Tagged. I guess this means I'm it!

TEN RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME:

1. I used to hum myself to sleep when I was just a baby, and since I shared a room with my sister it drove her nuts!
2. I have always been more scared than excited to do things that I'm not sure about: driving, flying, college, living on my own, applying and interviewing at jobs.
3. My favorite toys as a kid had to do with transformation: dolls that you put water on that changed colors, cars that changed colors, heck- even hypercolor shirts!
4. I've never been anywhere outside of the U.S. and Canada!
5. I have 607 Christmas songs on my ipod.
6. My mom calls me "pastorista" because of my jobs, and you know, I'm really blessed to work with all of the people that I get to work with!
7. I loved glow in the dark things- I used to wear glow in the dark nail polish, and once I slept with glow in the dark silly putty in my hand and it got stuck in my hair.
8. I love brownie batter and cookie dough batter almost more than when they're baked.
9. I have two ear piercings in each ear but rarely wear any earrings in the second piercing.
10. I dream of ministering in Europe someday.

God is in control

Why is it so hard for me to believe that God is in control? I mean, I know that the Earth keeps revolving and everything even when I feel like falling apart, but still I question God's ways so often. I don't think I'm a control freak, but I guess most control freaks probably don't think they are, either :). I love traveling, and I love excitement, I just get scared when it comes to too much adventure, too much not knowing and too many surprises- I really like to feel like I'm prepared for whichever situation I'm walking into. But that's not how it necessarily always works with Jesus. His ways ARE HIGHER than my ways. So, even though I don't know what I'm going to be doing next year, or even where I'll be, I know that Jesus is my Shepherd. He is faithful. He has always led me, and even when I don't FEEL it, He is there. Leading, guiding, nudging, disciplining, protecting, comforting, and loving me. I guess my loneliness at times allows for His sweet companionship- and that really is what I need most, even though I tend to run when I feel confused or frustrated. His faithful love makes me run right back.

Baby and bathwater

I've been thinking a lot about the saying "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." I did a little research and found that its origin is from the days when families would all do their bathing with just one ration of water. The baby would often be last in line to be washed in a large family, and by that time the water would have been quite murky and dark. It happened on occasion that the baby could be hidden in that water and thrown out with the bathwater.
Now, I know we don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, because human life is important! However, I think we can draw a comparison to ministry with that example, because so often we get so bogged down with maintaining possibly ineffective systems and our vision gets muddied so we lose sight of the real priority: people. I'm not saying that administration isn't important, in fact, it is essential! I'm just trying to propose that we shouldn't be distracted by the upkeep of buildings or systems or dollars from the mission and the main thing: people knowing Jesus and His redemptive, life-transforming love.