Take it....it's free!!!

I was in the checkout line at Wal-mart....having a very peaceful morning. Nothing to distract me, nobody to bother me, just me and the checkout machine. You could say that I was very self absorbed in my shopping experience.

I headed to the door and out of the corner of my eye I see this lady coming for me. She caught me off guard.....

Wal-mart Lady: "Mamm...would you like a bottle of Coke this morning?"

Me: "No Thank You"

Wal-mart Lady: "Really? It's free"

Me: "No...but thank you"

Wal-mart Lady: "How do you not want a free Coke?"

Me: "I'm not sure, I just really don't want one" (now we are both starting to laugh and I"m taking more time in this conversation than I really wanted to)

Wal-mart Lady: "I have tried to give away free Coke all morning and nobody will take any! I don't know what the problem is"

Me: "Well, I think it because usually, when we (as consumers) are given something that is free, we are suckered into coming over to the table, looking at the rest of the product, analyzing something, and then well, buying something else"

The Wal-mart Lady agreed, and thought she may need a different approach.

Me: "Tell you what, I will take your first bottle of Coke today and listen to anything you want to tell me"

Wal-mart Lady: "Really, I don't have anything to say...I just wanted you to have a free Coke" (She says while laughing with a huge smile)


Wow! How many times have you looked away when someone wanted to give you something for free? It's usually at the fair! "Here...take this sample...oh and if you have time...let's set up an appointment"

It made me think on the way home, how many times does God try to give us something, and we turn our head the other way? Come over to his table, eat his food, drink his "coke" (okay...not really) but you get the picture. How many times do we take it forgranted what it is that we should be receiving?

This Sunday is going to be a huge day for me. It will be normal for everyone else around me, but in my heart, it is bigger than ever. I get to celebrate once again on a Sunday morning how much my God loves me and I love Him. I feel sorry for people that are believers, but don't go to church. How can you possibly be living for the Lord when your not celebrating his life each week with His children?
I got over "playing church" long ago and started "living church". I don't do it all right but I do try. I want my God to be the center of my attention in all that I do. I know I screw that up all the time. Okay....DAILY! But he loves me anyway and I love that about Him. He allowed me to go through a hard year just to see how much my heart really needed Him.

If I can convey what I'm trying to say is that don't take forgranted what you have. Not at home,not at work, not in your neighborhood, not at church and not at Wal-mart. Tomorrow it could be gone. Today it could be gone. Savor every moment. Live in His peace. Live in His presence. Dance with everyone watching. Live like everybody is watching. Love like everybody is watching. Praise like everybody is watching so that when others see you, they may see the God in you.