Sometimes the hardest person for me to give grace to is…
…myself.
Anyone out there have this problem? I can give grace to most everyone else most of the time, but I am so hard on my own self.
Right now I am frustrated with myself for so many things including my weight, my two-week hiatus from exercise after a surgical procedure, my clothes not fitting the way they should, the way I see myself in the mirror, and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my health. Don’t get me started about other areas.
But then I remember that today, my youngest turns 16. I birthed a 10 pound 1 ounce, 23-1/2 inch boy 16 years ago today. I carried this monster of an infant in my womb for 9-1/2 months and then nursed him for almost a year. I have chased him around, first on foot around the yard and numerous parks, and now in a car from soccer field to tennis court to band concert. I have ridden bikes around town with him, jumped with him on the trampoline, sat in the car with him as he learned to drive, and so much more.
And really, isn’t living what life is all about?
What if, instead of beating myself up about not being where I want to be physically, I reminded myself of all the things that this body has done for me over the years. What if, instead of frowning at my reflection in the mirror, I looked myself in the eye and saw the love and laughter that fills my eyes because of the amazing life I have been given. What if, instead of choosing to be frustrated with myself, I offered myself some grace.
This isn’t to say that I should just let myself go and be okay with it, but rather, be kind to myself as I continue to pursue health every day.
This quote, which is attributed to Jillian Michaels, is one that I have pinned on my Pinterest board – Health & Fitness – Ideas and Motivation. It is one of those that reminds me how crazy it is to get down on myself because I couldn’t exercise for two weeks, or because I had the medium instead of the small Bobby’s Frozen Custard. My body needed to recover from the surgical procedure, and I can start exercising again next week. I have only gone to Bobby’s ONCE this entire season, so I should let myself enjoy it.
So today I am going to celebrate all that my body has done for me, including giving birth to two amazing children, one of which we are celebrating today, and give myself grace rather than criticism.
I invite you to give yourself grace today (and everyday), in whatever area of your life that you struggle to do so. Let me know how it goes.
I have been using the app Pray As You Go for awhile now. It is a wonderful tool for directing my prayers based on daily Bible readings, and paired with various musical selections and probing questions.
Tuesday morning’s reading was from Zechariah:
20 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, the inhabitants of many cities; 21 the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Come, let us go to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going.” 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord. 23 Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Zechariah 8:20-23 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
As I listened to this scripture read a couple of times, the part that hit me was verse 23: Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
What would that be like? To have people who grabbed ahold of us and begged to go with us because they knew God was with us?
The thing is, in order for someone to want to go with us for these reasons, we must be exhibiting qualities and professing faith that is evident not only to those who share our faith, but also to those who are observing us from a distance.
The question that I am pondering today is: am I living a life that draws people to God? This is what I want more than anything! I want to be living in such a way that brings glory, not to self, but to God alone, and draws others into a relationship with the God of my salvation.
So, what is it that draws people to God through us? I have some ideas, but I am curious about what you think. Leave a comment below and next week we will continue the discussion!
Yesterday, as I drove to church in Edwardsville, where I am serving as an intern this fall, this song came up on my “Worship Girls Playlist.” This is one of my playlists that I often put on shuffle to see what God might have to say to me through music that I love.
I was singing along. Loudly. Joyfully. Passionately.
And on the way home, I had to listen to it again.
It reminds me of this verse that I love for the picture of God that it offers:
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
With the turmoil, division, disasters, marginalization, and so many other hurts and dashed hopes that we are seeing in our world today, it is easy to think that God is far away and doesn’t care, or just won’t act. But that is so not true! God created this world and all that is in it, and called it GOOD! Yes, people have marred that good creation, but never has God stopped loving and caring for us. He loves us. He rejoices over us with singing. And we have the opportunity, and dare I say responsibility, to sing along and participate in God’s work in the world.
There is no song greater, no purpose higher, than God’s. I think I will sing along. Will you join me?
