Authenticity

4 Fears To Dump In The Trash So You Can Actually Soar (Into Who You Were Made To Be)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Come over here and be amazing, like me!

person jumping on big rock under gray and white sky during daytime

So it happened again.

I had a moment where I thought, “Wow! EVEN I didn’t know that! I’d better write that down!”

You see, I’ve been attending church for a LONG time, so there isn’t much I don’t already know!

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Actually, the full truth is that there are many things I ONCE knew but then forgot, and had to be taught again, which is slightly different (technically speaking). And in fact, this is where most of my “new” information seems to come from as I’ve gotten a bit older.

For example, when I was a teenager, I proudly announced, “God, I surrender all that I have to You!”

A couple of decades later, I confessed to a mentor that I was having trouble surrendering everything to God. “It’s a lot easier to give God everything when you don’t have anything to give,” was her unperturbed quip. (Her comment was slightly insensitive, don’t you think?)

But she was older than me, so she had a lot more experience with knowing stuff, not applying it, forgetting it, and then trying to relearn it again.

And the same thing happened in church recently. Of course, I know ALL that stuff! But then the speaker that day asked us what it seemed God was nudging us to do, before our immediate response to God of: “Nah!”

That speaker then insulted me by insinuating that fear holds us back from stepping into the adventure Jesus leads us on.

Please! But after I got mad at that speaker, I later realized he was right. (Don’t tell my husband. That’s our most consistent “Marriage Pattern” too, but I prefer not to admit the latter half of that first sentence, so our stable “Power Balance” doesn’t get disrupted.)

The speaker then described the following fears that often hold us back from spiritual authenticity:

1. Fear of Rejection – People may laugh at or ignore me!

Author’s Spiritual Reflection And Wisdom: Ha! I would never be afraid of that! I was voted the best dressed in my red-neck high school, after all! I obviously have style and a certain “coolness” which I take GREAT PAINS and often feel compelled (for some reason?) to humbly hint at when I am with others!

2. Fear of Inadequacy – I might not know enough or be anointed enough!

Author’s Spiritual Reflection And Wisdom: I feel very spiritual and EVEN connected to God in the morning after I pray! However, if my kids or anyone else shows up in my life, then I always seem to be yelling at them against my (spiritual) will! That proves that it’s OTHERS, not ME, that make me behave badly.

I would be a great Christian if it wasn’t for all the people.

Adrian Plass in The Sacred Diary Of Adrian Plass Aged 37 3/4

(Author’s Comment: Exactly!)

3. Fear of Hostility – People could oppose me or harm me!

Author’s Spiritual Reflection And Wisdom: Yes! For example, I didn’t tell you my exact address. (Besides the fact that you don’t care) I heard there was a mean person on the internet once! And also, why DO more Christians feel “called” to Hawaii more often than to the Democratic Republic of Congo? Well, we won’t know the answers to ALL of life’s riddles!

4. Fear of Failure – What if no one responds?

Author’s Spiritual Reflection And Wisdom: Yes! The dreaded fate of not many “Likes” as we project our egos on the internet! Terrifying! Good thing that I know that “I am deeply loved exactly as I am, eternally, by God’s grace.” Actually, I’m trying to relearn (or perhaps to learn?) this truth, which has been helping me recently to drastically cut back on self-medication through excess chocolate consumption at one sitting, but that is another story for another time.

Hey! I can’t share ALL my wisdom at once! As mentioned at the beginning of this article, I’ve been going to church a LONG TIME, so OBVIOUSLY I know a lot of stuff!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

As the song below asks, “Why are you so afraid to fail?” can you (Just for a moment, and not aloud if that’s impossible) admit to God that fear MAY just be holding you back a teensy bit, too, friend? And then, as she sings, “Why are you so afraid to lose if all the love you ever dreamed of already belongs to you?” what do you sense God whispering to your heart?

Christ has set us free to live a free life

The Message

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Toss Fear In The Garbage! Try Something Scary For 4 Cool, Remarkable* (*Like Me!) Reasons!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Why not be cool, like me, friend?

man in black and white striped shirt wearing black framed eyeglasses

He’s super annoying because he went wherever God seemed to nudge him, even to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Who goes THERE for a holiday?)! “You did WHAT?” I asked. They spent 20 years helping people through war, genocide and guerrilla takeovers.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

She is like that, too. “You did WHAT?”, I asked. I mean, just because I don’t hug every homeless guy I pass on the street and cry over them, doesn’t mean I’m not a caring person, too!

I mean, I know this stuff! – That we’re supposed to think of others, etc., etc.

Of course, I know that! I’ve sat in the same pew every week for 30 years! I mean, of course, I know what it means to be a real Christian! So when he (the guy in the first paragraph) said the following, of course, I already knew that stuff, too!

He asked us if we sensed that God was perhaps nudging us to do or say something, or to take action (i.e., kindness?) in some way.

“Nah,” I immediately thought.

