sticky notes & bathroom stalls

You might be wondering what sticky notes and bathroom stalls have to do with anything.

Or more importantly, why would I be writing about them?
Well, they brought me great joy this week.
Keep reading, I promise, it will make some sense. :)

After a long weekend, a few inches of snow, and lack of sleep, I was tired and trying to come up with any reason not to go to bible study. I know, how could I?
Even though I got up early to finish my last few questions, I still hesitated as I looked out the window. Snow was falling, the wind was blowing and it looked like a good day to just stay inside.

But I knew that I had signed up for an extra workshop about personal evaluation and being a servant of God. Since I have made a commitment to say yes to Him, I knew that this was something that I had to follow through on.

As I trudged through the snow and warmed up my car, I continued to question my decision, “why am I going to risk my life to drive 45 minutes in treacherous conditions?”
Well, that seemed kind of silly considering He did send his son to die on the cross for me.
So I relinquished my doubts, knowing that the best place for me that day was a bible study. Besides, Satan loves when we back away from God. And that day, I felt that God was asking me to trust him.

Off I went...45 miles per hour...and passed multiple vehicles in the ditches. If you know me, you know that this was a big deal because I do not like to drive in bad weather.
But I made it.

Eventually.

I was a little late, but thoroughly enjoyed the lesson and the lecture. The speaker talked a lot about trusting in God and I found it funny, thinking to myself, this is why I came today. He knew I needed a serious message about TRUST. But it’s funny that when I find myself feeling convinced that I have seen God show up, He brings it! And usually it is more than I planned.

There was a little bit of time between the lecture and the workshop, so I headed out in the weather again, to get lunch and run a few errands. I started to feel comfortable with trusting him, knowing that by His word, he would be with me in all things. The scripture, Proverbs 3: 5-6 kept playing over and over in my head, so much so,that I began to say it out loud.
        “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will direct your path.” Proverbs 3: 5-6

Now, I have to stop for a minute and explain that a few months before, I had decided that I would begin reading more of my Bible and learn a few verses. It is the ONLY one I know by heart other than John 3:16.

I finished my errands and made my way back to church just in time for the workshop. As I entered the building, the doubts began. Feelings of inadequacy. Self-deprecating thoughts. The negative self-talk that I am so familiar with when it comes to church, service to God, knowing my Bible. It just took over. Never mind that I had just finished a lesson about trusting in God. Never mind that I had repeated Proverbs 3: 5-6 verse several times just minutes before. But somehow I wondered if I should be taking this workshop, because I was not well-read in my Bible. I am a procrastinator. I can’t even take care of keeping my own life and house in order, how do I intend on serving others?

I decided to take a moment, go to the restroom and gather my thoughts, the good ones at least. I prayed that I would find some comfort and ability to attend the workshop in confidence.

For those of you wondering when you are going to hear about sticky notes and bathroom stalls, this is it...:)

I walked in, chose a stall and shut the door behind me. As I unloaded my jacket and purse, I noticed a yellow sticky note stuck to the door, just above the lock.
It read:
YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD!

I know.
I know what you are thinking.
I said out loud, “Seriously?”

I had that feeling, that I have come to know as great joy, come over me. I smiled and then said, “it has to be on every stall”.
This cannot be just for me. This cannot be meant for me. This cannot be.

So, I started opening the doors of each stall (and as you see below, there are seven stalls) and my stall was the ONLY ONE that had the sticky note.
THE ONLY ONE.
The message I was supposed to hear that day and one I hope you remember:
YOU ARE SPECIAL TO GOD!

Some might consider it a coincidence...but I don’t think so.
I believe God wanted me to read that. He wanted me to know that if I question myself, I can trust Him for the answers. He knows why I must drive in the bad weather. He knows that all things are part of his plan. We are special to Him.

And that is the best message, on a sticky note, I could find in a bathroom stall.

Matthew 25:21 Come and share your Master's happiness.

There will be great joy.
What a thought.
Great joy. Not good, or decent, or just ok. . . . GREAT.

In the story of the talents and the servants, I remember reading at my High School baccalaureate the ways that we can expand our “talents” by not burying them. I did not fully recall this speech I gave based on that scripture until this evening. Why is it that in times of sadness, duration of anger, or just moments of confusion, God can give GREAT hope, great joy.

“You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.” Another translation reads, “and there will be joy.”

If in sadness, we are faithful, can there be a promise of joy? I believe that when I once read this passage, and the parable of the talents, I related it to actual gifts. And as part of my HS speech, it was quite appropriate to discuss the meaning of using our God-given gifts to proceed into the real world and multiply them, not bury them, for the master and his plentiful harvest. And yet, that WAS 15 years ago. I am older, somewhat wiser and often find myself in situations of life that bring me to see another deeper meaning. Could it be that God wants us to give greatly, sacrifice much, and do it faithfully, no matter?

Yes, I believe so. I believe that he yearns for us to do so. I think he watches me floundering and still hopes for my steady path. I think he sees me lose my temper, and knows that within my heart, there is hope for peace. I believe he knows that we are made to imitate him. To serve faithfully and to magnify him with all of our words and actions.

How is it that He loves me in spite of me.

with GREAT joy . . . He does.

first time for everthing { test }

Well, there is a first time for everything, so the saying goes. . . and so I begin officially blogging....or writing for my own joy, whatever works the best!  
It goes without saying that I am not at all confident about this part of my journey, nor do I have any actual training in writing.  But, I do know how to say yes, and when God asks me to do something, I am going to do my best to do so. So I will write about life, design, photography, and generally anything that is appropriate to share.  I will not write about things that may hurt my loved ones, might destroy a possible future career, but I will be honest, open and and willing to share the way in which God offers joy to my life.
wish me luck!
take care { a }
ps please excuse the design.  I have been waiting to post things until I could figure out how to make it look the perfect way, but then just decided to post and figure that out in a while...again, just saying yes to God. :)