"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."- Colossians 3:17

I have always been one who loves credit. I love for people to see my accomplishments and congratulate me on them.  The only reason that I will put a lot of work into things is to receive the praise. However, recently while in class I watched a Ted Talk video on Youtube. The speaker in this video was Julie Taymor. She talked about a time when she was younger. She was in an exotic place among the locals there. She said that she was sitting underneath a tree in the dead of night, when the aboriginals came out and danced. They didn't dance for others, they didn't put on the costumes so others could see, they did for God. That got me thinking! 

Like I said, I always do things for the credit. I study so I can make good grades so my parents can tell me how good I did and how hard I worked. I'll do my hair a certain way just to make sure that someone says that it looks pretty. If David and I make dinner and he cooks the meat, I'll make sure that I get credit for the rest of it. But how screwed up is that? 

I shouldn't be getting credit for any of it. I don't do it just because I want to, I do it to make myself feel better. What does that say about me? The credit shouldn't be going to me, it should be going to God. I shouldn't feel the need to point out the good things that I've done because I shouldn't feel the need to be reassured by people here on earth. God is the only reassurance I need. The good things that I do should be offered up to God, for His glory, not for mine. 

God is responsible for everything that I am. He made me in His image with His likeness, yet for some reason I want to take the credit. So, from now on, I am going to try to work not for my glory but for His. So that everyone can see God radiating out of me, rather than me radiating out of me. 

If you would like to watch the video:

https://www.ted.com/talks/julie_taymor_spider_man_the_lion_king_and_life_on_the_creative_edge?language=en

Being the Hands and Feet

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. -Matthew 7:12  

Hello world!! That's right!! I'm back after a prolonged "vacation" from writing! Let's just say that it has been one loooonnnnggg semester and I am looking forward to the Christmas vacation that is just days away. Today's blog isn't going to be about me. However, it is going to be about someone who is near and dear to my heart. One might call her my flesh and blood. It's going to be about my mom! (She doesn't know I'm writing this!!)

My mom is my hero. She is someone who I look up to everyday and I strive my hardest to be just like her. She is selfless. She is caring. She is loving. She is the best. My mom has worked hard her entire life to get to be the successful woman that she is today and she teaches me important lessons on how to be successful just like her.

There is one particular story about my mom that I want to tell the world. On Thanksgiving Day, my mom was the hands and feet of Jesus. We have a neighbor who, during the week, fell and had to go to the hospital to surgery the day before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving morning, my mom saw my neighbor's wife who had told her about the injury. Immediately my mom told my neighbor not to worry about Thanksgiving dinner, that we had enough food and would bring them over some after her husband got discharged.

I have to admit, the thought to bring them food would not have crossed my mind. I crossed my mom's mind immediately. Right then and there my mom became the hands and feet of Jesus. She went to the Dollar Store and got containers for the food. She made sure that the food was warm as soon as they came home so they could eat it. She walked the food over to our neighbors and made sure that they were alright. That is exactly what Jesus wants us to do.

She could have hogged the turkey, dressing, and delicious coconut cake. Instead she made sure that they enjoyed the holiday as much as we did. Jesus tells us in Mark 12, that we should first love God with all of our being, and we should secondly love our neighbors as we love ourselves. He also says in John 15 that we should love others as He loved us.

I am so proud to be my mother's daughter. There may be sometimes when I take her for granted or talk back, but to be able to see her be the salt and light of the earth. Thank you Mom for being you. I love you most!!