Then I remembered. In the summer, I sent out this article as I thought perhaps, there was a nudge from Holy Spirit to open a forum so that we (You and I – the reader! Yes! I AM pointing my finger RIGHT through this article at you!) could get to know each other better and maybe share a coffee and some wisdom.1

“And so, if God is nudging you to begin something, why haven’t you done it yet?” was his (annoying) next question.

He said it’s because of fear. The NERVE! Well, we’ll talk about fear next time, because I once struggled with a twinge of fear and learned something to help me overcome it (a bit!), but that’s not for today.2

For today, THE POINT of this article is to announce that we will be hosting prayer times approximately twice monthly to connect and get to know each other.

And then, recently, instead of simply loudly blaring my thoughts to the world like I usually do as I write online, I decided to learn a bit more about YOU, the reader. I wanted to read (some) of your writing, from those of you who write, and (who knew?) you are actually very cool! All of you! It would be great to have tea and to share a prayer.

I hope you can join us.

For more information and to sign up, go HERE.

And who knows, MAYBE I could (?) EVEN learn a thing or two from you, too?

(“Nah,” is my next thought.)

Anyway, why do we toss fear and follow God on our unique adventures, you ask? Oh! That’s easy! Because:

  1. It’s more fun than staying stuck at home, with pillows covering every wall and being afraid to go outside!3
  2. We MAY even get to hang out with some SUPER COOL people!4
  3. It’s what all the cool kids are doing!5
  4. On the other end of the fear, God is there, ready to catch us when we fall.6

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry . . . There is no room in love for fear.

The Message

As the song below sings, “I’ve been afraid” or “You’re bigger than all my problems,” consider asking God if He may be nudging you to step outside your fear and to take action, too. What do you sense in your heart (JUST before you immediately say, “NAH!”)? Jesus, help us tangibly experience more of Your love, so we can finally step out of fear, we pray.

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – Looks (A Bit) Like Me! (In Coolness, I Mean) by JUSTIN BUISSON on Unsplash

1 NO! I don’t need any wisdom! I’M the one sharing wisdom here, remember? This is a one-way street! And what did you say? Humility is overrated, especially when we’re at church, in my experience!

2 Did you notice that I am doing something SCARY by conquering my fear of rejection and inadequacy (We’ll talk about that another time) by hosting an online group where I MAY (gulp!) even get IGNORED -worst of all fates? Which is basically the same as conquering fear to help people through civil war in the Congo (see first paragraph), but who’s comparing? I hope my life inspires you, too! You’re welcome! Good luck!

3 I would NEVER do that!

4 ME!

5 ME!

6 He’s pretty cool, too!

The Truth About Holy Spirit Attempting To Awaken You To Something More

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Rubbing Your Eyes, Friend?

We are serving up some previously published articles for you to feast on this week, while our family is on spring break.1

Goodbye, winter!

Hello, flowers in Victoria, Canada! Enjoy some of this site’s top articles from around this time last year.2 And may these articles help you stride confidently through life!

(As usual.)

Yeah, so I might have had a slight touch of fear now and then over my lifetime.

Click HERE to continue reading.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Fix Your Broken Shopping Cart (And Life)! 3 Helpful Reasons Why

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

How much do you also simply tolerate, friend?

a black and white photo of a shopping cart

I was pushing my shopping cart in the grocery store. I was in a hurry (Of course!) and pushing more on one side because the thing kept veering off to one side as I walked, trying to smash into every aisle. “I. Only. Have. To. Get. A. Few. More. Items,” I grunted begrudgingly, pushing hard with both hands on one side of the cart.

I don’t want you to go through life like this. I thought I sensed God whispering in my heart.

Click HERE to continue reading.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Hack: Discover Your Identity In One Simple Habit

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Come and sit by me, friend. There is someone who knows who you really are. (But it’s not me.)

Young woman looks at reflection in mirror outdoors

That time when I was discouraged, when I sensed God calling me into something new, something that made my knees quake, she said that when she prayed for me, she was reminded of something.

It was a picture of a dead plant.

The dead plant was me.

Well, there was a bit more as she explained it to me. The plant was in winter. All that could be seen were a few sticks for branches poking above the ground.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

A small bird's nest on a bare branch

Sounded like my life in that moment.

“But spring is coming,” she encouraged me.

I picked up my discouragement and continued walking on the ill-trodden path that God seemed to be leading me down, wondering if, sometime in the future, there would be life above the snow.

The word “establish” kept coming to my mind as I prayed. What needed to be established? Holy Spirit also seemed to be nudging me to write. Now, I had always written copiously in journals, but I would never think of sharing my written thoughts with others!

“Who would read such neurotic pretensions?” I asked myself. Certainly not me! I looked at my piles of completed journals, all of them unopened and unread, even by me.

Keep writing, God seemed to encourage me.

