Finding God in the Jump Castle

"Obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you, and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverance for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not men, since you know you will recieve an inheritance from the Lord as your reward." - Colossians 3:22-24

As most of you probably know I work for the Athletic Marketing department as an intern. And intern is the perfect word here seeing as interns are usually the people who are pushed around and have to do all of the grunt work that no one else wants to do. I am pretty sure that lugging and 200 pound inflatable basketball game or jump castle around the Kohl Center, and watching kids play game after game after game of inflatable basketball or watching them jump around in the castle, and then lugging the 200lb. inflatables back to the basement of the Kohl Center would count as job the higher ups don't want to tackle. Recently I have gotten really frustrated because I would sign up to do a different job that would take me far away from inflatable land but somehow come game day I would always be put in charge of the inflatable. The first two times it wasn't bad, but now it has been about a dozen times that I have been put in charge of lugging the things around instead of doing something else.
I have contemplated quitting, or just not showing up, or suddenly coming down with a "migrane" right before game time a lot, but I never can pull through, it just doesn't seem like the right thing to do. So finally I asked God to help me change my attitude and he did. Yesterday while lugging around the basketball game for what seems like the millionth time it hit me. I was glorifying God by submitting to do something I didn't want to do. The verse above popped into my head. The job I was doing (and had been all fall semester) was at the bottom of the totem pole in my department, yet I had submitted and done it without complaining or more importantly without quitting. This corresponds directly with my relationship to God - even though something may be painful or I may not even understand, I need to submit to God's will in my life. Now I look at lugging the inflatable around as something I can humbly accept and glorify God with. God needed his presence in the Kohl Center and he sent me, not to complain or grumble, but to touch lives with his love. I am begining to notice all of the people placed around me. My co-workers, bosses, volunteers who work concession stands, per mar, and guests, all people strategically placed by God around me to feel his love through my actions. And how cool it is to be used by the God of the Universe.

So, what is it in you life that you need to submit to and let God's love reign in? I know for me it came in the least unexpected spot of a jump castle.


"For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." - James 1:20-22