From babies hidden in the shadows To the cities shining bright There are captives weeping Far from sight For every doorway has a story And some are holding back the cries But there is one who hears us in the night
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night So we can join in your song And sing along yeah, We’ll sing along
From the farthest corners of the earth Still his mercy reaches Even to the pain we cannot see And even through the darkness There’s a promise that will keep us There is one who came to set us free
Great God Wrap Your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night So we can join in your song And sing along, yeah We’ll sing along
So let your song rise And fill up the earth Let your hope ring out Let your heart be heard So let your song rise And fill up the earth Let your hope ring out Let your heart be heard
Oh, great God Wrap Your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along, yeah We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along We’ll sing along
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along We’ll sing along Yeah We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along
“2019 has been a rough year for me,” is the nice version of what I have been saying about this year that has brought with it many challenges.
There’s just one problem with this statement: 2019 hasn’t ONLY brought challenges! 2019 has also brought with it celebrations, vacations, girls trips, lake days, family time, laughter and so much more.
And yet, my focus has been on anything but these positive pieces of the year.
Why is that? Why do we tend to focus on the bad/hard/frustrating stuff instead of the good/uplifting/amazing stuff?
I think it is because we have allowed ourselves to be conditioned to see everything in black (bad) and white (good), AND we have allowed ourselves to fall into the complaining trap.
Remember Thumper from Bambi?
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”
We tend to think about what Thumper’s mother taught him in terms of what we say to others, which is a good practice to have. But what we say to OURSELVES is just as important!
When we consistently tell ourselves that 2019 has been a crappy year, guess what? 2019 is going to look like a crappy year because we are focused on the crappy stuff that we have had to go through. BUT, if we were to change that narrative to say there have been some struggles in 2019, as there are in any year, but there have been some REALLY GOOD things this year that have brought me joy, how might our entire outlook on the year change?
I was reminded of this (AGAIN – it takes time for me to learn stuff sometimes) in a conversation I had last week. And as a result of that conversation, I pulled out my Gratitude Journal that I started a few years ago, while reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.
I had made it to 300 before the journal got buried underneath other stuff in my Contemplative Corner, which is a pretty good picture of what had happened in my life lately. I had let the stuff of life cover over my gratitude.
So on Friday afternoon last week, I laid outside in my hammock, listening to the sounds of nature and community, and over the course of an hour or so I added 50 more items to my list. And you know what happened by doing that one action? I felt my heart shift. I felt my eyes begin to see things in a fresh light (again). I found myself looking for things for which I am thankful. I found myself grabbing that Gratitude Journal and adding to the list almost daily.
When we choose to focus on gratitude, it becomes almost impossible to complain. You know why? Because we don’t see the things to complain about, we only see things for which we are grateful. It’s all about our FOCUS!
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” and Psalm 118:29 (along with MANY other places) says, “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
When we FOCUS on giving thanks IN every circumstance (note: this is NOT giving thanks FOR every circumstance), and we recognize the goodness and the love of God that endures forever (despite whatever circumstances we are facing), our outlook can’t help but be one of thanksgiving and gratitude.
And the more we are grateful, the more we see for which to be grateful, which makes us more grateful, and so on, and so on. It’s kind of like a gratitude snowball that keeps building and building as it goes.
I know it is Wednesday, and Mondays are usually the music days, but since I didn’t get a blog up on Monday, you get a twofer today. This song says it beautifully. So take a listen and then take a few minutes to write down some stuff for which you are thankful. It’s what we all need.
The first week of August I was in Baltimore, Maryland for the Big Tent conference of the Presbyterian Church (USA). This was my third time at this event, previously in Knoxville and St. Louis. Every time I attend I am challenged, encouraged and grateful to be a part of the PC (USA). As I sat in worship on Thursday evening, the Community Concert Choir of Baltimore blessed us with this song.
As I sat and listened one particular line jumped out at me: The world is ever changing, but you are still the same. It almost felt like it smacked me in the face with truth. I immediately grabbed a pen and paper and wrote it down. I mean, I know that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, I have known that forever. And I know that the world is in a constant state of change, anyone can see that every day of their lives. But in that moment, those words washed over me and filled me with peace.
