I've got nothing to say...but JC does!

I've been wondering why lately I haven't really had any "blog-able" material. I've started a couple, but they just fell flat. Then this morning I realized why my blogs have been so blah lately. As a teacher, summer time is a time of relaxing and catching up on sleep. I spend my days doing not much more than working out, wondering what I'll cook for supper, and playing games on facebook. (Boy - that last one will REALLY eat up your day while doing nothing much at all!) In other words, there's been a whole lot of nothing going on.

Then I read a blog by a young man that I had the privilege to teach years ago. He is definitely NOT doing nothing this summer. While most kids his age are living their days from party to party, he is spending the next six weeks in Haiti. I cannot possibly express how powerful his blog is - you will have to read it for yourself! Link to John Caleb's blog

Okay, this will be short (so you can spend your time reading JC's blog.) I've had nothing to say because I'm not really "out there" doing anything. Rest is good, but I'm getting a bit convicted that it's time to do more than just seek out hidden treasures in games on facebook. It's time to start seeking out what God will show me during this time of rest. Or maybe, it's time to stop resting.

I'll let you know when I find out. In the meantime - go read JC's blog. You'll be challenged...I know I was!

Two mites...or putting my two cents in

Why write? Write what? Who cares?

These are just three questions that have had my blog at an absolute standstill for the past few weeks. And, somehow, these questions led me back to a familiar Bible story. You know it - the widow and the two mites. Jesus was at the temple with the disciples and in comes a woman to give her offering - a whopping two mites. Probably not even enough to buy a loaf of bread. In the midst of all the huge offerings - her small gift was noticed.

Why write? I'm not sure why I started writing, but in the process I find that I learn something. I am able for just a moment to step out of my ADD scatteredness and latch onto an idea long enough to process it - I make sense of the jigsaw puzzles that make up my thoughts. Occasionally I go back and read previous blogs and learn along with others the lesson God showed me that first day. (That's one of the blessings of being ADD - I learn new things all the time....sometimes it's the same lesson but I've forgotten so it's completely new to me!) In other words - I write to share whatever lesson I have received.

Write what? I try to look around each day to see the one thought that will become the seed of a blog. Some days they come in such abundance I feel like I could write a book if I could type fast enough. At other times I go days and only find a dried seed here or there. If I am honest with myself, I've allowed my mind to become cluttered too much with the trivial - the soil is just filled with rocks of insignificance and there is just no room for the seed to grow. (Sigh, I may actually have to stop playing games on facebook for a while!) I don't have to have some grand message...it may only be two mites, but I gladly share what I have.

Who cares? Ahhh - there's the problem. The writing often dries up when I worry about bothering others. I know they can just hit the delete button if they subscribe or not hit the link if they read through facebook....but I hate to be a bother. Who am I to think that I have anything worth reading? There are millions out there who have a better message or writing style than me. Insecurity stops me dead in my typing tracks and I stare at an empty screen....or find that I don't even try to log-in in the first place. I succumb to the enemy's whispers that my little bit isn't worth sharing. Gee - wonder if the widow who gave her last two "mites" had to deal with those whispers? Did she worry that what she had just wasn't important enough to share?

There it is....I write because I want to share. I want to share the lessons God teaches me. I want to share the joy He gives. I want to help others through my own foolish mistakes and somewhat fractured thought processes. I want to share the lessons learned in the midst of laughter. I want to give of what I have. It seems like so little in the light of what others can do, but still I share. Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I freely give to you. I may never say as Peter did, "...take up your mat and walk," but I can say lift up your eyes and run! Each day is a gift from God; find the joy and live! I may not be Peter, but I can be the widow.

How about you? Why do you "do what you do?" What motivates you? What is the gift you have been given? Share it! The widow did and we're still talking about her today!

Luke 21: 1-4 (Message translation) - "Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"


Acts 3:6-8 (Message translation) - "Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked."

I really would like to hear from those who read and to be very honest, I'd like to reach at least 100 followers by the end of June. Want to help me in my insanity? First - tell me why you read my blog - or why you don't! I promise not to take it personally....okay, I promise to TRY to not take it personally. Second - please tell a friend or two about the blog, maybe even recommend your favorite one of the past couple of months for them to read. Third - let me know what I can do to make this a place you'd like to visit.