24

      I've said it before, and I'll say it again...... I don't have the slightest clue what I did to deserve this life. At 10:12am this morning, I officially turned 24. Thank you to each and every single person who took the time out of their day to wish me a happy birthday. I'm constantly thankful for your friendship, and each one of you have played a special part in my life. I still can't say that I'm completely satisfied with my life. 


     Of course, it's always natural for someone to take the time to revaluate their decisions every birthday. My life is constantly taking unexpected twists and turns. Some of the greatest people I've met over the years, are people who allowed God to be head over their dreams. Personally, I can't say that I've done that over the span of my life. There has always been a feeling in my life that I could've worked harder. 


     Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. He had an athletic ability that was clearly rare in the world, but what set him apart from the rest was his work ethic. I've been given a tremendously blessed life that could only get better if I apply the proper work ethic. I don't want to be another person known for their potential and not their accomplishments. God has given me these undeserved blessings for a reason. He knew that I could do amazing things for the kingdom if I actually took advantage of every opportunity in my life. 

If God treated mankind the way Americans treat Hispanics

All I wanted was some chicken nuggets. I'm not in the market for a new friend, and I definitely didn't want to become the sole audience for some guy  venting on a racist soapbox. Sometimes, God just finds unique ways to speak a word into your life. 


I was standing in line at a McDonald's (with a predominantly Hispanic staff) when a young white construction worker, probably in his late 20s, decides to strike up a conversation. He's gotten annoyed listening to the lady working the cash register. -- "Man I can't understand a damn thing she is saying. Really pisses me off! Everybody always sayin' how good and hardworking they are at their job. I know some guys in their 40s who could do the job way better. These Mexicans ain't nothing special."


He then goes on to explain a conversation he had with an Hispanic guy who was living in a house with four working people, cheated on his taxes, and still collected $500 dollars a month in government assistance.  This in turn led to the frustration he was feeling for his mother who wasn't able to work and had her government assistance reduced down to just $30 a month. -- "Don't get me started brother. The government is taking this country straight to hell. If you ask me, we need to drag all they Mexican asses right back across the border."-- And on that lovely note, this disgruntled man walked out of the restaurant.


Let's ignore the fact that the direction of racial hatred has changed so drastically that a young white male called me "brother", and focus on the point at hand. I'm not going to go into a huge political debate about where I stand on the whole immigration issue. Honestly, I'm sure both sides have relevant complaints and concerns. What bothers me the most is the way people can feel so passionately on a subject that has absolutely nothing to do with their eternal future with Christ.


Do you think for one second that we have done anything to deserve the blessings that God has placed in our lives? We "cheat" on God with the desires of our heart on a daily basis. Our prayer lives are nonexistent, bibles barely cracked open, and we can't even remember the last time we said a simple "thank you". There are so many people, including myself, that have never known what it feels like to go hungry, unclothed, or without shelter. One phrase I heard constantly from my mother as I was growing up is that "life's not fair". If God judged our lives based on what is "fair", we would ALL be dead.


We're quick to pass judgement on those we feel receive advantages that are undeserved or ill gained. However, our entire lifestyle is a complete mockery to the blessings that God has bestowed upon our lives. God would not place any obstacle or trial in your life that he felt you wouldn't be able to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13) . Stop seeing the disadvantages presented in your life as another reason to complain, and accept the challenge from your Father! 

"I'd really be happy if I could just have more"

It scares me to death that I can't remember the last time in my life where I woke up and felt content. I'm constantly in the midst of this juggling act, trying to fit everything into the perfect balance. How much is too much??... Seems like every time I get on twitter there is a new trending topic relating to people's past and childhoods. Childhoods were a lot of fun for most people, but I don't think that's the reason everyone misses it so much. When we were children we knew about less, so we cared about less. The greatest highlight of my childhood were random trips with my dad to the local "7-11" convenience store getting a slushie and a bag of skittles. To this very day, I still get excited when I drive past a "7-11" gas station. How crazy is that? A $2 trip to a freaking gas station is my best childhood memory!!! Have you ever noticed that whenever you get around rich/wealthy people all they want to do is reminisce on the days when they were broke. They always want to humor you with stories detailing all the ways they struggled, and the ridiculous methods they used to keep their head above water. They've finally achieved the lifestyle they envied for years, and now all they can think about is how much they miss the past. 

Jealousy finds a way to seep into every part of our personal lives, and manifest itself through any medium possible. It is the main reason Facebook has become one of the most popular sites in the world. We post pictures having a great time with friends/family in hopes that people will be jealous of our amazing life. We brag about a fun night out and inside jokes on each other's walls in hopes that people will be jealous that we've become that close with someone. We make sure to post regularly and often on a friend's wall so that everyone knows you've marked your territory. If you believe this isn't the case, then ask yourself why the whole invention of "E-mail" never took off like Facebook. I'm willing to bet you have more Facebook friends than e-mail addresses. Everything that is shared on Facebook could be shared through e-mail just as easily. What's the difference???.... E-mail isn't available for PUBLIC viewing. We care more about proving to people that we are loved, than we do actually being loved. 

Think of all the people who will never set foot in a church again because jealousy led to them being treated horribly. Think of all the crimes that have been committed in this world because someone was envious of another person. Think of all the marriages that failed because the couple couldn't stop comparing their marriage to everyone else. Think of all the good friendships that have ended because one person was too jealous to share THEIR friend with anyone else. 

For most people, there isn't a motivational speaker on this Earth that could motivate, drive, and push them more than jealousy. Our God is a jealous God, and we were created in his image. It makes sense that this is such a huge struggle in our lives. If only for one day, I'd love to wake up and feel like I have everything I could ever want in this life. I've grown so tired of my prayers sounding like I'm reading a Christmas list to Santa. It would feel so incredible if I   could spend time in prayer doing nothing but praising God simply for being God. Instead, I drone on and on and on about everything I need, then I throw in a quick request or two for loved ones so I don't come off sounding self-absorbed. If I'm sick of it, I can only imagine how God feels. Even as we constantly say that we are happy and content with life, our actions continue to state the honest feelings loud and clear: "I'd really be happy if I could just have more..."