Stuff is Just Stuff...

Until it's my wedding ring!
So Tracy always gives me a hard time about how I leave my rings on my nightstand and go about my day (I have finger claustrophobia issues but that's another therapy session). I went to the gym on Saturday, tied my rings to my tennies, went for a run on the treadmill, stopped to re-tie my shoe halfway through my run and went home.
An hour later, through teary eyes I kicked myself for being the most irresponsible person EVER for forgetting that my rings were tied to the shoe that came untied. Before Tracy left to go find my rings he says, "It's just stuff." Thanks to a quick phone call and Isaiah at the front desk my "stuff" was retrieved.
Through this experience, I have realized how sentimental I am. They are so much more than just stuff. As I was explaining to Ellie why mommy was crying, I got in touch with the fact that memories are sometimes embodied in things that we hold dear and sometimes take for granted until we come face to face with their loss. My treasure is in heaven, but for now I will be grateful that we won't be ring shopping anytime soon.

Drinking Fountain

This past weekend I had the privilege of seeing some former college friends (I didn't say OLD!) We had a great time catching up, sharing pictures, meeting new people in their lives and realizing that even though time passes there's much to be said for the close friendships formed in college. The most significant point over the weekend though was to hear an old (yes old) professor speak (David Needham). This man of God hasn't changed his style of speech from the years I was at Multnomah! He made me laugh as he started hymn singing as he shared, he challenged me by his Bible memorization and most of all he pointed my to Christ once more.
His topic? Receiving the love of God. There's no greater challenge to a "doer" like myself than hearing again that I DO NOT have to impress God in order for His love to wash over me daily. I DO NOT have to DO in order for my life to qualify as worthwhile. We were to think of the one person who loves us most in our life. What is the first thing we must do when that person says, "I Love You"? We must accept their love.
His analogy has stuck in my head - Jesus is the Fountain of Living Water. When we were in college, we studied the chemical properties of the Fountain of Living Water, we knew the Ph balance of the water, the ins and outs of how we could drink from it and it would satisfy. We can know that Fountain of Living Water better than we know anything else on earth, but until we drink from it, receive its properties, gulp in its goodness, we will be standing before our only way to life dying of thirst.
How do you stop a doer dead in her tracks? Point me again to the Fountain and remind me - DRINK! Receive it, Receive God's Love. That's all He's asking of me today.