I am at this place in life where everything feels up in the air and I don’t really know what God is planning to do next. I have multiple questions and no real answers yet; other than trust that God will indeed order my steps. In the midst of a world that is constantly changing, in the midst of questions and wondering about what the future holds, I can trust that the God I serve is the same God that created the world, that created me, that called me to ministry, and will continue to lead me on the path for which I was created
Order my steps in Your word dear Lord, Lead me, guide me everyday, Send Your anointing, Father I pray; Order my steps in Your word, Please, order my steps in Your word.
Humbly, I ask Thee teach me Your will, While You are working, help me be still, ‘Cos Satan is busy, God is real; Order my steps in Your word, Please, order my steps in Your word.
Bridle my tongue let my words edify, Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in Thy sight, Take charge of my thoughts both day and night; Order my steps in Your word, Please order my steps in Your word.
I want to walk worthy, My calling to fulfill, Please order my steps Lord, And I’ll do Your blessed will.
The world is ever changing, But You are still the same; Please order my steps, Lord I’ll praise Your name. Order my steps in Your word. Order my tongue in Your word. Guide my feet in Your word. Wash my heart in Your word. Show me how to walk in Your word. Show me how to talk in Your word. When I need a brand new song to sing, Show me how to let Your praises ring,
Mondays always feel like an opportunity to start fresh, but if you read my post from yesterday, you know I think every moment is an opportunity to do so, AND that I am at a point in my life where I am focusing in again on my health and wellness after a rough couple of years.
I also have recognized that I haven’t been writing the way that I need to be. Writing is how I process life, and how I sort through things I am learning. This is understandable as over the last 3+ years I have been only writing papers for seminary that were REQUIRED, and of course sermons to preach that were NECESSARY. But I miss writing for fun and just because I want to write!
So, in addition to getting back on track with my health and fitness, I am going to work on getting back on track with blogging as well. So, let’s kick it off with Music Monday!
This morning, as I was sitting in my contemplative corner listening to some music at the start of my devotion time, anticipating re-starting my soulmate workout that kick-started my weight loss a few years ago, thinking about some things the Lord has stirring in my spirit, and even wondering what I might do for today’s post, this song came on and it felt like a gift just for me this morning. Take a listen. See if maybe it re-lights a fire in you to stop waiting and start taking a chance on something new!
There’s a fire inside, you can feel it burning It’s a neon light glowing like a furnace And the night is long but the world keeps turning You gotta know it, it’s not the end
Every new sunrise is one step closer It’s a sign in the sky that the fight’s not over So face the world, it’s now or never This is the moment, let it begin
This could change everything Can you feel it now, something’s in the air? This could change everything I know we’re gonna know it when we get there No more waiting, I’m taking the chance This could change everything Let it begin
See the world outside in technicolor Be the one who paints outside the numbers Like a child who is lost in wonder I don’t wanna lose it, I’m breathing it in
This could change everything Can you feel it now, something’s in the air? This could change everything I know we’re gonna know it when we get there No more waiting, I’m taking the chance This could change everything Let it begin
You can feel it coming like a flood Wash over us, wash over us Let the future we’ve been dreaming up Wash over us, wash over us You can feel it coming like a flood Wash over us, wash over us Let the future we’ve been dreaming up Wash over us, wash over us
This could change everything Can you feel it now, something’s in the air? This could change everything I know we’re gonna know it when we get there No more waiting, I’m taking the chance This could change everything Let it begin
O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church
I have been quiet lately. Ok, I have been quiet for a long time when it comes to this blog. Life has been, let’s say, a chaos of my own making. What that really means is that I was the one who said, “yes” when God said, “go to seminary.” For the last 2-1/2 years I have been continuing my life as wife, mother, housekeeper (although I should probably be fired from that one), Growth & Nurture Leader, race director, and friend (even though I sometimes have failed at that one) while attempting to keep my head above water in a great but challenging Master of Divinity program. How’s that going, you ask? Well, let’s just say I will be done December 10, but who’s counting?
I have loved seminary. From the friends I have made to the professors that have influenced me to the subjects that have challenged me, I have loved seminary. But it has been a challenging time. Between the rigors of classes – time management, paper writing, reading (and then reading some more) – and the constant nature of life, including the grief of losing my dad – there have been times of struggle, joy, hardship and hope. And even now there is anticipation and uncertainty about what God’s plans are for my family and I as we near the completion of the ordination process in the PC(USA). You know what happens in times like this? Anxiety.
