sucriada.

sucriada.blogspot.com + sucriada.wordpress.com

fyi, I'll be maintaining 2 blogs now--one on wordpress, because it works in China, and this one--as I feel this blog has subscribers, and I feel comfortable in this space. I'll likely be duplicating the entries on both sites.

"sucriada"
People in the past have asked me what it means, and I chose not to tell…but today I feel inspired to share in this entry.

I was in junior high or high school during the first generation of AIM instant messaging. I was in love with God–and when I say love I mean a deep infatuation–He was the center of my existence, the reason I breathed. I had a deep compassion for people who were misunderstood, the emotionally hurt, and those who didn’t understand or know God, and I wanted to show people that He really loved them deeply. My deepest desire was to serve him, to really serve him whole-heartedly and overcome my fears. I was terribly shy, and that was one thing that drew me closer to Him but made it hard to share. But he still brought me opportunities, and funnily, some had been brought to me via AIM.

Upon deciding an alternative screenname, I had been looking for a name that went along the lines of His Servant, and I found the translation for His Maid in Spanish was Su Criada, which was how I took on the screen name sucriada.

Ten years later, and fifteen minutes ago I found myself trying to think of a blog title, and I thought back on my day.

Seven hours ago, I got a phone call–requesting my assistance in helping my friend to move stuff out of her apartment to a new place. Five minutes later, I got a text message–requesting assistance in helping a different friend to--again move.

The hot stick of Shanghai summer plagued me, and I didn’t want to move fromm my sprawled-out position beneath my air conditioning. I dreaded the need to say yes to both my friends. Then I was convicted. Steph, don’t be a bum, be a servant. I began to realize that my attitude as of late has been that of the former. I live for my own comfort, aimlessly and brainlessly–living life like a habit.

Perfect, Su Criada. His Maid. What can be more humbling then a constant reminder that I live not to serve myself, but I belong to and serve an awesome, loving, all-powerful, all-knowing God.

After a long day of moving things well into midnight–I felt peace and joy and would-you-know-it, serving does not equate to simply self-suffering but rather it results in the blessing of deeper understanding of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

In this blog, I want to challenge myself and my friends to live a life of a servant. To be inspired to love and serve.