Leftover Beads

Last week after my accountability group met, we ran into some women of the church getting together for a women's meeting. One of the ladies, Ruth, was wearing a beautiful multicolored beaded necklace with a cross in the middle. My friend, Debbie, commented, "Oh, I love this! Jill, make me one!" Debbie knows I do some beading. I took a good look at it and said, "Yeah, I think I could make one of those." This particular day, my mom was not doing very well in the hospital, 16 hours away from me, so my mind was preoccupied with her healing and with prayer. Not knowing what quite to do with myself, I pulled the bead case out of the closet and began stringing. Before I knew it, I had four of these multicolored necklaces strung and ready to be given away as gifts. It was very cathartic for me to focus on something else.

When I was thanking Debbie at today's accountability group meeting for asking me to make one I shared with her, "You know I buy a few beads for this or that project and inevitably have one or two of those beads always left over and never had anything I could do with them. This gave me something to do with those leftover beads." Debbie said, "I think there is a message there, isn't there?" Indeed, there is. What I thought I would not be able to use was combined with a bunch of other different beads to make something beautiful. It reminded me of the accountability group I was a part of and the very church building we were sitting in. The church is made up of many different people, all sinners, all with a story, some in the autumn or winter of their lives and others in the spring and summer. These are people searching for love and purpose. Everyone one has a different personality, talent and gift. They all come from different backgrounds, environments and socio-economic levels. We all look different, dress different and even worship differently. But bring us all together and you have the most beautiful thing. You have the body of Christ, uniquely designed, working exquisitely together for His glory.

These necklaces I made ... you can wear them with anything. They have so many colors, they would work with whatever you wear. I think the church is like that as well. It works for everyone. No matter where you came from and where you are going, your church family fits perfectly. It's a blessing in this country of ours that we have the option to worship our Creator wherever we want in whatever way is most comfortable for us.

I am grateful for my peace of mind, that my friend asked me to make her a necklace and even more grateful that she brought to my attention the message in it. I don't think it was her intention to help keep my mind occupied while worrying about my Mom, but in her sweet request, that's exactly what happened. I was able to gift her as she had indirectly gifted me. Church family works that way.

If you don't have one, find one. Find a place where you can worship unique to who you are. Make connections through a small group as soon as you possibly can. Serve in whatever way God has gifted you in the church itself and in the community at large out of love for the Father. Watch as your family grows by the many the Father puts in your path with brothers and sisters in Christ. As they bless you, you will bless them and kingdom itself. That's what the body of Christ - in it's unique, lovely way - does together. You are not alone. You are not left over. You are part of something exquisite, so work on getting strung together. And watch what beauty happens.

By The Grace Of God Go I

The other day Brad and I had lunch with a friend of his whom he met at Kairos. A former inmate, he lived near a location we were traveling by and we decided we'd stop by to visit with him and his new fiance. We enjoyed our visit with them. His fiance shared some about her life and some of the challenges she'd been through. A father who died young of kidney disease. A mother who kicked her out of the house. A grandmother who took her in who was an alcoholic. Her drug use to take away the pain of the loss of her father. Story after story of heartbreak and restarts. Praise God through it all, she had a church connection. At this same time, I was reading the beginning of the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed. She had similar stories of loss, drug abuse and promiscuity. I remember saying to Brad, "By the grace of God go I."

Two days later, I was watching a celebrity reality show about a guy who plans parties for the rich and famous. I watched as opulent plans went into place for the baby shower of a singer. Shiny gold, furniture, twinkle light trees, dancing, an elaborate menu, rental of a million dollars in jewels, a stylist to dress the star ... for a baby shower. A baby shower! I was in shock. What a waste of money. And to top it off, the diva shows up four hours late to her own party. Again I whispered, "By the grace of God go I."

I was not born into poverty or wealth. I have had a good childhood. I haven't lost a parent. I have never done drugs, nor found any reason to do so. I was taught to be frugal. My parents did not believe is wasting money or time. It is by God's grace I was born into the family and situation He placed me, praise His name. It is by His grace I have the blessings, challenges and strength to handle what comes my way. Not every day is a good day, but neither have they been horrific.

There are souls struggling every single day for food, health, shelter and peace. Others have been given the challenge of learning to live with excess and success and what that does to reliance on God. God warned the Israelites of that very thing in Deuteronomy 8:11-18, "Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today."

There are all kinds of people in this world and we cannot possibly understand the path they've taken through this life unless we've walked it ourselves. We can empathize, sympathize and pray without ceasing for folks around us who are struggling, as they will for us when we are in challenging circumstances, because we never know what a day may bring. We need to be careful not to judge others for where they are, because we haven't walked in their shoes. But I also think we need to fall on our knees to thank our Lord for any blessed moments in our lives. It is by His grace we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). And through Him that we love the lost, hurting, confused, sick and depressed. Love, love, love and love some more. May we remember His grace in both our good times and bad, remember our value in Him, how much we are loved by Him ... and reflect it.