First Lady Sitting

First of all, we got caught in the busyness of life (don't we all!) and have been meaning to blog again.
So here goes for trying to start up again. It really is a good discipline for us to process what we are learning at school and share fun things that go on in our lives. :)

I woke up this morning thinking about the opportunities God brings our way to "be a light" or give glimpses of Himself or His Word in our interactions with others. Most times in my life I have found that these opportunities come unexpectedly. It reminds me of one of the verses we got to memorize for our Senior Class Missions Trip at EV Free Fullerton to Denmark (thanks to Joe Russell-I still have my verse cards!).


 

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 1 Peter 3:15-16

Recently Dave and I got the opportunity to go see the show Last Man Standing live in the studios. It is a fun show, similar to Home Improvement, except Tim Allen has 3 daughters instead of 3 sons. I surprised Dave with the tickets for Christmas with this clue and picture:

To: Dave
From: First Lady Sitting


It is a tradition in my family to give hints, rather than directly say who the present is from. It builds anticipation and is a really fun tradition. He slowly guessed it (haha, I liked this clue!) and he had a great reaction!

If you have never been to a TV taping, it is a lot of fun, but also we felt a little exhausted from laughing/smiling the whole time. There is a comedian hired to "pump up" the audience, since after a few takes a normal person wouldn't laugh as hard. Prizes were given out and incentives to those that laughed the hardest.

We ended up in the front row sitting next to the wife of the writer of the show! We made friends with her and she brought us cookies from back stage. It was a large audience too! 

The comedian goes around getting to know members of the audience, asks questions, and tries to poke fun at really anything to get the audience to laugh. At one point he came over to Dave and I and asked us where we went to school. Dave told him "Biola." Then he asked what we were majoring in and he said, "Spiritual Formation and Soul Care." Now we thought this was something he could really poke fun of, especially because it is a mouthful and very confusing degree title. But in fact he responded by saying, "Wow, so you learn to care for people's souls. Welp, if anyone here needs a soul doctor, or someone to care for them, these are the people." Then he said, "What is Romans 10:9?" I knew it off the top of my head so I said, 

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', 

and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, 

you will be saved."

It was a neat moment to get to proclaim this truth to the entire audience, as well as cast/crew members that were listening in at that moment. We found out later that the comedian was a Christian, so I think it was his way of getting to share the Word as well.

We ended up making a few connections afterward and it was a great reminder to us that even in the random experiences of life, God is present and moving, and He allows us to be part of making Himself known to others. From His perspective, He had me learn that verse when I was young, then again in High School for my benefit, but also for that very moment. It was a small moment in the scheme of things, and I will never know whether or not it was significant to anyone. I'm not sharing this to "toot my own horn", but to encourage us all how "intimately acquainted" God is with all of our ways. He gives us opportunities at the grocery store with the clerk, out to dinner with the waiter, or at work with co-workers to be Christ to others, but also to experience His love from others too. We have a God that is Transcendent who created the Universe, but also a God that is Immanent, or near to us.

We often look for God in the BIG events of life, when He is so close to us working in the day-to-day, seemingly mundane things of life. Let us not forget to slow down, and have "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" Him speaking to us in small moments.