The Pepsi Machine Took Me to School

The Revelation that we can learn through life experience while looking for God in everything amazes me. I've had many moments in my mommy days that have reminded me of Who my Creator is and what His character is like.

The key though, is that I have to be searching for those teaching moments from Him. It's just the same when I am parenting our littles day in and day out. I can easily get caught up in repeating my "mommy phrases" and forget to add in His lessons throughout the process.

The Pepsi Machine Lesson that I have learned came to me a couple years ago. I journaled about it and it has continuously stuck.

When we lived in our apartment, the Leasing Office had a Pepsi vending machine right outside the back door, so we could drive down and grab a cold drink for $1.50 and return home in a matter of 2 minutes.

On this particular day, my hubby sent me down with all my coins to collect a soda for him, and I stomped my feet for several minutes before deciding to go was joyfully willing to oblige.

I drove down to the office, put in the first few coins, and then the machine ate a nickel of mine.

Oh, those machines.

I had only taken EXACTLY what I needed to get his soda pop, but went back to the console of the car to see if I had more somewhere.

No dice.

So, I did what any LOGICAL mother would do.

I went back to the machine, punched pushed the "return my coins" button a handful of times, then reinserted all of the coins I had... sans the nickel that it had stole from me.

The machine counted $1.45. It knew I was shorting it a nickel, but I pushed through.

I hit the key for the soda he wanted and prayed for it to supernaturally spit out the goods.

Once again, NO DICE. I was delightfully frustrated that this ignorant vending machine would not give me what I wanted from it with a MEASLY .05 in the balance. I trudged back home to the hubby to recollect another nickel for the greedy machine, but on the way, I learned this Holy Spirit-inspired lesson.

My walk with Christ is JUST like that vending machine and I.

I can't short-change God, expecting that He's going to just lavish all sorts of crazy blessings upon me if I don't fully commit my life to Him; if I refuse to let Him control the outcome and refuse to trust Him with every once of my existence.

I have to put in what I expect to get out. Easier said that done for this momma; how about you?

Not to compare our walks with Christ to that of a slot machine...where we put in our coin, pull a magical lever, and receive the jackpot, by any means.

BUT, we DO have to learn to surrender self, turn our Spiritual eyes on, tune our ears to His radio station, and live out the Truth of Scripture. And to know what all of those things mean and how powerful our lives can be when doing those things, we have to spend time in His Word and presence. Both of those life choices and time commitments will NEVER let us down.

As a matter of fact, I have learned that His Word and presence teach us all about who the Creator is and exactly what kind of character He has, and let me tell you, He is passionate and majestic. However, don't just let me tell you that.

Press into Him and see what He has to lavish you with each day. Our God is a giver.

I'm so glad I let the Pepsi Machine take me to school. Because during this hospitalized bed rest stay.... where we are praying for miracles, I realize that my God is relentless. If I fully surrender and trust His power, He will never fail me.

He never has.

When Bed Rest Finds Me Reading

After a few adolescent years of poor choices, I was covered in the Blood of The Lamb and began a journey through transformation.

Transformation into a being that lives by the guidance of the Spirit, listens for the voice of God, and allows Him to open eyes and doors on His timing.

I sit here, 3 months away from my 6-year rebirth anniversary, and find NEW scales being peeled from my eyes.

We've been in our new town since September and were still searching for a new church to call home. Having been "unchurched" growing up, our last church was our first and only true experience in an environment of Christ followers. We were very Spirit-led and the church, meaning the people within the central infrastructure, are AMAZING people, leading lives by example.

We had it good. Real good.

Fast forward to now.

We know we were trained up and called out of our comfy friendship circle for HIS purpose and timing.

We just have been unsure of the details to this point. He opened every door for us to move here, and has paved way for new friendships to form. He has moved many teenage fellers into my husband's hemisphere of supernatural influence and I am beginning to thrive in my many hats. (Ironic that I type this from my couch on bedrest at 24 weeks pregnant because of some pregnancy glitches that He is supernaturally mending.)

And that is not boastful. I fail several times a day, but He loves me through it and reminds me that I put my hands to my work for His glory. That failure means I get to experience grace that saves, and start all over.

However, I tell you, all 5 of you who are interested, I am getting new eyes again. My physical vision still has issues, but my Spiritual eyes...

Scales are coming off, y'all.

I'm reading a book. Not a "3 Simple Steps to A Better Christianity," book. It's more of a, "Dearest Daughter, I have been telling you ALL of this, but I needed this woman to write down ALL of your thoughts on the subject so you would connect it from head to heart" sort of book.

It's called, "7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess," by Jen Hatmaker. No, of course I'm not being reimbursed for my praise of her title.

From this, I am seeing His church; what I want my family to be doing for His people that aren't already saved and aren't already blessed.

And I'm referring to the people in my backyard, the homeless, the women fleeing from abuse, the children ravaged by pain from life, and oh so many more.

I want to go to them and whisper, "I now see you. I'm so very very sorry I didn't see you before. Please forgive me for thinking that the $5 you received from us each month meant you knew how deeply God loves you. Here are my clothes that never get worn, here is a meal without any strings, here is a hug full of love and free of condemnation. Here is my Jesus, the One who can be counted upon to deliver you from all of this. Please don't forsake Him because I was blind to how much you needed me to come to you."

A quote from Jen's book,

"John the Baptist says if we have two coats, one belongs to the poor. The early church sold their possessions and lived communally, caring for one another and the broken people in their cities."

I see now.

They dont need my tithe without my face. They need my face and then...only then do they see my tithe. Giving attached to sacrifice of time and love and compassion.

Everything Jesus stood for.