Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Small Stuff


"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' Matthew 25:23

I can't quite decide if I am a detail-oriented person or not. I think probably not.
I refuse to make any recipe with steps. When my mom drags me off textile hunting, I nearly have a panic attack just watching her compare swatches. I think I may have told her to get a move on at one time or another. I'm a fast talker and get frustrated with people who need me to slow down and explain myself. I have scrap-booked and it was very satisfying and yet the thought of doing it a second time fills me with dread. When I'm listening to report at work I want to scream "Just get to the point!"
So I guess I'm not detail-oriented.
Lately though, I've been noticing that God is making my faith a little more detailed than it used to be. He's challenging me to be faithful in small things that my big-picture brain would naturally walk on by. Things that seem insignificant, invisible even. Things that no one will see and that don't have any spiritual significance, at least until recently.
It all started several months ago as I was getting into my truck after work. There on the ground was a half full bottle of water. I thought to myself, "Geez people are pigs." and then got in and shut the door. Then there's this nudge in my heart; "So why don't you pick it up Piglet?" I couldn't think of any reason that I shouldn't other than it didn't occur to me until that moment. So I opened up my door and picked up that cruddy water bottle.
And I swear to you I felt God smile.
After that there were more opportunities to attend to insignificant matters. Walking down the hall at work all alone I noticed a piece of paper on the floor. I walked on past it and then doubled back to pick it up. Just then someone came around the corner and said, "How great that you stopped to pick that up. Good for you."
And God smiled again.
Scrap papers on the ground. Water bottles. I continue to be held responsible for tiny things that for some reason, God is noticing all of a sudden.
I don't know what the big picture lesson is in all of this, but I'm really liking God smiling at me. I'm looking for details to tend to for Him. Nonspiritual stuff that is somehow stretching my heart.
Just last Sunday at church I went to the ladies' room and walked in to a stall to find, you guess it; unflushed stuff. I turned around to walk into a different stall. Closed the new stall door. Then returned to the poo poo stall. And flushed.
And God smiled. Just because I flushed some poop.
He's easily pleased with me I think.
He sets my bar really low, which is apparently where my baseline is.
So I'm working on the small stuff. No, I'm not going to Jo Ann's with you mom. And I'm not making any multi-step recipes either. That jello pretzel thing at Thanksgiving nearly did me in.
And that crummy water bottle from months ago? Still in the cup holder on my car door. I'm working on this detail thing. Plus if ever the Mr. takes a swig from it; that will totally crack me up.

5 comments:

tina fabulous said...

you never know... it may be laced with some sort of awesome drug.
after working at sears way back when i was teenager, i still to this day pick up stuff from the floor. and straighten sweater tables. the curse of retail is never lifted.
i'd say youre more end result focused, for which the most direct route is always the best approach.

Margie said...

I think you are detailed about the things you care about...

Pat said...

I think God may be telling you to look into a second job as a janitor.
Let's go JoAnn Fabric this weekend, then afterward we could make a new recipe that calls for several steps.

Jada's Gigi said...

Being involved in do it yourself house churches as I am we have a saying..."death by detail" to describe the hours of meeting and preparation it takes just to have ONE meeting.
its actually amazing just HOW MANY details go into living in a functioning body of Christ...I totally understand minding the small things....:)
glad God is smiling though...guess you aren't dead yet...

KayMac said...

I love knowing you sensei sara!