Faithfulness in the mundane

Sometimes life is just normal; nothing new is happening, nothing tragic, nothing overly exciting, just the same ol' same ol'. Laundry, cleaning, going to work, hanging with friends, church, movies, reading, eating...the ins and outs of life. Its like for a moment in our lives, life plateaus, no ups or downs but all is constant. stagnant. Yet, still moving forward.

I think during these times its the hardest to TRUST. Its hardest to LOVE. to find REST and COMFORT. Hardest to SIT and BE with the Lord. It feels like life has stopped. We lose our purpose. We lose our drive. We feel normal. We feel mundane. I mean, we are aren't doing anything spectacular. So we must not be anything spectacular, right?

WRONG! We're letting life and the things we do define who we are, define our self worth and our importance in this world. The reality is that the Lord defines who we are. He has given us purpose, even in the mundane, "go therefore and make disciples...teaching them to observe all I have commanded you..."

Lean upon Jesus when life seems meaningless. He will give you purpose; Jesus becomes the focus. Be faithful in the little things. Walk one step at a time. Trust in Him because even the mundane can be beautiful, full of meaning, and full of life.

The Battle for True Beauty

Yesterday I was faced with a harsh reality. Yet again the situation I loathe finds its way back into my life, playing games with my mind. Ever since I can remember I've been against the American concept of beauty, the idea that to be beautiful one has to be thin. It doesn't matter the content of the person's character or even the beauty in their face. The sole deciding factor of beauty in America is a thin body.

Throughout my life I've been challenged to forgo my thoughts and convictions concerning this, but I have stood strong. Just recently though, I'm beginning to think that as I deal with Americans, my fictitious ideals of beauty are not reality. Because this world is fallen, because the people in it are fallen, the reality that supersedes all others, is that thin is more beautiful. What a lie the devil hass weaved into the whole of society.

When this reality keeps its distance from my personal life, I can bear it. Even at times, I can fight against it. When this reality invades my space like a bad smell, its not as easy to keep my hands up.

So the question remaining is, What does one do? Conform? Retaliate despite the cost? Dismiss it like it nothing to be bothered with? Or run away as far as one can go?

What is one drop of water going upstream while an entire river flows down?

Do I do it for him? He is an American to the very core. His ideas of beauty follow that of the mainstream.

Is it pride that keeps me from it? Is it obedience to a different lifestyle?

Can one mere person change the cultural norm of a nation?

I would like to believe so, but for now, the battle in my mind remains. There will be no resolution tonight.