Blue

Blue.

What comes to mind when I say the word?

I think of my squad color, and our plots to win the upcoming squad wars.
I think of the color I last saw when I looked up and the smile it brings to my face.
I think of Madam Blueberry from VeggieTales, which my whole family loves.
I think of the ocean I miss like a fish out of water.
Lastly, I think of how sometimes I just feel blue.

Yesterday I was asked, "How's your day?" maybe dozens of times (I work as a hostess), a few times by friends who really meant it. About midway through the day my answer shifted from "great" to not-so-great. But then it hit me, didn't God make today? Doesn't He make every day good? 

I was sad though, still. But a wonderful thing happened. I was encouraged! I went to the people in my life who are there for me, who care for me. And I realized something, I am not where I have been and I am headed new places. God has done and is doing great things in my life. You see, I wasn't always one to reach out for help or comfort. But God brought me into community and taught me that it was good. If you don't get what I mean, it's a lot to fit into words so I used the term "community," but if you really want to know what I mean by that, ask me! 🙂

I then began to think on God and what He had already done. In doing so I came up with a bunch of things He had taught me just this week. I decided I also wanted to share those things with you so that you might be encouraged. This isn't really gonna end on a blue note, but I think it's worth reading 'til the end. God just might've had me write something you need to hear.

Judgment.

This was a hard one. I wanted to tell you all about this one, but I need to keep some of it private to protect those I love. I was reading the Bible and I came across the part that talks about judgment, when I had to have a time of confession. Not only was I hardcore judging, but I didn't want to stop.

So I talked to God about it. I had thought that when I saw something that was wrong, I should do what I could to set it right and not let it go until justice was achieved-one way or another. God showed me that this was still judging. Furthermore, He showed me that this wasn't my responsibility either; to set things right.

You see, made in His image we seem to want to judge things for ourselves. Make our own decisions. Make our own declarations of right and wrong, but that's wrong. God gives authority. Out of mercy and justice He gives us authority to exercise as much mercy as we can. That's right, I said mercy. I felt set free when I understood this, because honestly there isn't anything that an imperfect person can set right again.

I also learned about community.

We need it! We also need to know that it's not on us to make people love us or even like us. In fact, we have no control over it! Okay, yes, we can choose to be more likeable. But in the end, God brings people into our lives who will love us in our highs and our lows. So relax, because you can't make everyone happy, and you're not supposed to try. God loves you and accepts you already just as you are, and that will never go away no matter how alone you think you are.

Which reminds me…

No matter what you think, or feel, do your parents ever stop being your parents? Sure, they can choose not to act like your parents, but they can't change that you are their child. Well it's that way with God. Whether you like it or not, feel it or not, or believe it or not, God made you and He loves you. He chose to be your Father, and He chooses to love you. He never changes. Now I'm not really sure how that works, I just know that it is. 

Speaking of Fathers, 

This was the last-okay, second to last-thing that God taught me this week. 

At a Bible study, a group of use were discovering the ways we connect with God most. I feel closest to Him when I am spending time in His creation, the great outdoors. 

So the next day I found myself beside a lake thinking about how He made everything. I thought about how I love to create things myself. Then it hit me-we're alike! There's a part of me that I have in common with God! I am like my Father. Not a perfect image, but a reflection. So that's what made in His image means…(and a whole lot of other things). This helped me to understand other things about God I just can't always grasp. The way I feel the need to care for someone who is sick or how my day is brightened by little children. If I take after my Father…. I get it! I get how God is like that. He's so much more, but He is starting to really feel real to me. I am hungry to know Him. I get now that He wants for me to know Him too. He wants that for all of us. His children.

Today

I had a few "poof!" moments (that's the sound your mind makes when it gets blown) today, but I kept them quiet because I was at work. The biggest one was about encouragement and discouragement.

How often do we think about that second one?

There are some people that just seem to bring out the worse sides of me. In short, they bring me down just by my being around them.

Then there are people who make me better. Who just brighten the room and raise up everyone around them. I am fortunate to have these people in my life. I pray I get to be this person for others, and not the other one. 

Take work as an example. Aren't there certain people who just rock at their job who make you work harder when you see what they're accomplishing? And don't you seem to like your job better when you spend your time around the people who love that job? It works the other way too.

So I thought about how we are supposed to encourage our brothers and sisters…and it's just like that! We should not only encourage each other with words but in the way we live our lives that others might be able to see how we live and be lifted up. 

I want to encourage you to think in everything you do today, do it with a positive attitude and give it all you've got because you affect the people around you. You change the room when you enter it. If you're bringing the Holy Spirit with you, you can be sure you are affecting each person around you. You may have no clue, but you are. So choose to be uplifting, there are already plenty ways for people to be brought down. So shine!

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16