Lessons learned in a food line

Posted by Perry Noble dot com
Sep 9, 2009 6:25:06 AM
www.perrynoble.com

“I personally believe that if church leaders are going to LEAD their churches to accomplish their full potential we are going to have to stop begging God for more opportunities and actually begin to maximize the ones He has already placed in front of us.

Why would He trust us with what’s “next” if He can’t trust us with what’s now?

I thought about this on Monday as Lucretia, Charisse and I headed to a buffet restaurant for lunch…which apparently the rest of our city had decided to do as well.

We walked in the door and the line was REALLY backed up. The lady at the cash register was trying her best to get people through the line (had to pay before you ate) but people were coming in faster than she could get them through.

Then a dude behind the counter yelled out, “I just opened up this cash register and can help someone if you would like to walk over here.”

Nobody moved…literally…everyone just stood there and looked at everyone else like the guy had just spoke a foreign language or something…

So…after several seconds I took Lucretia by the hand and walked her around the entire line right up to the dudes register where we paid and proceeded to the dining room.

As I looked back there were at least five people who were giving me looks that told me to go to a place that I can’t go because of what Jesus has done for me!

Then these thoughts about opportunity hit me…

#1 – Some people miss opportunities because they are not paying attention.

#2 – Some people see opportunities but are afraid to embrace them because it would mean they need to make a move.

#3 – When you seize an opportunity many times the people who will criticize you the most are the ones who saw the same opportunity but decided to do nothing about it.

So…my question to you is…what opportunity has the Lord put directly in front of you that you are choosing to observe rather than act on?

When you hear His voice…when He calls you to action…THAT is the time to make a move.

Everyone won’t understand…you will pass people who had the same opportunity…but your obsession MUST be with HIM and not THEM!!!

We live in a world that is full of opportunity…my prayer is that God will continually open my eyes to what He’s already placed in front of me that I may always maximize this life that He’s blessed me with!

Pray for Kate-Updated video

Pursuit of Happiness

The movie came out a few years ago, I know.  I watched it again tonight and man was it a great reminder.  Even though it has been a long year and it seems as if Jon and I are going no-where fast!  I am reminded that God has blessed us tremendously with a supporting family and has met our every need.  We have a place to live that has heat, air, water, beds, pets, food, and love.  I am so thankful for God’s provision in His perfect way, even though sometimes it’s not my way! I pray that I will not always feel like I have to be in the pursuit of happiness, because I want to have complete JOY in everything I do.

A YEAR

365 days-52 weeks-8,760 hours-525,600minutes-31,536,000seconds

is how long it’s been since Jon and I have been without jobs.  An entire school year has started and let out since I have had a job. This day last year was the last church service for Journey Church. I resigned from teaching with the thought of “we will have a new place to move to soon…”  Well, that is what WE thought.  Little did we know that is not what God had in mind for us.  It has been a very long 12 months-365 days-….  to say the least.  It has been hard to pay our bills, pay for gas, pay for car maintence on our own.  We have decided that God is guiding and He will provide (for what we NEED!)  We have not went without a meal (Hamburger Helper does count as a meal right?), been able to pay most of our bills.  We have sold quite a bit of our “stuff” to help pay our bills.  It has been difficult to let things go, realizing that we really didn’t need it, we wanted it!  The hardest thing has been my husband’s computer that he uses for his music and then our (42″tv last weekend).  We know that it is just “stuff” and it can be replaced.  I am getting restless and anxious and just wondering what God has next for us.  I am ready to get on with life, jobs, being busy!  It has been a time to fully trust in God and fully rely on HIM for everything.  He cares about us and promises to take care of us.  Please pray for Jon and I as we start into the next year.  Pray that we would find jobs and see clearly where God wants us to be (even if it is not where we see), pray that we will be able to pay our car payment for May and June, and pray that we will be able to get some money to put new tires on our vehicle soon!  ”We commit our ways to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will do this” Psalms 37:5

“Happy Mother’s Day”

Another year of “Happy Mother’s Day” being said to me. I just let it be said to me. I know the people mean well, and they see Jon and I walking together and just suppose that I am a mother.  After all, we have been married for 7 1/2 years and we look “old enough” to be called “mommy” and “daddy”.  But, we pass by another Sunday, that is marked “Mother’s Day” and I do not have the privilege of being called “mommy”.  It is a difficult concept for me to understand why I have not had the chance to have another human call me mommy.  I have always known that I wanted kids, lots of them for that matter, and I still do not have any, or one, for that matter.  I know that God has HIS perfect timing for us and we pray everyday that it will be soon, VERY SOON!  Hopefully, next year when they say, “Happy Mother’s Day” it will be true of me, and I will be able to smile instead of the sadness that I have felt before.

Happy Mothers Day

Thanks mom for all you do. Love you so much!

Stand UP

I’m sure you have heard about Miss California and the beauty pageant happenings. Carrie attends Rock Church in San Diego and her pastor is Miles McPherson. She spoke at the church today with Miles on stage and talked through what has happened over the past week of her life. WOW! I was convicted! She chose to answer the question the way she believed and knew God would want her too, even when it was not the “politically correct” answer to win her the competition. It is so amazing to hear her explain how God went before her to protect her and to help her get through the last 7 days of her life. As I listened to Carrie and Miles McPherson talk about taking a STAND for Christ, even when it’s not popular, I was challenged and I pray that I will be able to take a stand in my everyday living. Check the whole chat between the two out here…http://www.therocksandiego.org/stories/misscalifornia/

The Promise

What a great picture of the promise we have from God. It helps me realize that even when I may be asking why, what for, why me, that I am reminded that God is amongst us, even during the storms!

pic from http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/grace

Happy Birthday Kelly

My niece is 8 years old today! Hope you have a wonderful day! We love you.

What I have learned from having a Cyst

It has been one month since I went into a surgeon’s office to have a cyst removed. I noticed a bump growing on my stomach and had my primary doctor look at it and he said it was fine as long as it didn’t grow bigger or get infected. Well, on February 1st, I noticed that it was getting infected. I went to my dr. and he said that I need to have it removed. I was scared and nervous, but knew that I needed to have it done. So, in I went and the surgeon cut it out and stitched it up. I am just now back to a functioning normal. God has been speaking to me and helping me realize that the process I went through with my cyst is alot like stuff I have in me that I need to get out! I have things that get bigger and get infected, they hurt people, and I can try and squeeze and squeeze the bad stuff out, but really the only way to get it ALL OUT for good is to have it removed. The one area I have been trying to work on is the use of my words. I struggle with using words and how I speak them. I am really working on this area, especially with Jon. I know that I can’t ignore and expect things to get better. I must continuously ask God to take it OUT of me and remove it forever! I am grateful for a God of second chances and that I He loves me no matter what!