Anxiety isn’t necessarily good or bad. In fact it can be both and it can be neutral. It is our response to anxiety that is the real issue. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in our country right now. Turn on the TV and you are bombarded by political ads. Turn on the radio and get more of the same. Drive down the street and see signs in yards all around you. Sit in a restaurant and hear people talking about who to vote for. Scroll through Facebook and feel the anxiety rise.
The other day, I saw a friend post an article on Facebook. It was a good article with good points to think about. But what got me was the conversation (or confrontation) that then happened in the comments section under the post. Here was a post by a Christian friend, meant to share some insight, with comments by another Christian friend that didn’t just take issue with the article, but took issue with the poster’s personal convictions and viewpoint. Now, I know this is nothing new, this is what seems to be happening everywhere and social media is just one of the arenas where people seem to be unable to interact in ways that build up instead of tear down, but this particular incident just won’t let me sit back and stay silent any longer.
The assigned reading for one of my fall classes spoke directly to what I was feeling today as it took on the idea of “We versus They.” See if any of these things sound familiar to you:
“What creates polarization is not the actual content of the issue on which a ‘family’ splits. It is rather emotional processes that foster conflict of wills (efforts to convert one another).”
“Unfortunately, today’s polarization is maintained by a bold competitiveness. The goal of conflict is to win. No thought is given to ‘we sink or swim together.’ Instead, one party swims and the other must sink.”
“Conflict is no longer a time for learning but for conquering. Domination supplants education. Civility and courtesy give way to sneers and shouting.”
“People function at the level of the primitive brain, breaking everything into this or that, black or white, plus or minus.”
“Behaviors become more aggressive–shouting down the opposite side, belittling them, using in-your-face tactics to intimidate…”
“Bogged down in a standoff, people are apt to use conflict as a way of carrying out a competition, rather than as education. The situation becomes increasingly negative and hostile.”
Steinke, Peter L. Congregational Leadership in Anxious Times: Being Calm and Courageous No Matter What
I don’t know about you, but I felt like the author was writing about the political and social climate we live in, rather than what happens in churches when there is conflict. These are the kinds of responses that I see happening all around me, and I am pretty sure that most of you could say the same.
When we dig in our heels and determine that we are right, no matter what, we essentially cut ourselves off from learning anything new, seeing anyone else’s point of view as valid, and ultimately from fostering relationships with anyone whose viewpoint differs from our own. And I’m gonna say it: that includes God.
“But,” you might say, “God is on my side!” WRONG! Regardless of what side you are on, it has nothing to do with what side God is on. In the Facebook thread I noted earlier, someone used this quote from Abraham Lincoln:
Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.
Abraham Lincoln
Now, on the internet you can find lots of quotes from lots of people and some of them are correctly attributed to their authors, and some are not, but regardless of whether or not this is actually something that Abraham Lincoln himself said, there is some striking truth to the statement. Shouldn’t we be looking for where God is at work and partnering with God there instead of assuming that we know what God’s stance is on this, that or the other? Shouldn’t our response to the issues that plague us today be to jump in and bring peace, justice and hope, rather than simply criticize the powers that be?
Now, there will be some that will say, “But that is what the Bible says,” about their pet issue, but guess what? Anyone can make the Bible say anything they want if they take it out of context. I am a lover of God’s Word, but one of the things I have learned is that you can’t take one verse or one idea and throw the rest out. You have to take the Bible, as a whole, and look at the overarching story of God’s plan and purposes for the world. You have to see through the eyes of Jesus and really consider how the qualities of God’s Kingdom look nothing like the qualities of this world. There comes a point at which I have to empty myself of all that I hold dear and let the Spirit of God fill me with love, mercy and grace so that I can truly live as a beloved child of God, bringing that love, mercy, and grace of God to all of God’s beloved children – whether they look like me, believe like me, or not.
