in the class were respectful and patient. I suppose I was thankful it was a writing class and not a conversation class. Then we'd all be in trouble...
Well I clearly loved this class because we were able to write about anything we wanted. This pleases me as I feel like a caged animal with rules sometimes. (That's why Jesus knocks my socks off. As I fall more and more in love with Him, He's got me doing rules that I don't feel constrained by. Rules that I follow because He and I have this thing...a relationship as a human I was made for. He's my Friend and my Lord. It's truly amazing.)
So one day, I was having a moment with God, and learning about how he cares for even the birds, providing them food, and I thought wow. God is in everything. So sitting in "the Quad" that day I began to write and it turned into a love poem to God.
(So I should insert here that my Spanish writing always had marks of red pen "blood" all over it. To say I was a great Spanish writer would be a flat out lie. Because I wrote like I spoke and, well, this was not how it was to be in my classes.)
But precious professor read my essay and said I needed to see him after class. And when I went up to him he said I needed to become a saint. That God might have intended for me to reserve myself and become a nun. In complete seriousness, he handed me some texts to read over and consider it. And I hid my giggles and respectfully took them. And I did read them. I loved these women I read about, famous women of God. One love poem I actually saved, rewrote it in my jelly roll pens and still have it written in my college girl handwriting on a piece of crumpled edged computer paper in my Bible. Because it was how I wanted to love God.
And I guess I say all this because my life is ordinary. It really is. I am super thankful for where God has me, but I am not performing lots of "tricks" or grandiose things for God- things the outsider would say "Rock on you cool mama." In fact, in all my existence I have never been cool. I had no issues buying a preowned minivan that came with a fish on the back. No issues here. I'm happy being the same little girl who would visit the public library on the weekends with my mom in high school. I'm the same girl who has budget shopped and lived in the same house for 10 years with my husband in my most awesome hometown.
I homeschool. I feed my family three meals and two snacks a day. I grocery shop and coupon cut and budget and clean toilets. I do things that aren't really "sexy". I don't take trips these days, other than our yearly beach trip, and the occasional trip to see family. I buy my clothes on extreme discount, because I love a great deal, and at probably not so fun places compared to some. My husband and I grab date nights when we can but we don't bend over backwards romanticising each other. Romantic to me is him changing light bulbs without me asking. Romantic to him is me making food, especially bacon. Romantic to both of us is alone time with each other- our garage gym workouts, going to Barnes and Noble and reading, even planning together. Cheeseball and simple. And we deeply love each other. And deep, simple, sacrificial love is sexy to us.
And none of this matters. Because God calls the ordinary to be extraordinary.
So I may never hold a position of "cool" in any one's standards. And I'm OK with that. Because God has called us to look at our surroundings and expectantly observe. Where is he at work. What he is up to. And how he'd like us to be involved. And I look around and I still see him everywhere. He is a God of details, and no parts of my life are small to him. He has placed me here and I am thankful, humbled, living expectantly, and praying.
Because life is too short. I live, breathe, love, and receive all he has to give.
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