One of my favorite things to do is go to coffee shops in the city. There is something about finding great coffee shop, it's like finding a treasure. There is a rush of excitement and glory; as you drink a latte with a pump of hazelnut, irish cream and two shots of espresso all topped with a beautiful creation out of foam. For my little cup of beauty I usually request a heart, because they bring joy to my own.
My favorite place to go in Colorado Springs is the Ravens Nest, because it's a bike ride away and they serve fair trade coffee. :) What more could a girl ask for? I come here a lot to process and to just be quiet. Listening to Donald Miller woo my heart in one of his books or just Jesus as he always does. Either way it's one of my favorite ways to spend my time.
Places like this are great for me to unwind in and pray. If you don't know me very well, one thing you should know is that I love prayer. Anyway I was praying about a year or so ago about my future. Asking God what exactly he has for me and how to get there. He gave me a picture of myself as a little girl, walking along a path in a pretty dress. You know the ones with the nylon stockings that bunch and pretty ruffles. As I walked I noticed jewels along my path and began to pick them up and slide them into my pocket. I felt like the Holy Spirit was telling my heart this is where I am headed. Discovering small lessons and after some time they will grow to be a great treasure and bring me life. They are little treasures. Sometimes these treasures have been found among chaos and deep pain and challenges. Moments of little lessons hidden as jewels have been arising lately. Here is one in particular......
One evening at the Ravens Nest to meet an elderly woman named Caroline. Miss Caroline always has a smile on her face and welcomes you with a big hug. She has been helping out the Ravens Nest for months with sweeping, dishes, watering the plants and just sweet talking the customers. She has lived next store to this neighborhood gathering place for over 20 years and loves this city. She knows the people like family, and wants to know about your day and your heart. She is a jewel to the community and a special reminder to me that hugs are free and you matter to others. This crazy old lady is used by God to teach me that if I have a desire to serve it comes at a cost. I am learning that service is pouring yourself out to others, sometimes with nothing is gained but perspective. I want to smile and serve like she does and give away my life like that. Where your willing to sit down with a stranger and ask them about there day and ask exactly what is going on in " their" world.
But I have also learned that some of these lessons are extremely hard to grasp and take a lot of work to apply them into your life. Some of these jewels I feel like God burries so they can be searched out and worked for. You truly love differently when things are worked for. One of my favorite verses in scripture is Proverbs 25:2 For it is the Glory of God to conceal a matter but it is the glory of Kings to search it out. (ESV) I love it because it's true and it inspires me. I like that it says we recieve Glory as we search for God. I search often, mostly in the wrong places for answers, but I'm thankful God enjoys questions and searching. He doesn't look at me harshly for not getting it, but as a child that he loves, and is willing to dig in the dirt with me as I search him out.
Right now it's challenging for me to apply discipline and focus. I am a really lazy person and filled with idols. I can make an idol out of anything, it's really disgusting . Thankfully God loves me and is merciful and helps me get rid of them. But that doesn't mean I'm not an idoling junkie, just a forgiven junkie. I have to learn how to get up early in the morning, read my bible and spend enough time with Christ, not be a jerk to my roomates and take advantage, and most of all learn and work through my laziness and not letting my fear of judgement stand in the way of change.
These are all hard lessons but if I can get through them and learn from them, they will no longer be a burden but a treasure. A treasure like Miss Caroline is to me and this community. Today I'm praying for God to give me open eyes into myself so more of these lessons can be worked out. So there will be more small treasures. Because small change leads to big movement and that is exactly where I am headed. :)
