why not?

I'm waiting for the day when these shirts will become appropriate and even fashionable to wear. 

Really.

the last week

So this week has held a lot of closure with the ending of my college career. I had my last college class, last bible study with the girls, my last day at World Market, and will have my last Sunday at Life Church (although I'm sure I'll be back to visit). With some sadness at the end of some good things, I'm looking forward to more good things. And above all, I am so blessed that I have a King who is right there with me.

glory in the highest

Some things I've been pondering as of late:

Two things that will always be certain in my life is my love for the Lord and my love for the Dave Matthews Band. I could spend forever talking about the beautiful intricacies of each (although the former is definitely more exquisite than the latter). Regardless, anything that allows you to dance under the stars in the soft breeze with good friends and sentimental melodies deserves to be celebrated.

I've also seen glimpses of what God's glory looks like. Let me explain. I have many friends who are financially less fortunate than me. Up until recently, I just didn't understand why some people have to survive on food stamps and others can afford a fancy restaurant every weekend. I'd often feel guilty that I won't graduate with any debt, while others will be paying off their college degree for the next ten years. The guilt grows even worse when the friends admit their jealousy or anger towards "rich" people and how "we" have it so easy. 

But God doesn't play favorites. He didn't give me more money than someone else because he likes me better. He didn't allow me to graduate debt free so that life could be easier for me. Because it's not about me. It's about the Lord. He works things out in every part of life so that his glory will be made known. Scripture says that a certain amount of grace has been given to everyone, so that we would be able to use that to glorify the Lord. I don't mean this to say that my measure of grace has been to graduate debt free - what I mean is that the Lord has plans to show his glory, and if that requires me being able to graduate debt free, so that he can use me wherever or however he wills, then so be it. 

He didn't give me Jesus-loving parents who've stayed together so that I wouldn't have to know the pain of divorce. No, he worked it out so that for whatever reason I was born into my family, it would be for the glory of God. To reverse this idea, he didn't put my dear friend into a broken, poor family because he didn't like her as much or because he wanted her to feel pain and humiliation. He put her there so that his glory would be made known to her. That his peace and love would be enough for her. So that she could completely trust the Creator of her heart.

The lowest will become the highest, and the poor will inherit the kingdom, right? God calls us to seek him in whatever circumstance we're in - because our circumstances don't reflect the character of God. Our response to the Lord in whatever circumstance will reflect it. And in that, his glory will be made known.