If God can love me, why don't I?

I was noodlin' this concept over tonight while reading my Bible :)

I think I often confuse self deprication for humility.
As a Christian I feel like I am one of many on a quest towards humble servanthood and submission to the Lord. As we're called to do.
As a human I attempt this by pretending that I am less than I am, and undervaluing myself. The less great I am, the easier it is for God to take over my life right?
Nope.
It's time to stop pretending like I'm not made in God's image, endowed in splendor and created to do awesome things.
God made me great, made me to BE great.
As far as I can tell, I'm not doing myself or the kingdom any favors by acting otherwise!
At what point did it go out of style to embrace what we are great at? To pretend like it's not true when someone recognizes it in you?
I want to become a humble servant by recognizing my gifts and potential for greatness and then USING THEM for the GLORY of God, to further HIS kingdom. Not for my own advances. Not to become prideful. To not boast in my gifts, but in the God who gave them to me!
It's time to quit with the ordinary business. Time to stop settling. Time to start rejoicing in what the Lord has made, for He has made each one of us!
We are not nothing, we became less so He could become greater, but we are WHOLE again! Better than before.

My Hope

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."
-Erma Bombeck

My body is a wonderland?

This is not the sort of thing I would blog about, but it's an important message.
Real talk.
I've been unusually convicted lately by the idea of caring for my body.
Recently I can't help but notice how the food that I eat and lack of exercise that I do will affect me and has already started affected me.
At this point in my life it's not that I want to be skinnier, or prettier.
I am honestly not caring for my body as well as I could, and I believe it is affecting my relationship with God and my abilities as a christian.
My soul belongs to the Lord and He has given me this one body to care for and love as a tool to spread His love and do His work.
I am a living breathing creation of the Lord because of this body He has given me with the command to go and do His work.
By not caring for the body I've been blessed with, I don't perform as well as I could.
I don't treat it well, I don't respect it.
If I don't respect this great gift I've been given, how will I respect and fully utilize my other gifts?
I know I want to give myself to God in mind and spirit, but do I want to give my body back to Him in it's current broken condition? Nope.
It's time to start being honest about what I'm doing.
I'm determined for positive steps to be taken.
I will take care of my self in the name of Jesus, in order to fully live out my
purpose on earth!

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
1 Corinithians 6:19-20

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."
Psalm 139:13-14

Can't help but mention

My front yard fits my heart very well symbolically. I was just picking on it the other day, but while bike riding today (I love my bike) this symbolism popped into my mind.

My yard is very green.

It is full of dandelions.

My yard has all of the components to be beautiful and strong, but the dandelions pop through and multiply with each attempt to rid the yard of them.

They multiply because we don't use weed killer, or tear them out by the root.

We simply cut their heads off while trimming the rest of the grass, spreading their pollen to other areas of the yard.

Upon closer inspection there are beautiful little purple flowers scattered in

patches all around, even around these dandelions.

Some are very apparant, some are covered by the weeds.

It took me a long while to notice they were even there, but now that I know they are there I see more and more of them.

The dandelions bother me more now than they did at first, now that I see them choking or covering the little purple flowers.

It sure makes me want to care for my yard.