Every ice cream cone you eat is a race: you versus the melting ice cream.
On Wednesday, I lost the race when a drop of chocolate ice cream landed on my Carolina-blue shirt. Of course, I was devastated and used every means available to remove the evidence.
After all, this wasn't just any blue t-shirt. This t-shirt was purchased as part of a fundraiser to send my friend Hannah to eleven countries in eleven months through The World Race. Hannah is important to me, and I want to proudly wear her missions shirt to support her. I don't want it to have chocolate ice cream stains on it.
Wait just a second.
What's the shirt for? Hannah's mission work through The World Race. I wonder if she has Shout wipes in her pack. I wonder if she's going to come home unstained after visiting eleven countries in eleven months.
I doubt it.
Friends, God doesn't call us to look as nice as pristine as we can. We're called to get dirty.
Jesus got dirty: He washed sore, dusty feet. (See John 13:1-17)
Jesus got dirty: He spent His time with tax collectors. (See Matthew 9:9-13)
Jesus got dirty: He wept when His friend died. (See John 11:1-44)
Jesus got dirty: He touched lepers. (See Matthew 8:1-4)
Jesus got dirty: He spit on His own fingers to heal. (See Mark 7:32-35)
Jesus got dirty: He was whipped, mocked, and crucified. (See Luke 22:47-24:12)
Jesus got dirty; why don't we?
Do I care more about the chocolate stain on Hannah's Race shirt than the people she's going to be ministering to, loving, and serving? Of course not. At least not anymore.
Do you?
<>< Katie
PS: The stain washed out of my shirt, but I don't want this lesson to wash out of my heart.
Showing posts with label shirt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shirt. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Just One Shirt
All of the best ideas come from a "What if?" question.
"What if we went dorm to dorm asking people to donate one shirt to homeless shelter?" Keith asked at dinner.
The idea exploded and on a Saturday afternoon Nikki, Keith, David, Ryan, and Wes wandered around campus with two plastic buckets for their "Just One Shirt" drive.
They walked dorm to dorm knocking on every door encouraging residents to find one item in their wardrobe that they don't wear.
Personally, this was a challenge. If I don't wear certain clothes, they're at home. I don't have the space to have superfluous stuff here. I did find one shirt I don't wear--a yellow coffee shop shirt that makes me feel like I'm in my pajamas all day.
They gathered a car trunk and backseat full of clothes--it's approximately twelve trash bags full of clothing!
It was also part of a school-wide service project campaign where the three best service projects won $100 each.
Another winning project (the most creative project) was a hall of students who went to the nursing home and asked the residents to make Valentines Day cards for the children at the children's home. Then, they went to the children's home and asked the children to make Valentines Day cards for the nursing home residents.
The Just One Shirt campaign won most spirited. Get this: their $100 is going to support a Compassion International child for this month and for his birthday.
What if we all gave one shirt? What if we were all servant-minded? What if?
<>< Katie
"What if we went dorm to dorm asking people to donate one shirt to homeless shelter?" Keith asked at dinner.
The idea exploded and on a Saturday afternoon Nikki, Keith, David, Ryan, and Wes wandered around campus with two plastic buckets for their "Just One Shirt" drive.
They walked dorm to dorm knocking on every door encouraging residents to find one item in their wardrobe that they don't wear.
Personally, this was a challenge. If I don't wear certain clothes, they're at home. I don't have the space to have superfluous stuff here. I did find one shirt I don't wear--a yellow coffee shop shirt that makes me feel like I'm in my pajamas all day.
They gathered a car trunk and backseat full of clothes--it's approximately twelve trash bags full of clothing!
It was also part of a school-wide service project campaign where the three best service projects won $100 each.
Another winning project (the most creative project) was a hall of students who went to the nursing home and asked the residents to make Valentines Day cards for the children at the children's home. Then, they went to the children's home and asked the children to make Valentines Day cards for the nursing home residents.
The Just One Shirt campaign won most spirited. Get this: their $100 is going to support a Compassion International child for this month and for his birthday.
What if we all gave one shirt? What if we were all servant-minded? What if?
<>< Katie
Thursday, November 4, 2010
GIGATT
My heart was not in the right place last night. It was one of those days where all of the little things add up and get to you until the smallest thing causes a waterfall. Someone asks you what's wrong and you can't come up a reason worth crying.
Sure, your unreliable internet spent more time in the "cannot connect" phase than the "connected" phase, but that's not worth crying over. Your laundry was disrespected in the community laundry room, but that's a perk of college life. Today's caf food and your stomach are having an argument, but it will work itself out eventually. A playful sass from your suitemates crossed the invisible line, but that's all (supposedly) backed with love. And you ran out of blaze orange notecards before you were done making notes. But none of those seem to justify the tears.
"Can't one thing just go right please, Lord," I said out loud, much to the chagrin of my sleeping roommate.
I walked into the bathroom to take out my contacts before they were permanently glued to my watery eyes. A drying shirt slung over the shower curtain caught my eye. Big white letters on a black shirt.
I bought this Peder Eide shirt to wear on days where things aren't going too well just so people ask me what my shirt says. Telling them, "God is good all the time" is a great reminder for myself, too.
GIGATT, friends, ATTGIG,
<>< Katie
Sure, your unreliable internet spent more time in the "cannot connect" phase than the "connected" phase, but that's not worth crying over. Your laundry was disrespected in the community laundry room, but that's a perk of college life. Today's caf food and your stomach are having an argument, but it will work itself out eventually. A playful sass from your suitemates crossed the invisible line, but that's all (supposedly) backed with love. And you ran out of blaze orange notecards before you were done making notes. But none of those seem to justify the tears.
"Can't one thing just go right please, Lord," I said out loud, much to the chagrin of my sleeping roommate.
I walked into the bathroom to take out my contacts before they were permanently glued to my watery eyes. A drying shirt slung over the shower curtain caught my eye. Big white letters on a black shirt.
GIGATT
It was as if Andy's bouncy ball hit me in the face.God is Good.
All The Time
Thanks. I needed that.I bought this Peder Eide shirt to wear on days where things aren't going too well just so people ask me what my shirt says. Telling them, "God is good all the time" is a great reminder for myself, too.
GIGATT, friends, ATTGIG,
<>< Katie
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