On Graduating

It has taken a considerable amount of time to muster up the courage to write this blog. One week, to be exact. Last Friday, I graduated. Outfitted in blue, I walked gracefully across the seemingly never ending stage. I also sang a solo, shook lots of hands and posed for many pictures that glorious night. Now I went to a small school, graduating in a class of 24. Before you gasp and insert your opinion, let me tell you that I loved every minute of it. I loved actually knowing everyone’s names and even more so, actually knowing who they are and what not. Because of this, we get to take a senior trip. We fund raise all year long to make the trip possible. Our destination of choice (or force) was Colorado. We spent a few days in the mountains and a few days in Denver. Each night, without fail, we held a little meeting. At this meeting, four students were asked to share their plans for college, something they learned this year and how we can pray for each other. (Did I mention I went to a Christian school? [: ) After each person shared, we looked them in the eye and said, “DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE!”
So all that said, I’ll miss not seeing them everyday. It’s weird- this change.

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman Luke 7:36-50

This is the story of when a Pharisee has invited Jesus over for dinner, really more to test Him than to bond with Him. While they are reclining at the table, a woman, who is known to be sinful in the town comes to Jesus with an alabaster jar of perfume. The alabaster jar itself was of great worth. It was used for special things and occasions. She wouldn’t have just had alabaster jars lying around like we have mason jars in our cupboards. The fact that she would take this alabaster jar out of her home and use the special perfume on Jesus was phenomenal.

This woman just begins to weep at Jesus’ feet because she knows how great her sin is. Considering the Pharisee’s intent for inviting Jesus over, he says under his breath that if Jesus really was the Prophet, He would know the awful things this woman has done and He would flee from her. Now the Pharisee meant to say this quietly, but it appears that Jesus heard. At this point, Jesus has a story to tell, so He begins, but not in a loud or sermon-like way.

Two men had a debt to pay to a moneylender. One man’s debt was far greater than the other man’s. 

Jesus begins to relate this parable back to the woman who is still weeping at His feet. He says to the Pharisee, I came to your house and you didn’t even wash my feet, but this woman is weeping and wiping My feet with her tears. It was customary to wash your guest’s feet because they had traveled and their feet were most likely gFor both men, the moneylender forgives the debts. Jesus then turns to Simon and asks which man loves the moneylender more. Simon answers obviously the man who owed more was more grateful and understood forgiveness and even love more fully.

ross. It was also tradition to kiss 

your guests. This would be the equivalent of a hand shake today. The Pharisee did not kiss Jesus, but here is a total stranger kissing Jesus’ dirty feet.

Jesus says the heavy weight of her sins is forgiven because she showed great love for her Master. “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” This simple concept reigns true in my own life. There are things that I’ve been through and been forgiven of and I see other people going through the same things and I get it. I have a heart and a passion for them because I’ve been there and I’ve struggled through. But there are other times when I either have unconfessed sin or haven’t dealt with certain emotions or sins where I find it hard to love people.

The whole purpose of this story is to tell the Pharisee the truth about forgiveness. Pharisees were harsh, law keepers. They would not have understood how to love in a Christ like way or even how to forgive any wrongs because they were so caught up in keeping the law and being perfect. 

Where Have Our Manners Gone?

Today in our culture, it’s normal to live for yourself. It’s survival mode. I get that simply because of the media consumed era we live in. But when did it become okay to not hold the door open for a stranger? Or be friendly and smile? Or let the lady go first? Or pick up something that someone dropped? Are we simply passing through life and missing the opportunity to be kind people?

This evening, I went to a certain fast food place to get my dad a banana split and get myself a peanut butter hot fudge sundae. So I stand in line with all the patience in the world because I am really excited about this sundae. After about five minutes of standing in line, a girl (who was clearly employed by said place) and her little brother walk in and everyone is saying hi and she is telling them how she locked her keys in her car. That was fine with me. I even felt sorry for her. Meanwhile, this girl’s little brother is basically pushing me down the line of ice creams because he apparently can’t say excuse me. His sister could care less. All the employees were finishing up their orders. Finally, one is free and goes to help her friend (the girl in line behind me). At this point I’m pretty furious because I’ve been looked over and the little boy is still pushing at me. While the girl behind me is being helped, the employee helping her is complaining about her job and what not. I work in retail. You should never do that in front of the customer. By this point, my stomach is just in a knot and I no longer want my ice cream, but I knew I had to get my dad’s. After the girl and the annoying little girl have paid, I assumed the employee could see that I still had not even been acknowledged and come to help me. Boy, was I wrong! She proceeds to help the three more customers behind me. I was so livid that I was on the verge of bursting into tears. After finishing those three, the same employee comes back and asks what I want. I tell her my dad’s order and it took everything I had in me to not loose my cool. I do not get mad in public for any reason. That’s probably an overstatement. I get mad at basketball games. But other than that, I am a really sweet and calm person. Rabbit trail. What was I saying? Oh yes, after my order was done, I paid and left. I got in my car and my eyes got all watery. I made the 1.3 miles trek back home and told my mom to call said place and tell them I would never be back there again because the way they treated me was absolutely rude.

You may think I am overreacting or exaggerating, but I’m really not. As a person who works in retail, I know how important it is to greet people when they walk in your store. I am one of those people that if I am not greeted when I walk in the store, I will walk right out and find what I need elsewhere.

So where have our manners gone? Does mankind really not care for each other or is it something else? I hope this opens your eyes to see the differences in how our culture is and I hope you have a realistic idea of how people should act towards one another.

One verse to put this into perspective is Matthew 25:35-40

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

I realize that not everyone is a Christian, but for me, this is the way I see it. You have to treat everyone as if they are as important as ____________. For me that blank gets filled in with Jesus Christ. I’m not nice just to be nice. I’m nice because I’m a model of my Heavenly Father. That doesn’t mean I don’t get angry. It just means that I live with purpose.

 

 

2012

Hi, friends and hello to a new year! 2012, you’re here just in time! Can’t believe I’m graduating this year! I’ve not had time to sit down and think about some goals for 2012, but I will before February! You know what I love about beginning a new year? Getting a Moleskine planner and filling it with lots of stuff! This year, I got the Peanuts one! Well, I wish you a wonderfully happy year and I would love to hear any resolutions or goals you have. Those always fascinate me! Here’s to a year of more blogging!