per⋅spec⋅tive – the faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship

I am still blown away by the talk over the election….I have several thoughts of my own!! I have always had the policy that talking politics is a really bad idea. The last month has pretty much solidified that for me…I’m still not talking about my political views. But if I were to talk politics it would go a lot like this…pretty well said by someone way smarter than me. Lots of doom and gloom out there…everybody take a deep breathe, now let it out. Go out and do your own fact finding not what the media tells us, not the half stories, and innuendos…..take a look at the new website and try to keep God in the midst of this…and maybe be cautiously optimistic even if things didn’t turn out exactly as you expected.

Everyone seems to be gearing up for the big vote tomorrow. It’s definitely an electrically charged environment out there. Some people are VERY passionate about their opinion. It is easy to get caught up in the moment and sometimes even try to use a battering ram to get people to see your side of things. I’m much more swayed by someone that respects me as a person and can have a conversation that doesn’t fall into negativity or name calling. Why is it that some people feel I have to believe exactly as they do? I didn’t make it to this age without having some of my own beliefs and opinions. You can go here and read this young man’s post, very well thought out and stated without any drama, name calling, or negativity. We know what the issues are and where the candidates stand on each particular issue…that is how I will make my decision tomorrow.

Which candidate best represents my beliefs? Who will help build a better tomorrow? Who will make the people of this nation want to be better? I think a lot about the homeless man in the picture above…knowing he lives in the same nation I do and yet even as he sits in the shadow of the flag….he won’t have the opportunity to vote tomorrow. Does your vote count, I don’t think you can live in this nation and even consider that it doesn’t…..we have so much at stake. We need to get past this vote and get on to the important stuff.

So, I have to ask:

What will you do this week that makes a difference in one person’s life? In one child’s life? In one family’s life? Because that is really what is at the heart of all of this….recognizing what needs to be done and making a change. I’ll support whoever becomes our new president because I desire a change of attitude and a caring for one another to once again sweep across this great country. We have the resources and the opportunity to not only make this nation better but to make the world a better place. What a waste if we continue to bicker and argue among ourselves…….

God always reminds me where my focus needs to be. I had the opportunity to spend the day with Emilee at the Kindergarten’s trip to the Pumpkin Patch. It was cold, I mean COLD, but a good time was still had by all. After a very quick trip to the park, Emilee and I headed back to town with Miss Becky and Lexie. We spent the afternoon cuddled up, watching cartoons, getting warm and yes we even took a nap!! What a wonderful time!

I’m going to leave you with two links today. One to make you think, and one to make you glad there are people like this in the world. A reminder to me and maybe to you that it’s not a competition…we all need to finish this race together. The best thing about spending the day with 120 children. Life to them is amazing and fresh and joyful – and even though it was cold they didn’t feel it – they just enjoyed the experience. And you know what? It’s contagious – no matter how much I grumbled about the cold I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else…even somewhere warm!!! Emilee will grow up in a split second just like Kayla and Seth have…my hope and prayer for her is a life full of love and experiences…keeping the faith all the way to the finish…..

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

This life hurts, right? But- we’re not supposed to say that if we’re Christians, right? I’ve struggled with that – in a weird way. I have felt compelled to balance that feeling. It can hurt just a little but don’t show too much or don’t dwell on it because how would that “appear” to people looking for God. Know what I’ve learned from a lot of Christians over the last several years – appearance means everything. As a new Christian – that’s what I learned from people around me who had been Christians forever or at least longer that me. Did they mean to pass that on? Is that really what they believed? Is that why books like Unchristian are being written to undo some of the damage done by that way of thinking?

There it is – my single greatest issue with the christian lifestyle. The idea that we hide anything that might “look bad” for “us”. Yet – We don’t have everything together. We are far from perfect and then we get down on ourselves because we can’t attain the look. A friend of mine recently shut down his blog. This friend wrote from a place of sharing himself and he impacted me because he was a real person. I’m sad that he has stopped. I think the blog posts I love to read the most are from people just being real and broken, shouting about grace and God’s love from the “roof tops”. I know it’s not easy to share your heart, but I think that is what impacts people the most.

