We aren't spectators.

I have a TON to do this week and since school takes precedence, I'm taking a blog break. <-- What I should be saying. But I'm not. And I'm blogging :)

Still getting adjusted to this new schedule and the long days caught up with me on Saturday. I was exhausted (am still) and because of that ... my emotions were all over the place (not to mention, I wrote down the date as October 10. Wow. That's horrible.) I needed a major refresher and what do you know - on Sunday, God provided that renewal and inspiration.

The day started out hanging with the kiddos at church. And once again, it was 'attack Miss Jamie with animals' day. It's officially tradition. This time, I was calmly helping a couple little girls put puzzles together when I was suddenly 'bitten' by a plastic shark. Actually - it was a shamu, as I was quickly corrected by the four-year-old. Shark, shamu. What's the diff? Subsequent attacks came from a giraffe and a cow.

I can't remember if these incidences came before or after I was hit square in the face by one of the kid's name badge.

I also have managed to get myself a couple of groupies. Two little boys - one who has to sit on my lap and the other who sports a faux hawk and sits right beside me. It's just too cute.

Let me tell you though - I give all of you teachers out there the utmost credit and respect. I have enough trouble trying to get the attention of a group of seven children, and don't know how you manage to hold the attention of an entire classroom.

That was the comic relief of my day. The inspiration part came during the service.

At some point in between the days when Jesus walked the earth and now, the idea of being a Christian has become associated with words like boring and judgemental. But that's never how it was intended to be. It's not how it should be. And it's not how it is.

Because when you encounter Jesus, it's impossible to not be moved. And life after that moment is exhilarating, full, adventurous ... and basically amazing.

As my pastor said Sunday, we have been empowered by the Spirit and have the ability to share Jesus' unconditional love with each person we meet. When we encounter Jesus, it becomes effortless to share His love ... we can't help but to be moved and we can't help but share what His presence in our lives has done.

We aren't spectators in this thing called life.

We are active participants in an adventure. An adventure led by a resurrected Savior who walked on this earth not as a 'sit on a sidelines' type, but as a rebel who outpoured love that caught the attention of not only people He met face to face while on earth, but of generation after generation.

Have you encountered this Jesus?

My prayer is that this Jesus and this love is communicated by my words and my actions so that He is who people see when they see me.

"How can I stand here with You and not be moved by You?

Can You tell me how could it be any better than this?"

- Lifehouse, 'Everything'