Living LARGE through Little Things

I was all prepared to slay giants.  I mean, I received my shirt.  I accepted my mission, and here I was ready to slay giants.  I waited, and I waited, and nothing…

Not one giant anywhere in sight…

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My sister-in-law and I had a conversation where she stated that she attended a conference about running a successful business.  During the conference, she learned that the most effective people spend only 20-25% of their day putting out fires.  That means that only 20-25% percent of life is spent addressing giants.  The remaining 75-80% is spent on day to day affairs.

75% percent is spent on the little things…

Like playing hide-and-go seek with your children.

Like watching a movie and eating your favorite meal as a day date with your husband because you missed date night for two straight weeks.

Like catching up on much needed sleep.

Like trying to muster up some strength to make the word wall your son keeps begging you to create.

Like reading the same book over and over your daughter.

Like smiling as you look through your son’s backpack and see that his “Braden book” has made the cut of books he reads during silent reading at school.

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I received a copy of this “Braden book,” Braden in the Lion’s Den compliments of MeBookz.*  For those unfamiliar with the story, Braden’s character in the Bible is named Daniel.  He earned favor in the eyes of the king, which made some people jealous.  They conspired to find a way to kill Daniel, and they found it in the “little thing” that Daniel did every day.  Daniel was just living his life.  He was doing what he always does.  He was praying the way he always prayed, every day…same time, same place.  He was busy being himself.  Next thing he knows, he finds himself face to face with lions.  Yet, as he stood face to face with his inevitable demise, he continued to do the “little thing” that made him who he was.  He continued to pray.  He continued to live life as usual, and he watched as God shut the mouth of the lions.  He watched as God used him slay giants.

We have convinced ourselves that slaying giants requires huge acts of monumental faith.  It requires moving large mountains, overcoming insurmountable odds, doing what has never been done…all true…but we forget that none of this comes over night.

It starts with the 75%.  It starts with the day to day.  It starts with doing exactly what it is that you were called to do one small moment at a time.

Jimmie painted a picture of Mya and him on his birthday.  He came home and asked me to hang it on the wall – the wall that has a canvas of daddy and Mya, a canvas of Braden and Mya, a canvas of mommy and Mya.  He needed to make the wall.  I took a photo of Mya and Jimmie in front of his painting.  The canvas of Jimmie and Mya that is on its way to our living room wall….That is the little things.

The track team volunteered at a small, local fun run.  One of the distance runners decided last minute to bring out the bell to ring on the final lap of the mile.  After the race, the wife of the winner came up and thanked us for bringing out that bell.  She said she her husband just spoke the night before of how on tv, they ring the bell for the final lap, and he would be so excited if they rang the bell for the winner’s final lap.  We rang the bell for her husband, the winner, on his final lap…just like he saw on television.  That is the little things.

It is telling the teacher that she is the reason her son made it through high school math…

It is writing a blog when you cannot figure out what exactly God wants you to say…

It is the husband who does everything he can so that his wife does not have to worry about a thing when she gets home…

It is the talented art student who draws a track photo for her math teacher…

It is sharing something good that you overheard someone say about someone else…

It is complimenting the beauty you see in someone else…

It is planting and watering seeds in people that you may never get the chance to see grow…

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We think that Daniel shut the mouth of lions because he was this great man of faith…

We know that David killed the giant with the help of one small stone, and one big God.

We think that these people were out there doing huge things, living out these larger than life miracles ALL THE TIME.

Really, they were just being themselves.  Daniel was at his house, minding his own business, praying the way he always prays.

David was out in the field tending to his sheep.  He was living right inside the realm of his 75%.

Life does not need our help.  God does not need our help.  He needs us to do the 75%.  He needs the day in and day out – the thing we consider ordinary.

He cannot use us until we have mastered ordinary.  He cannot use us until our obedience is second nature, until our calling is second nature, until our day to day is second nature.  He cannot use us for BIG THINGS until we have dominated the little things.

He needs only a mustard seed…something so small…something so seemingly insignificant.  He needs only your little thing…

…to move mountains.

…to shut the mouths of lions.

…to slay giants.

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What are some little things that you have seen slay giants?

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Want your own “Braden book” customized for your little one?  Check out MeBookz to see your child come to life in the Lion’s Den, the Red Sea, or so many others.*

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Linked at Salt & Light, Heart Encouragemnt, and Moments of Hope