Inspiration Day

This week I'm jumping on the "gridblog" bandwagon (two days late). Sir John begged the question, "What inspires you?" I feel obliged to answer such a question given it's reflective nature. Anyone who claims to be a past or present Education student should be at complete ease in the "reflective" zone. Four years of reflecting, reflecting on our reflections and then reflecting on the process and significance of reflecting. So Leah, Tara, Dad? Let's get those reflective juices flowing!
Yesterday morning I had it all planned out and I was going to tell you that music is the inspiration of my days. Last night changed the plan, and now I'm two days late for the gridblog, but I feel more inspired than I've felt in a long time.
It's kind of weird how my ordinary evening unfolded last night. I can't even really explain it now, but by the time I went to bed, I was fired up. Kind of like a sum total of feelings and thoughts exploding like excited fireworks.
Things have been go-go-go since arriving in Hong Kong, and I was enjoying some time to just sit and think without any agenda. I started reading the autobiography of Mother Teresa. Mother Teresa inspires me, completely. I've only read the preface and the first chapter, but wow- talk about a woman on a mission of love. Such drive, such passion, such compassion. One of the things that struck me was that she was so much about action. I sure like to talk. This woman brought real love to action; she lived with such purpose.
I have become content asking questions, wondering, tossing things around, but not really getting to the action part. I often say it's freeing to ask questions, but in a way it feels a bit comfy and safe because I'm still pondering. Pursuing greater understanding of God and the world he made, and mistaking that for actually serving Him and loving Him. Where's the heart change? I don't want to miss out on the point of life, and full and new life because I was consumed by everything I couldn't figure out. Mother Teresa's life was so driven for the cause of God- to giving all of herself to the Lord, to every person that she met. Even a piece of the devotion she had would transform my heart. Today the preacher spoke of the invitation to character transformation that Peter writes of (Jay, you'd like this guy!). It excites me when I start to think about the possibilities of who you and I can become. The spiritual journey is one of hope.
The first chapter in the autobiography ends by explaining the day that Mother Teresa decided to leave the convents she was teaching at in Kolkata, and go to live among the poor. Every year, dating back to 1946, the Missionaries of Charity (her organization) celebrate September 10 as "Inspiration Day". I had to smile as I looked at my watch, striking 12AM on September 10, 2006, 60 years later. I wondered if someone was nudging me towards action.
Inspiration Day- pass it on.

I write this to you whose experience with God is as life-changing as ours, all due to our God's straight dealing and the intervention of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master.

Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you?your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.

So don't lose a minute in building on what you've been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can't see what's right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

So, friends, confirm God's invitation to you, his choice of you. Don't put it off; do it now. Do this, and you'll have your life on a firm footing, the streets paved and the way wide open into the eternal kingdom of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:1-11