put on...

I'm convinced now more than ever that Starbucks in California builds character. At the Starbucks I work at, the line frequently trails out the door 80 percent of the day. This is a recipe for impatience, anger, and frustration. And it's not just customers; baristas feel the same way. It's almost as if we could snap at any moment.

In my community group, we've been discussing the book of Colossians. There was one week when we were talking about Colossians 3. Let me share verses 1 to 17 with you:

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Did you notice especially the last section where it talks about putting on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and love? Those are all things that we intrinsically do not possess. I in myself, am not a compassionate man. But through Jesus, we are given the choice to wear these wonderful qualities. It's simply glorious!

However, often it isn't until we are standing in a 15 minute line at Starbucks that we realize just how little patience we have. It becomes very apparent, no matter how much we try to mask our impatience. But that is the best time to pray a quick prayer, "God, take off the old impatient self and help me put on patience." You would be surprised the work God could do in your life waiting in line at Starbucks. It builds some serious character.

Downtown

So, I've got 4 minutes left on my 10 minute break. Let's see if I can write out a quick blog post just for fun.

I now work at a Starbucks in Koreatown, but just to supplement my hours, I fill in here and there at other stores. Today I'm at the store at Wilshire and Bixel. It's in downtown LA. So, far it's been a nice quiet day (weekends are usually like that). Being downtown gives me an opportunity to familiarize with another part of LA. Already, I feel like I'm getting to know my way around the city.

I love LA. God loves LA too. And I can't believe I get to live here. Yesterday it was over 90 here, people. How does that happen in November?

Ok, back to the floor. I love you all.

ministry at ikea

I did ministry today...at Ikea. Now, that's usually not a typical place to do ministry. Usually you might think about doing ministry at church or a soup kitchen, but not the Ikea in Burbank.

As I made my way through display after display, picking up pots and pans and other household furnishings, I suddenly realized that this shopping trip had purpose. I was buying things that will serve people. Now, I'll be able to invite people into my home for dinner and worship. It will be a place where people can come and be refreshed. It'll be an oasis in a dry place, where healthy relationships are nourished in community and God is made famous.

So, even though I'm not a big fan of spending cash on forks, knives, and spoons, I know that they will be used to bless others. Meaningful conversations will ebb and flow. Lives will be enriched.

What ministry have you done lately?

mightier

"Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!" (Psalms 93:4) Those were the words I meditated on the day train 11, the Amtrak Coast Starlight, departed from Seattle, WA, Friday, October 1, 2010.

As the train wound through Oregon that evening, I sat there at my window seat, struggling with the text. I knew that God was mighty, but in that moment, I couldn't point to an event in my life when I had experienced a mighty God. All I had heard were stories of others. Crying out to God, I rummaged through words on the page, seeking assurance. But all I could feel was emptiness.

The next morning, I was encouraged by 1 Samuel 12:16, "now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes." It gave me hope.

For the last two weeks, I've been volunteering at Campus By The Sea on Catalina Island. This was my opportunity to be still. I waited and waited and waited. I listened as God spoke truth into my heart.

Now, two weeks later I'm back in LA. And today I experienced a mighty God. I got transfered to a Starbucks and I start tomorrow. I also have been surrounded with a vibrant tight-knit community and have a temporary roof over my head.

Hollywood waits till Friday, but it's ok. God is mighty.

Fight

As I think more and more of transitioning to Los Angeles, I sometimes get this suffocated feeling of being responsible for all of my needs. You probably know the feeling. Tasks, projects, and loose ends pile up, like endlessly treading water approaching fatigue. That describes my day. I began mentally and physically exhausted, asking for God's strength, presence, and trying to remember miracles of the past (Psalms 105:4-5). But all of the sudden my perspective changed.

I was reminded of the God who fights for me. Remember Moses? He was caught in a hard place when the Egyptian army was pursuing his nation. A large body of water loomed ahead, leaving the appearance of hopeless.

And then God speaks to Moses in Exodus 14:14, "the Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

Silent? It seems so contradictory and illogical. Shouldn't the Moses tell his people to pick up their weapons and start fighting back? Nope. God works differently. He tells us "...in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength" (Isaiah 30:15).

I'm going to sleep a lot better tonight, because I know a God who is fighting for me and preparing things for me while I rest.

What are your fighting stories?