Identity & Purpose

I am a list maker. I have mental lists of highlighted Bible verses for different situations and struggles. Two verses took on new meaning to me and got added to my Purpose and Identity list.

1 Peter 1:9
IDENTITY - But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, PURPOSE - that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

I know I have heard endless teaching on the Identity part of this verse, and oh how rich each one of those roles are. I know I could spend another lifetime exploring what each one of them means for my life. But how much sweeter those become placed next to the purpose for each in the believer's life.

Colossian 1:28-29
We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energry, which so powerfully works in me.

This is a huge Purpose verse, but it is the second part that really struck me. I had to stop and ask myself a few questions:

1. Do I labor or do I try to get by with the bare minimum and look for the easy way out?
2. Do I rely on and work out of Christ's strength?
3. Is Christ working powerfully through me or am I constantly flashing low battery?

These questions are key, because if these things are lacking then the purpose God has for me in the first verse won't happen.

I know as a human we crave purpose; we are totally lost without purpose. But it always amazes me how many times I settle for merely existing over God's beautiful, huge and eternal purposes.

Cruising the Strip

Driving is a big deal here, and there is an endless array of campaigns put on by the authorities to insure the safety and well-being of the people. So, what better entertainment could there be, but a campaign about road safety! All you engineers are going to love this one.

A new highway or expressway as we say here, is being completed. In the mail, we received these very well designed booklets with song lyrics - traffic safety song lyrics sung by local artists in every official language. Oh, yes, has to be heard to be believed.

http://www.kpeunderground.sg/

For an added bonus, here is a website that details the costs of cars here. The prices and taxes are regulated.

http://www.lta.gov.sg/motoring_matters/index_motoring_vo.htm

So, put the top down and enjoy your ride.

Personal Alarm Clock

As I tucked Hannah in bed the first night, she informed me that her mother woke her up every morning by singing her a song. I assured her I would keep that in mind at 6:30 a.m. the next morning. I think she got more than she bargained for. I did too.

Day 1 - The Oscar Mayer Weiner theme song
Day 2 - Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts
Day 3 - Brady Bunch Theme Song
Day 4 - Orea Theme Song
Day 5 - The Song that Never Ends

I have never seen a teenager wake up faster than one who was trying to figure what kind of wacky song was being sung to her at 6:30 a.m.

The Spamily Experience

Whatever our season of life, it offers its own opportunities and challenges for spiritual growth. Instead of wishing we were in another season, we ought to find out what this one offers. John Ortberg


I find this quote particularly interesting since my brief experience with spamily. My experience was so enlightening that I was inspired to create a new word for it. Spamily - a network of relationships that resemble family, but the memebers are not related by blood or marriage. Like Spam is not meat; James, Hannah and I are not actually related. But like Spam that has it's own recipe books and conventions; they call me "Aunt." That's spamily!

I was pretty curious to see what it was like on what I see so often as greener grass. Realizing, of course, that an essential element was missing from the picture. But also remembering that in my line of work that that essential element is often traveling hither and yon. Nonetheless, the transformation from curiosity to complaining about the constant reappearing stack of dirty dishes happened so much faster than I ever expected. And that is when this quote hit me like a ton of bricks. I wonder if I really learned all that God wanted me to through this experience. Does that mean I will have to repeat it?