Does God like Leopard Print?

I was sitting in church and heard a man talk about how even the Lord can use Leopard Print nighties.....What did he just say?... I thought I did not hear him right, but as he continued with his story I realized that I had heard him quite clearly. His church takes anything that they can get their hands on or have donated to them and then they in turn, find who is in need and gives it to them. They have gotten some crazy things in the years that he has been there, but his favorite was the leopard print nighties. He was not sure how the Lord was going to use them, but he knew that He would. Sure enough there was a need and all the ladies in a community were completely blessed by the leopard print nighties. Who would have thought? As I sat there and listened to his recounting of this "ministry opportunity" I was blown away. God really can use anything.
I have to admit that there are many a time that I sit and wonder.....why don't I have a special gift that I can use for the kingdom. I would love to be able to sing, or play and instrument... or perhaps paint or write for the Lord. I would love to teach or share beautiful insights into the Word of God....and yet, I do not have any of those wonderful talents. I can get to the place where I focus so much on what I have not been blessed with that I miss what I can do for HIM. I want to be the leopard print nightie. I want to be the thing that people think can not be used by God, but He chooses to use in mighty ways anyway. I would love to surprise people by what I can do for him. I often think that my talent right now is being able to visit my Super Target with all four of my children, and all five of us not just survive the trip, but walk out with smiles.......or maybe my talent is my ability to feed an absurd amount of children PB & J in record time all before the whining starts :o).....or perhaps my talent is being able do 14 loads of laundry all in one day (yes, I have really done that!)............or maybe it is the ability to extend not just my lap, but also my love so that all four children feel a part of something special??
Either way, I know that He has things that only I can do and I want to make sure that my heart is willing and ready to tell Him.....You can have every part of me for whatever purpose you need it for, even my leopard print nightie. Besides, who am I to say what the Lord can use?

Hold on to your Fork!

I was listening to a pastor named Perry Noble speak this past Sunday and he told a story about his late mom. She was the best cook ever and every Sunday they would come home from church and she would cook the best food...fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and of course biscuits. He would look forward to these meals and loved to sit and eat with his family. It did not take him long to clean his plate and his mom made a point to always be the one to take his plate to the kitchen. So, as she leaned over the table to reach for his plate, something miraculous would happen. She would say, "Perry, Hold on to your Fork!". Then he knew that something else was coming....Mom had something else in the kitchen that was even better than the meal that he had just devoured...what could it be? perhaps a chocolate cake or a
strawberry shortcake...or maybe, just maybe it was banana pudding....and Perry would sit at the table in complete anticipation of what Mom was going to bring out of the kitchen.
As I listened to Perry tell this story, I could only think of what kind of things that I anticipated. Then he asked a pretty big question....Do I anticipate BIG things from the Lord? I have not stopped thinking about that question and even asking myself if I did hold on to my fork. I think that we all have the choice to hold on to our forks or even to stay at the table. How many people have eaten a wonderful meal with the Father, but then only to leave before the best part comes out of the kitchen. They thought the meal was over....I mean, how could it get any better? Am I even listening to him say..."Hold on to your fork, Wini. Stay at the table with Me. I have so much more for you if you would just stay and fellowship with Me. I have many BIG things for you to do for Me. Please stay with Me, I love you and I want you to hold on to that fork, something so much better is coming."
Do you think that the Lord has accomplished all that He can with you or are you holding on to your fork in earnest anticipation of what He is going to do with you?
You know, we are so good at putting God in a box as to what He can and can't do, or what He will do and with who. We love rules....and somehow we think that it makes us better Christians to follow the rules and keep God in that box. But, I have to say that I know that my God, my Jesus is capable of SO MUCH MORE than I can ever dream of, He is BIGGER than anything that is going on with me or my family, He is STRONGER than any bondage that is keeping me from totally loving Him with my everything! I have not been in the kitchen, but I know that the Lord is in there and I am holding on to my fork to see what He is coming out with next!