We've all done it. Yep..every single one of us. We've all, at some point in our lives, opened our mouth and inserted our foot up to the kneecap.
It's a horrible feeling. The stomach retches, a wave of blood rushes to your face illuminating the cheeks to a bright red (which by the way, SCREAMS idiot lives inside this body!). Regardless, we've all done it.
One would think at my age, I'd be better versed. Not today. Today, I pulled the unthinkable. I told an author, whom I've read their works and loved, that I'd read their newest UNreleased book. (Just ask me how totally embarrassed I was..)As wonderful as email is...once you hit send, it's too late to correct the error of your ways. I was so embarrassed. I've read her work and I was reading about the newest book ready to hit the shelves, and that's the name of the book I wrote I'd read. Man.....talk about looking gooby! (See the picture above....that would be me!)
I immediately sent a second email and tried to explain I had my mind one direction and my typing fingers in another. But do you think that really mattered? I'D ALREADY HIT SEND.
Therefore, being the writer and believer I am, I thought there has to be good somewhere in this situation. So, I rolled my eyes and looked to the ceiling. "Father, I've completely emabarrassed myself -- tell me what good there is in that?"
I feel sure God must have rolled His own eyes and shook His head from side to side. But through all that, I know a grin parted his lips. That's when He said, "Uhh huh. You certainly did goof. And yes, the
re is good. It's called humility. 'Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.'" He said as he gently stroked away the reddness in my cheeks. "Slow down, pay attention, and humble yourself before others. Place the heart of the servant in the forefront and others will see."
Oh, all right. So He was right. It was a sensless blunder, one caused by my own excitement and lack of paying attention. I've had so many irons in the fire lately that I've become a jack of all trades and truly a master of none. I suppose God thought it was time to hook and anchor to the seat of by pants.
Often times we become so engrossed in the sheer number of activities the world throws at us, we lose ourselves and our direction -- our focus. We become somewhat blinded. God loves for us to have abundance, but He also loves for us to use our abundance of gifts and talents properly; not overdone or outdone.
I suppose I can count myself, disciplined in one swift press of the send button. It's time to slow down, come down, and maybe even lie down and rest. God needs workers for the fields, but He needs us on top of our games - sharpened and ready for what tasks lay ahead.
I did apologize. For what it's worth, the author probably thinks, "What a goof-ball." But hopefully they'll take the error as a compliment. When you're thrilled by someone special, it's easy to become tongue-tied. To that author -- and I'm sure they know who they are -- My apologies for not paying attention to my email. And to my Father in heaven, "Alright! You made your point. I get it."
Anyone for some crow???
How do you describe heartbreak? How can you visualize it? As a writer, I would search, craft and sort to find the perfect expression of something which lies do deep.
For example: Heartbreak -- Your heart feels tight with emotion, that innate thing we only feel and yet can never really lay our hands on. It expands to the point you feel as if it's physically ripping in two. It beats harder not faster. (There's a difference.) Each thump of the muscle which lies inside your chest, pushes a rush of blood through your body, and the swish, swish, swish of the fluid can be heard inside your ears. Your breath is labored, leaving you with an urge of panic. What if I can't catch my breath? After a moment you take in a half breath, realizing it's not enough to live on. Your body longs for more oxygen. Your chest feels as though it will split in the middle. Right at the height of hysteria, you gasp, swallow, and allow your body to relax.
Does that accurately describe what we feel when our heart is breaking? This is where the writer searches for the right words -- the place that is lonely -- where emptiness dwells and peace is void. Intense, deep and hopeless.
Practically every person alive has remarked about a broken heart. We've used the term over and over again without great thought until we're suddenly blindsided by something that causes us great pain.
In the midst of our deepest heartbreak God allows us rescue. Psalm 34:18 tells us, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." isn't it a wonderful and peaceful thing to know? In the middles of what seems to be our worst turmoil, God is there to save our crushed spirits. He mends us gingerly with his needle and offers us a fraction of rest.
Through the brokenness He heals us completely, and from the reality of the situation we glean experience that will serve us or someone else at just the right time. Looking to Christ and asking Him to take the burden away, then allow Him to use the vessel in which it was housed is frightening. However, there is great relief within that first step of faith. There is hope.
When your heart breaks turn the broken pieces over to Jesus and don't take them back. Taking them back means He can't repair the shattered piece of pottery. Allow Him to work His miracle.
It's been a few weeks since I've been able to update the blog. Between a Writer's Conference and Vacation Bible School things are just now coming to a slow down.
That's actually the problem. I, like alot of others, tend to take on too much. Saying no becomes harder and harder as time passes. There's so much to be done and so few who bother to help.
It puts me in the mind of Jesus telling the people that the fields were ripe with harvest but the workers were few. It's not that I'm a control freak, it's that there is so much that needs to be done, especially within our churches, and Christians are just not stepping up to the plate. For those who are attempting to be faithful, the work load doubles.
It's really sorta sad. Our younger Christians with family simply don't see the need to help with the harvest....afterall," Little Joe has five baseball games this week and we couldn't possabily work in time for VBS and you know he'll be tired so we won't be a Sunday School on Sunday morning."
And then there's the ever complacent Christians who feel as if they've done their share to help the kingdom. They've served "their time" doing Sunday school, VBS and children's church, not to mention the nursery. "Let someone else. I've done my time."
The last time I checked out Christianity - it was a daily walk -- a neverending walk if you're serious about the relationship with Christ. It's time we get back to the basics. Back to the original ABC's of Church. We "require" our children to attend church, not offer it as an option. We change our priorities and begin to put God first again. Finally, we become active again. Become revived. Don't you miss that? Remember the hymn, "Revive Us Again?"
Get back to the basics of church. Attendance, Belief and Committment -- just for starters. The Kingdom will grow if we all participate. Look what 12 men did for Jesus?
Make a move to place Christ first in your life -- Not after the ballgame. Revaluate.
We've all done it. Yep..every single one of us. We've all, at some point in our lives, opened our mouth and inserted our foot up to the kneecap.
re is good. It's called humility. 'Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.'" He said as he gently stroked away the reddness in my cheeks. "Slow down, pay attention, and humble yourself before others. Place the heart of the servant in the forefront and others will see."
