allowing the gifts of the spirit

"now let me see" came out in a timid manner as this little petit elderly women tried to see the credit card reader at the grocery store.   Her voice was a bit nervous and her actions jerky.  She was in front of me in line and after her credit card was declined three times she rushed out if the store, still with her ice cream.

I paid for my groceries but couldn't help but worry about this elderly lady.  She seemed confused, I saw in her pocket book a benefits card, yet it was at the end of the month.  As I was leaving she was coming back in, with her ice cream.  "I cant let them think I was stealing!"  She explained.  I asked if she was "OK" and she said she was having a bad day and just wanted to get home with ice cream to sit with her cat.

I had had a rough day: woke up late, was later then I wanted to work, couldn't open my window, lost my cell phone in my hand, spilled lunch on my shirt and of course left work later then I planned.  And so I understood.  But I pray for her and as I was walking away had this great need to pay for her groceries.  I counted the money in my purse just over $17.00, her bill $17.19! Wow God works!

And so I followed back into the store to pay this women's grocery bill.  But neither her nor the store would let me. Halted in my willingness to be a good Samaritan, I watched as she just bought the ice cream and the bread and left the other items.  Her card worked.

I don't know this women's story or her money situation but what I do know is that we often fail to see the gifts of the spirit around us.  It could have been a quick and easy exchange, since I had 17.19 to the penny - and yet she was unwilling to accept it.  I wasn't pushy, I offered and double checked.  But I felt God called me to offer, I usually don't have cash on me.  I spent more then I had intended to when I had come in and yet the change of my bill left me with just enough to cover this lady's purchases. 

Sometimes, and I can't say for certain it was the case for this women, in our lives we let ourselves get in the way of the gifts of God.  We let our own ailments or our own woes.  We let our own problems and our own idea of solution get in the way of seeing God's will and gifts around us. 

We began a project several years ago now to restore a house.  At the beginning we let our own thoughts of what the house would look like take over from seeing what the house was saying.  After a change in plans and a more organic approach to the house restoration, our house is completely different from what we imagined - even with a few less walls!  Getting out of our own way can be a difficult thing.  Allowing God's will in can be difficult and even more difficult to understand...

And yet that is what we are called to do.  Allow God's will and gifts be present in our lives and not push them away or chose not to accept them.  Let us do this!  Let us get out of our own paths and hop on the path of God. 

Hope defeats

Standing under the great Mastodon skeleton I just can't imagine living along side these giant mammals let alone the even bigger Mammoths.   The sheer size of their legs is amazing.  And yet it was not that long ago that we (as humans) walked the earth with these mighty animals.  Humans are pretty remarkable.  I often truly feel wonder at the fleets we have taken and the strides we continue to take.  We have done some pretty amazing things.  (I am not going to talk about how we were also responsible for the complete wipe out of the beautiful creatures mentioned above or how God called us to protect the animals, that is for a different time). 

If we let our size or a few set backs get in our way, human would not have advanced to where we are.  Instead through perseverance we continue to move forward.  I am struck by the story of David and Goliath.  Here a giant, Goliath, had immobilized humans and defeated armies and yet David was willing to not only stand up but defeat the giant. 

Too often we as humans fail to see the hope when we are facing giant obstacles.  Although humans have made great advances, it has not taken many to do so.  Often we run and hide instead of stand and fight.  Often we fail to remember that with God on our side - hope defeats.

David knew that God was on his side.  When we invite God to be presence during our struggles, amazing things happen - we can indeed defeat them.  We can indeed with joy in our hearts find hope. 

Even when life feels like you are standing under a Mastodon, overwhelmed with what is coming at you and fearful that you cannot figure it out - take a breath, invite God in and find the hope that can defeat the negative and shine through.