Next week our church is going to hold their services in the park with a potluck to follow. Every year we do this, I am reminded of a funny story the first summer I was with this group. Jim and I had been recently married and I was in the “get to know everyone” phase of my new church. We were each supposed to bring a dish to share and I decided to make a fruit salad. They are easy, fool-proof and very impressive to the eye with all of the great colors of summer. When I got done mixing it, I put it in the refrigerator for the night so we could take it and run the next morning. I was so excited to have such a pretty dish to share with my new friends!
The next day, we got everyone ready and out the door we went with our beautiful fruit salad! When we got to the park, I put my bowl on the table and popped the lid off to add a spoon. In unison, you could hear Jim and I gasp as he quickly shoved the lid back onto the bowl. We both nonchalantly headed to the parking lot with our salad. Much to our dismay, there were these brown things all throughout the salad. We couldn’t figure it out at first until it was explained.
One of the kids, unbeknownst to me, was concerned about the fruit getting too hot out in the summer heat as we waited to eat. Just trying to be a blessing, they decided to help me out. They decided that in order to stay cold, we would need ice. Instead of normal ice cubes though, they decided to make them from root-beer of all things! Too funny! There Jim and I were, tossing little brown ice balls to the ground wondering if we should just scrap the salad all together! Since the ice hadn’t had much time to melt, we went ahead and took it back to the table once we pulled all of them out. We had to warn people of the issue just in case. How embarrassing!
Have you ever had a situation like that where you just wanted to help but it wasn’t appreciated? I felt bad for them as I am sure they were proud of what they had done to help. Perhaps they just needed to think it through a bit better. However, in a kid’s mind, root-beer ice cubes would be awesome! LOL!
I know when I write my blog, I have good intentions. I pray. I write. I sleep on it and pray again. I tweak, tweak, and tweak. Then I post. Some might not understand why I do this and others might not appreciate my efforts. However, this blog is a ministry to me and I take it seriously. It is a venue that God gave me to share things He lays on my heart to hopefully bless others. I know some of you are blessed because you respond and tell me that you are. I know that others are reading my words but I never really know if it “tasted” OK or not. Others, leave comments of disagreement…they find remnants of root-beer ice-cubes, so to speak, I guess.
One would think I would be upset if someone doesn’t agree. But, no, I’m not. I’m excited that something I wrote made someone stop and think. I am happy to be questioned because it makes me have to go to the Bible and confirm what I’ve written. It’s kind of like a “quality test” before the “picnic”. I am confident by the time that I publish, the words I have written are those that God wants me to share. Could I be wrong? Most certainly! I am human. However, I never take it personally if someone disagrees with my message of truth. As long as I am earnestly praying and writing, I feel that God will bless my efforts. It is not my message that I try to convey; rather, I try to teach others about the relationship I have and they can have with Jesus.
So if you read one of my messages some day and gasp; before throwing out the things that disturb you, stop and think about it. Pray about it. Question me if need be. Know that I am writing with only the spirit of being a blessing and not to hurt or embarrass you. My hope is that my writings, or fruit salads if you may, are pleasing to the eye as well as tasty nourishment to your soul.
Thanks for reading and for your feedback. If we all just keep moving forward toward the prize, God will take care of the details. I count it a privilege to write and have readers like yourselves who read. God has blessed me greatly through this ministry. I can only hope you are blessed too.
Have a great week…and don’t forget to be a blessing!
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Lord, I pray that you will be with my friends today. Bless them and fill them with the wisdom of Your Holy Spirit. I know there are some struggling with employment issues, grieving over a lost loved one and some are even questioning their relationship with You. Those are just a few that I know about. Father, not only do you know each person’s struggle intimately; I know that You have the answer to all of their struggles, as well. I pray that today, they will see that, too. Help them to feel your presence and give them the certainty to believe that You are Who You say You are. Help them to claim Your promises in the Word. Direct them to scripture that would encourage them and teach them what they need to know about You. Bring Godly people into their lives that will speak truth and show Your love to them.
Lori Kempton, Author/Speaker 