All of that & a bag of chips too!

Every day on my way to work, I pass a church that is doing fantastic things in our community.  I am impressed by their "out-of-the-box" thinking and their vision/plans for a community center complex is amazing.  They are in phase 1 of a building project that will eventually include a children's play area, two full soccer fields, a baseball field, several walking trails and picnic shelters in addition to their church buildings. I admire their vision very much. 

That being said, they are currently advertising for a FALL FEST at their church.  There are two signs on the road with details about the event ... date, time, location, etc. .... that I see each morning.  Part of the advertisement includes "POTATOE SALAD" as what they are offering in terms of food that day.  For various reasons, that phrase made me chuckle just a little bit when I first saw it.  I mean, come on', is potatoe salad a draw?  Who attends or doesn't attend because they are serving potatoe salad? Is potatoe salad that seductive? So as I drive by, I smile a little bit, shake my head and go on ...

Until I started thinking about it ... 
What good is a picnic without potatoe salad?
A tastey serving of potatoe salad compliments a hot dog meal perfectly.  When you eat potatoe salad, you know if it is a good potatoe salad vs. a bad potatoe salad don't you?  Take a bite of some potatoe salad that is sour or not seasoned properly and it ruins the whole meal.

There are several areas in my life that I really need to just be a good potatoe salad. 

A committee I serve on....  a team project at work...... holiday plans for my extended family.
I don't need to be the star,( i.e. the main course..... ) I just need to be willing to work beside those who are in charge.  How much smoother would things happen if I make the choice to be complimentary to whatever is happening?

Perhaps Jesus was trying to make this very point when He said, "The first will be last and the last will be first ...."

Beautiful Things

In my lifetime, I have watched dreams die.
Things I prayed for did not come true. People have hurt me.
That is why this song speaks to me.
I have seen brokenness healed. I have experienced beauty from ashes.
I testify to you that God does make beautiful things out of dust.
May you be encouraged today; catch a glimmer of hope and hold it tightly.
God is at work.



“Beautiful Things”
All this pain I wonder if I’ll even find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us