#30DaysOfThanks Day 2: Casseroles and Stained Glass

Today was my grandparent's church's "Heritage Sunday." Which meant people. And food. Really good food. An abundance of really good food, and lots of it was all mixed together to form the most glorious casseroles that ever have been. Thank you Jesus for southern cookers and their ability to create casseroles than have magical powers. Like the power they have to make me want to start really running again to lose all the weight brought on by the casseroles. The gloriously wonderful tasting things were there in abundance and you can't say "no" to such wonderfully prepared food.

Also, stained glass. The lady at the church who ran children's church had the BEST lesson. (I learned so much. Does this mean I'm a child? Whatever. I'm comfortable in my childlike faith. JESUS calls me to it anyways. But I am sad I missed out on the stained glass project that the kiddies got to prepare during big church.) The lesson went something like this (and I will use quotations losely because I am paraphrasing, but nonetheless, here goes) :

"Do you see these beautiful stained glass windows? Look really closely. Do you see that lots of the pieces are oddly shaped and some have jagged edges and broken pieces? But when they are placed all together they create this beautiful masterpiece? That's kindof like us, isn't it? We aren't perfect. We make mistakes and have jagged edges, but God still uses us and loves us because we fit perfectly into His picture."

I KNOW. I KNOW. WOW. 

And then tonight as I shared this story with my wonderful, grace speaking, lovely hearted John, he pointed to the fact that sometimes "edgy" and "different" works best for the situation God calls it to. 

You see, the person you are is always of value to God. And because of His position and His ability, it DOES NOT MATTER where you've been or what you've been through. He still loves you, and who you are is still of value in His plan. You are beautifully imperfect. Perfectly real. And you are made whole through the body of Christ. So if you're out there, spinning your wheels trying to make yourself perfect ... Quit it. Your wholeness has already been argued for and the verdict has been decided in your favor. You've been fought for, and won. Now you get the wonderful opportunity to worship your rescuer. And the same one who rescued you will fill your life with more LIFE than you could've ever imagined in your wildest dreams.