I’ve yet to meet a perfect person. I’ve met some people that I admire or respect because of how they live their lives. It’s usually the people that don’t have it all together and aren’t afraid to show it that are the ones that impact me the most. There is nothing about me that isn’t an open book. I shared a pretty painful story with some of my “christian” friends. The one thing I still remember months later – one particular lady being floored that I would share that life experience with anyone. (She felt compelled to share that with me later.) What I realized later is she wears a mask – so people don’t really see her. What I got from my conversation with her – she’d like me to wear one, too. She’s all bought in to the lie that appearance is everything. Looking back I see how appalled she really must have been at my sad, crazy little story. But I know someday I’ll tell that story to someone that needs to hear it and I won’t be afraid to share it. I won’t ever be afraid to share me – I do it on this blog everyday, I go to work and do it, I do it in my relationships. I probably won’t ever stop.

There is currently a grass roots kind of movement in the blogger world to move Christianity into authenticity. Even with all the technology and effort more people than ever are turning away from Jesus. Something isn’t working. I’m going to try and challenge you a little outside your box with some of the people I’ve met. I know I’ve been challenged outside my comfort zone lately.

This guy…..writes a blog called Stuff Christians Like. I particularly liked this post. He writes:

Stop shining your scars. It’s OK for them to be painful. The things you did and the things you had done to you hurt and admitting that out loud doesn’t add more failure to your heart. If anything, it creates a lighthouse of sickness in you for the doctor that came looking for the sick, Jesus.

I love that idea- life hurts and “admitting that out loud doesn’t add more failure to your heart”.
I think we get caught up in the lie – that looking the part and hiding all the hurt and bad stuff is what makes us more attractive to those seeking God. I think the transformation that takes place in our hearts that shines through to the outside is what draws people to wanting a relationship with Jesus.

Had a big crying day this week. It wasn’t hormones – it was what it was. It was God, who kept saying – are you listening? Not getting it? Let me send you something else – so by that evening I felt absolutely wrecked! I’m still digesting that day, every moment and every event. My heart was an absolute wreck, my brain was over thinking everything, I felt very broken and very conflicted. Let me be very clear on that day. It was an absolutely ordinary day – nothing life shattering happened. What did happen was a series of moments that built upon the last one. Like a story. That day consisted of – a book, an email, a phone call, and some chapters out of the bible. I know God’s tired of my excuses, I know He’s tired of my whiny prayers of apology. I know I could do so much more, BUT I like to cover myself up in the security of being comfortable and staying with what I know. I like the routine. That’s what my head tells me – my heart on the other hand is this crazy place of dreaming big dreams, living wildly and dangerously, and not just living “outside the box”, but blowing the stupid box up. That is the heart of my childhood, that is the heart that I have invited Jesus into. Sometimes I think I’ll let my heart have it’s way, but then I believe the lie that many years of conditioning myself to be conservative and bland could never be undone.

God’s done a lot in the last two years to push me out of my comfortable ideas. The last few months He’s really pushed me over the edge. I’ve always been a caterpillar kind of person, but I think God’s still waiting for my butterfly moment. My life has been spinning out of my control lately. I’m aware that is probably in His plan.

So this is what I heard Him saying:

You will look to me first, not consult with me later after you’ve made your decision. You will desire a relationship with me first before all others. You will stop judging others, you will concern yourself with what you are supposed to be doing. You will stop trumpeting your own cause over the pain and sadness of this suffering world. You are done thinking you are always right in every situation. You will learn to trust, I mean, really trust people and you will learn this by trusting me. You will contribute, you will not tear down, you will continue to move forward and stop looking back. You will believe that people can be better, that the world can be better, that churches can be better, that you can be better. Once you believe that it can be better – you will know it – because I will show you how to participate in making it better. You will show others love and compassion like I have shown you love and compassion. You will stop judging peoples hearts and motives. Your passion will become white hot when it comes to those I love and those that are in need. You will not bury your head and ignore your purpose. You will learn to let people love you – you will let me love you. You will stop trying to earn a place – IT IS ALREADY YOURS.

Know what I said…..

Well, does that mean I have to give up control of every part of my life? Can I just keep a little part of it for myself? Like could I still control that part of me that feels hurt when people hurt me? I’m going to need some protection in this crazy world…..is that okay, God?

and He said….

NO! He said – remember that prayer the one from your blog a few days ago? I’m taking you up on that and first we are going to work through some issues – some painful moments. But I promise I’m going to show you things that will loosen the hold you have on your heart. And you and me are going to soar – you’ll finally have those wings that I know you’ve wanted forever but didn’t think you deserved. You’ll have freedom to experience life the way I had it planned for you all along and I’m never going to leave you and I’m always going to love you. And some day you and I will meet face to face in heaven and I’m going to wrap my arms around you and you’ll know the time you had before heaven getting to know me and the people I love was worth every moment.

Know what I said? I said yes to it all. I said yes to the plan, to the experience, to the path I now find myself on……