The weather is beautiful here in Portland today. I spent all day at a Grant Writing Workshop through the Foundation Center. I learned a lot and am super pumped to research grants now. I always feel like that after a day spent on one thing. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything with it until I return from vacation and after National Salvation Army Week (May 14-20). Everyone who's reading this needs to look up their local Salvation Army and see what their needs are and then try to help out, especially during National Salvation Army Week. Ok? Promise?
We've been studying the book of James in church and I'm really enjoying it. I'm finding it very relevant to what's going on in my life in a variety of areas right now. Two weeks ago, we discussed the first part of chapter 1. It says, "..when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." It's such a hard verse to live out. Our pastor made a great point when he said, "When life doesn't go the way we want, we question God himself rather than our assumptions about Him. Hard times should make us question God but not the way we normally do. Instead of asking 'Why God?' we should ask 'What God? What can you do with this God?" Wow. I'm still thinking about this and how I can do it every day. I haven't had a difficult life compared to most and I am very thankful for that. But even the small struggles count as an opportunity for either great joy or bitterness and resentment toward God. I am trying to remember as I think about our financial situation and how overwhelmingly hopeless it appears, I am trying to remember as I wait patiently for a home and child, I am trying to remember to Pray, to ask God to use my present situation and not to let this present suffering be wasted in my life. I am trying to remember that although the perfect life by the world's standards is tempting, I have chosen the way of Jesus, therefore my life probably won't look like the world's perfect life. Sometimes I hate that and sometimes I fully embrace it. Either way, my heart is set. I pray God reminds me of it every day.
