the point

I spend a lot of time wondering what is and is not a waste of my time, energy, and money. I somehow picked up on this belief that it’s up to me to make sure that there is “purpose” in everything I do, say, buy, and everywhere I go. But I am starting to realize more and more that while I can do my best to listen and follow, but no matter what my life has purpose.

By now you should be recognizing a slight theme in my blog posts. I struggle with finding purpose in the day to day of life. Now don’t get me wrong, I find life very enjoyable, but I still manage to stress myself out by this idea that I can’t find a greater purpose in everyday situations like changing 20 poopie diapers or watching NCIS. Fortunately for me I am dating someone who is awesome at finding purpose in everyday life. Unfortunately for me, I seem to be a slow learner at this one.

Over Easter this year I went to visit my aunt and grandma in Virginia. On Sunday morning we got up and I had some candy for breakfast (naturally) and we headed off to their church. I was wearing a new dress, one that I had bought a few weeks before and kept the tags on until that day just in case I wanted to take it back. The pastor spoke about a trip he had taken a few weeks before. I want to say that it was somewhere in Africa. Anyway, He talked about how the team he was with loaded up a truck full of food to take to a community of people living amidst the town dump (literally). Half of the group prepared the food a little ways off as the other half explored and met the people. As soon as the meal was ready all the men and boys came over excitedly ready to eat, the women did not. Upon further investigation, all of the women and girls were crowded around a few college students who were painting their nails.  The pastor said it was one of the most touching things he has ever seen.

I heard another story once about a soldier in a hospital during WWII. He had many injuries and was in a lot of pain. The nurse who was caring for him propped him up on his pillows and helped him take some medicine. As she turned to leave she asked him if their was anything else that she could do for him. He nodded and said, “Can you put on some lipstick while I watch?”

Both stories are situations where there are great needs, but the things that seemed to comfort most are the simple, beautiful things. Where food seemed most important, it took a back seat to the excitement of painted nails. The pain of many injuries was great, but the normalcy of watching makeup be applied was greater. There is something to be said about the things in life that seem extravagant. Some might have said that Bibles should have been given to those girls instead of manicures. But those girls will never forget that.

Sometimes we miss the point. We go off looking for purpose and forget all the important things around us. Because no matter where we are or what we do, we have a purpose far beyond what we see.