Mindbloggeling Monday.... carrying through...

Ok so on Mondays we ALWAYS have staff meeting (well for the most part). ThisMonday we started something new, our amazing lead pastor, Todd Bishop started to go through sort of a devotional and challenge with us. At first I was kind of frustrated with the topic that we were going to start with.... CHARACTER. You see it had been a rather tough weekend and I wasn't super impressed with myself and the way I actedand reacted to a few particularly tough situations. Well.... the good thing is.... God's forgiveness is extended to even a screw up like me and his LOVE knows nobounds. Good thing HE and I and a few other people had some chats before that staff meeting otherwise I'm not 100% sure I would have made it though that without the box of tissues I had been clinging to all weekend. Life has handed me some pretty crazy and messed up situations and I've lived through some junk but when I am thecause of other people's messes or when I create my own messes I get pretty frustrated with me.

On Monday Pastor Todd shared with us about Samson, you know that super tough guy who was brought down by some shady chick giving him a hair cut, yeah him.

Well before all that drama went down there was other drama... this guy was straight redic. Anyway... Samson is walking down this path (one hes kinda not supposed to be on) and he sees some chick, he decides he wants her so he tells his parents... they say NOOOO... but he insists and pursues her anyway. In my head I was thinking "Hey

FATHEAD... you're parents probably know what they are talking about MAYBE just MAYBE you should listen." But at the same time I know I've not listened to the advice of those wiser then me. Well he's not the brightest and he goes after this chick anyway.

A whole mess of junk happens and he continues to make some crazy STUPID (hope thats ok to say) choices. Although I was baffled at his lack of common sense and lack of intellect the thing that bothered me the most was his LACK of character and integrity. I mean really who does these things???? The dude killed 30 men and stole their stuff to make good on a bet... I mean really you don't realize that you are royally screwing up when you have to kill 30 men to make good on a silly bet? And who makes that choice... that's redic.

Whatevs this dude was nutts. So what did I pull away from our little staff "devo" time? First of all that God can use our failures for good things... and I am beyond thankful for that b/c I need redos all the time. It's that whole being human thing... gets me every time. But really I came away thinking... Dear God... Help me to continue to develop character that you would be proud of. Help me to be more like you and less like me with every breath I take. Help me to be honest with myself and others. Help me to listen with open ears and a quiet mouth. Help me to be who you created me to be. (and a little bit more)

Honestly though... my thought was... God if I am ever walking down a Samson path of destruction please help me to see the warning signs, please put people in my path who will redirect me and help me to see that I am going the wrong way...

So Samson... thanks for messing up and thanks for being someone I could learn from! (Not that you will ever actually see this but it's nice to say thank you)