In the grand scheme of things, what does more good for God’s Kingdom: railing against illegal immigrants or caring for foreign children who have been separated from their parents? being determined that no one is going to take away your guns or entering into meaningful action to help those who suffer from mental illness? This list could go on and on about the many issues at hand in our world, but the list isn’t the point. The point is, how do we, who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, live into that incarnation and embody Christ in every word and every act? How do we pick up our feet from where they have been grounded, and move into a place where we can hear one another, love one another, and act in ways that embody the values of God’s Kingdom? Isn’t it time to let go of what we think is right and take hold of what God knows is right?
Each morning as I rise, I sit in what I am calling my “Contemplative Corner” where I listen to uplifting music for a minimum of fifteen minutes before spending some time reading God’s Word, journaling and praying. This morning, I was particularly touched by this song that captures some of what I am saying today. Take a listen. Spend some time with God. And see where the motion of God’s mercy might take you today.
Montgomery Gentry sings a song entitled Tattoos & Scars. The key line says “tattoos and scars are different things. And yes, they are. Kind of. But one of the things that makes them similar is the story that they carry.
Have you ever seen someone with tattoos and asked them to tell you about them? It is usually an amazing experience to hear what prompted the tattoo or the story behind it. The same is true of scars, but often, we don’t see people’s scars because they are hidden or may not even be physical scars.
In November 2016, I got my first tattoo at the age of 42 after thinking and crafting and trying to decide if this was something that I was willing to live with for the rest of my life. It has a story, and deep meaning for me. It is a heart because everything that I do in my life I want to do in and with love. There is a cross at the center because I choose to put Christ at the center of all that I say and do. My children’s initials are there because they are a gift of love from God. There are 3 smaller hearts that signify Father, Son, Spirit; health of mind, body, and soul, and Mike, Anne, and Ty.
I also have scars. Physical ones that remind me of running down the rocky alley in flip-flops, and our childhood cat, Fluffy, that was NOT meant to be an inside snuggle cat (but don’t tell my sister Stephanie, she still won’t believe you). I have incision scars from fertility testing, gall bladder removal, and appendix removal, that remind me of not only those procedures but all of the circumstances that surrounded those times.
But then there are the scars that you can’t see, the ones that I carry with me from words harshly spoken, friendships broken or lost, and many other hurts that have come from different situations over the years. These are the ones that tend to be hidden away in the deepest recesses of ourselves and every now and then something happens to bring our attention to them. Maybe the memory is just that, a memory, because we have been able to heal from the experience. But sometimes the scars are nasty because they keep getting ripped open and never heal properly or completely.
When we look at others, there may be some who carry some of their stories on their body as tattoos, but most people carry their stories within themselves, in places that we can’t see. What we can see is someone who is sad, angry, aloof, removed, attempting to cover their hurt with a smile and a joke, pushing their kid to do more and be more, or a host of other actions and emotions.
What if, instead of judging them we offered them grace?
What if, instead of assuming we know what’s going on, we asked them to share their story?
What if we are the balm that helps them to heal from whatever gave them their scar?
It’s easy to see and feel our own scars. It’s harder for us to acknowledge that others have them as well. It is harder still to recognize that some of those scars we have inflicted upon others or we have reopened by ignoring the story and the person behind them.
When we love our neighbor as ourself, we give them the same kind of care we would give to ourself. I think that means that we listen to their stories and help to heal their wounds in such a way that the scar brings a reminder not of the hurt the caused it, but of the love that helped it to heal.
What do you think?
I would love to see/hear some of your tattoo and scar stories in the comments!
My life is crazy these days without much margin. I won’t say my life is not my own, because it is my own. I am here because I have chosen to follow this path. It definitely isn’t easy, and I have to be honest and say that I am struggling with the demands on my time, but it is exactly where I am supposed to be.
I was reminded of that very fact just this morning. During my prayer time I was working through some of the discipleship tools being offered to me through one of my seminary courses. I listened to Rachel Platten’s Fight Song (below), both this version and the version done by the Piano Guys, read Rachel’s back story about this song, and then spent some time with Psalm 84.
Through this and some insight from our professor, I was reminded of what it took for me to get to this place. I have fought with God over whether or not He really meant to call me to be a pastor. I have struggled with verbalizing this call to my family and friends. I have ben knocked down by things like lack of support and imperfect systems. I even went through a very tough time of simply waiting for three years and seeing no forward progress at all.
