Another Fishy Secret

I never really realised it but I do have a lot of secrets. I think I'll offload another one on here though, because it has been affecting me the last few days.

Here goes:

I don't like scallops.

Don't ask me why; I'm not sure myself. I guess it's like that haddock thing; I can't eat too much of either without feeling nauseated. But I eat it anyway. Why? Because I love seafood, and so my family (both of them) assume I like all seafood and so they have lots of these two. Well scallops at the Herrings and haddock at the Changs. It's my fault though really, since I have never said or even done anything to prove them otherwise. I eat them both with (pretend) relish, because I know I am lucky to have them and it is a treat because they aren't the most cheapest things in the world. I guess now the only reason I haven't said anything is because I've always eaten them, and so for me to say now that I don't like them and have never really liked them would be admitting that I have been living a lie for my entire life. And so I continue with it because... well, it's easier that way.

I guess I make for a pretty sucky Christian. I mean, if I can't own up about the little things in life (like disliking the taste of certain types of fish), then how am I expected to act with the big things that come along? I realise this is just something small and doesn't matter like the big stuff but there is a parable Jesus says about a master entrusting some money to his servants before leaving on a trip.

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

- Matthew 25:14-30

You see in the same way God blessed us with money and/or actual talents for stuff, and we are to spend it and use it to the best of our ability. And even though one servant He only entrusted a little bit (compared to the other ones), we are still expected to be faithful with it nonetheless. Someone (Helen Keller maybe? I can't find the actual quote) once said "I do not wish to do a small great thing but to do all small things with greatness." or something like that. I remember meeting this one missionary couple and they were in different parts of Thailand, learning different languages and creating programs to translate and print off the Bible so the people could read it in their own language. The first time I met them was in Sherwood, and after church (I had missed it because I was doing the puppets) and Friend introduced me to them and I thought they were so cool to be doing that and serving in that way. And the David Morse (right name?) said, "This is just one way. You serve God in everything you do. Do it to the best of your ability. Are you good at preaching? Preach for God! Are you skilled with helping other people? Help people for God! Are you a good student? Study for God! Are you a painter? Paint for God! Everything you do, even if it seems like the smallest thing, you can do it for God and do it with excellence!" I was totally blown away. I had always thought that to serve God meant working in the church or going out as a missionary or something. And here he is talking about how we can serve in ways as simple as the stuff we do every day! I received another reminder two years ago at the May Youth Conference at ABU, where we went to this workshop and I can't remember what it was called but I remember getting these green bracelets made with nylon thread (if you light it it melts and they fuse together) and we wore it as a reminder for us so whenever we look at it we remember that everything we do we are doing for God. I don't know what happened to mine; I had it on the table one day and the next it was gone. Courtney still has hers though.

Anyways, I had only meant to write a short post before bed (and the two tests tomorrow!!) and ended up writing a major one. On a totally different topic from which I started. Anyways, to bring it all around, I guess what I was trying to say was that even the smallest things count, and as I type this I realise that maybe I should not lie next time about how good the fish is and say the real reason that I have to always scarf down other food/drinks with it.

Or at least hint a little.