Identity and cathedrals

• I am kinda a closet book nerd. Last year one of the books I read was Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I love loved it! If you are a book worm you MUST add this this to your to-do list, simply put- amazing but very long. It is not a christian book by any stretch but it is a detailed story all about the building of cathedrals over the 13-15th centuries in Europe.
• Another thing about me- I am kinda a ditz (maybe not class A, definitely class B). Sad but true, IQ just fine, common sense- a little behind. I am not complaining, keeps life funny and interesting, I have learned to embrace it. The only reason I bring this up is God is so good to often reveal things to me slowly, just the way I will catch on. Jer. 1:5 Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you...

Last night was a light bulb moment a long time in the making. I spent a lot of time reading the 'Pillars'; then, recently I visited the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. and got to see the real life craftsmanship and detail is put into one.

Sadly the significance was totally lost on me.

It was brought up yesterday in a message that cathedral workers would spend their entire life working on these churches only to die before they would ever see the finished product and then never received credit for their individual work (like in 40, 50, 60 years of dedication to one goal).

I remember in the book, Master Builder Tom, never saw the finished cathedral, not even close. When it was done it was named "Kingsbridge Cathedral", no dedications, no plaques. All the glory was to God for providing the hands and resources to build such a wonder (even in this secular book).

The speaker compared that same passion of the unmentioned, dedicated cathedral workers to the everyday things we do that are invisible/ go un-noticed, that are sometimes hard to keep doing. She said they are part of God's plan, that they may never be recognized, that our recognition is not the point. What is your motivation?

CONVICTION- red blinking light...

I am soooo guilty of being a people pleaser, of wanting people to notice how good I am for the little things. Of getting my feelings hurt because of thinking... if they only knew... in fact if I were honest, a large part of my identity is in being a good and nice person, not in serving the Lord. OUCH

Psalm 51:9-10

⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
      Remove the stain of my guilt.
 ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
      Renew a loyal spirit within me.

 Have you ever heard the story about the carver... he was carving a bird on a pillar that would soon be covered by the roof, someone asked him if he knew that. He said he did. They asked why he would do some of his best work in a hidden place and he replied "because God sees".