Through that time I had a post-it note that stuck on my computer monitor reminding me, “Your calling is sure,” words that the Lord had given to me through a variety of sources.
When the time of waiting was over and movement began again, it didn’t always feel like forward momentum. In fact, there was a period of time that felt like I was punched in the gut and left for dead. But God was still at work marking out a new journey on new pathways.
The new journey hasn’t moved quickly and easily either. My husband says, “It seems like anything worthwhile isn’t easy,” and I agree. There are still many fears to conquer, mountains to climb, and opposition to face, but I cannot let the fight go out of me. I have to push forward (in God’s timing), follow-through, do my part, and watch as God fulfills His promises.
Part of Psalm 84 (VOICE) says “Blessed are those who make you their strength, for they treasure every step of the journey…They journey from place to place, gaining strength along the way; until they meet God in Zion. (Bold mine.)
These words were especially important today as I feel weak and worn down, trying not to fall into the “just get through” mentality that can sometimes plague me into not treasuring every step of the journey. So the reminder that I will gain strength along the way is a beautiful one for me today. I won’t continue to wear down as I go, but I will gain strength as I go.
This fight that I have to finish the journey isn’t one I fight alone, but rather one that God fights right along side me. He gives me the strength to fight. He gives me the path to follow. He gives me the truth to believe.
Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion
And all those things I didn’t say
Wrecking balls inside my brain
I will scream them loud tonight
Can you hear my voice this time?
This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me
Losing friends and I’m chasing sleep
Everybody’s worried about me
In too deep
Say I’m in too deep (in too deep)
And it’s been two years I miss my home
But there’s a fire burning in my bones
Still believe
Yeah, I still believe
Lately I have been thinking about times when there are no words.
I have opened this page up to write a blog almost daily for the last couple of weeks, but there have been no words.
I mean, sure there are words running around in my head, but nothing coherent or formed that I could put down.
Life is busy. Life is crazy. Life is wonderful and hard all at once.
I have been re-watching Dawson’s Creek. Yes, I know how pathetic that sounds. Mike and I watched the entire series when it aired on television (don’t take away his man-card, we were newlyweds and I wanted to watch it) and while scrolling through Hulu a few weeks back I saw that it was among the offerings of shows available to me with the touch of a button. In a moment of weakness, I pushed play.
One of the things that I have (again) noticed about this show is the massive amount of words that pour out of these (supposedly) teenage kids. Always talking, analyzing and waxing eloquent about this, that, and the other circumstances in their lives. Rarely do you see any of them in a place where they have no words.
And while part of me thinks that is no where close to reality, another part of me realizes that we often talk too much. But the difference is we talk about nothing, because we have no words to really talk about the hard stuff. We can find lots of words to talk about the stuff that doesn’t much matter. We can talk about the weather, how busy we are in general terms, how we don’t like this or that about home/work/school/church/community, and what our plans our for the weekend. But when it really comes down to it, the words that we need to speak stay unspoken.
When struggling with yet another bout of depression, we don’t speak the words, “help,” to anyone.
When experiencing deep pain and sorrow, we put on a happy face and answer, “fine” when asked how we are doing.
When watching friends go through the pain of divorce, we don’t know what to say, so we say nothing.
When seeing others grieving loss of one kind or another, we allow them to suffer in silence for one reason or another.
When witnessing the downward spiral and loss of faith of a community member, we stay silent.
When observing someone making poor choices, we choose not to talk with them about it.
The thing is, in those times that there are no words, sometimes words are exactly what is needed. Not surface conversation. Not platitudes that make empty promises. But words that acknowledge the truth. Because, you see, something happens when you acknowledge the truth and speak it out.
Healing can begin.
Help can arise.
Hope can be proclaimed.
Comfort can be given.
Faith can be renewed.
Love can be shown.
Let’s work on learning how to speak the words that need to be spoken, the hard words, the words that don’t want to come, and the ones that bring truth, healing, help, hope, comfort, faith and love into our lives and the lives of those around us.