The first time I sat at my desk and tried to write something I intended to publish, it was like the seat of my office chair was on fire – It was so uncomfortable. I couldn’t sit there! Only a pompous, inflated prig would would presume she had something to say to another!

But it’s essential to fit in with others, so, of course, I pretended1 to be a pretentious know-it-all with an inflated ego so I would have something to write about!

And then I pressed publish.

The simple reality is that if you ever want to do anything significant for the Kingdom, you will have to overcome fear and internal resistance. If could be fear of the unknown, fear of what others will think2, fear of harm or injury3, fear of failure, fear that you’re not ready or equipped for the task. There is ALWAYS fear.

Craig Cooney In The Tension of Transition

And so, to return to the start of this article, “A winter season,” she had suggested that day.

“Establishing,” God had seemed to be whispering in my prayers. Establishing a habit of pressing “Publish” and letting my words be carried off on the wind. I was learning not to care what others thought about the things that deeply mattered to me.

I was learning to listen to His voice and to dance in joy with Him.

And when the amaryllis, the lilac, and the peony bloomed that spring after a decade or more of relative death, I looked back in awe at where He has been leading me.

And he reminds us that spring, the season of blooming and life, always follows winter, as we rest in Him.

Is this an establishing season for you, friend? May your roots grow deep as you trust that “if you’re not done working, God, I’m not done waiting,” as the song below sings. As the song below also sings, “Though the winter is long, even richer, the harvest it brings,” after a moment of silent reflection and thanksgiving, consider asking God, “What new thing are you trying to water in this season, God, and how can I best be obedient to Your gentle nudge in a new direction?

Oh, and the question is not so much, “Where will you go?” or “What will you do?” but “Who will you become?”

And so, what is a simple habit to find our identity? We obey His promptings from our prayer times. Then we wait and trust that life sprouts.

Because spring always comes with new life.

Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.

The Message

That’s it.

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit: Who Are You, Anyway? (God Knows) by Alexander Mass on Unsplash, Self-Portrait (In That Season) by Stacy on Unsplash

1 Yes! I have been PRETENDING! Of course! What did you think I was doing?!

2 I would never fear that!

3 I definitely fear that, but thankfully, I am pretty safe at home writing on my computer in my safe little town in Canada with all the doors and windows locked! (Just in case.)

The Truth About Christmas Sorrow And Joy – It May (Actually) Be The Same Beautiful Gift

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Got time to open a gift, friend, regardless of the packaging?

Our family got a Christmas tree together in the woods this week, which is a perfect family experience that we (of course) always end up having!

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Even my doggy helped us find the right tree for us!1

But did we hold hands and sing Christmas carols the entire time, you wonder, with rapt attention?

That wasn’t EXACTLY the case if I’m completely honest, which, of course, I am all of the time when I write online.

In fact, upon careful reflection after this event, at least one person was mad at another almost the entire time! (But not me! I was only mad twice during that whole time! And I was only involved in one of the fights over which Christmas tree to get!)

Other than that (I.e., THEM), we had a wonderful family time!

Reflecting on this experience made me realize that getting a Christmas tree was like a mini microcosm that reflected our entire year2.

This experience also reflects all of our homeschooling times, where joy and sorrow are combined, sometimes even at the same time, and always in the same day.

And so, why is the gift of Christmas sorrow and joy (basically) the same thing? Because we are little bundles of joy and sadness all mixed up together. Both are inside the package of “us” at any one time, if we know where to look.

I’ll illustrate with another example that happened again when we were decorating our tree this morning.

When I was about to hang up the Christmas ornament that reminded me of my dad, who passed away a few years ago, I blurted in uncharacteristic honesty, “You know, I’m sometimes still mad at my dad for dying!” My kids looked at me with their wide, astonished eyes, their Christmas tree ornaments held in mid-air, candy canes about to fall out of their mouths, wondering (with a bit of trepidation, perhaps?) what would come out of my mouth next. But my husband knew that I just needed a hug and a little cry.

And then I was fine again and joined in our after-we-put-up-the Christmas-tree family dance.

Because even on our best vacation, the one where we “get away from it all,” the shadows of sorrow follow us. And even the longest, darkest, most desperate night carries within it the inevitable threat and hope of dawn.

We can never completely release ourselves from either sorrow or joy because we have both within us all the time.

So may our lopsided tree, with a few sparse spots, remind us that the journey to finding Christmas hope isn’t always as straightforward as we would like it to be.

But may we savor the joy of each day, release the sadness when necessary, and anticipate our inevitable transformation that both the gifts of joy and sorrow bring, as we hold the hand of God, put on our ears to hear the voice of Holy Spirit better, and follow Jesus on the next step of our spiritual journeys this season.

Merry Christmas, friend.

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

1 Check out his ridiculously snow-packed paws! He was busy digging up the tree to contribute in his unique way, too! (Like when he barfed that OTHER TIME.)

2 For a COMPLETE, in-depth summary of our year, read more HERE.

Advice: The Best Thing Is To LAUGH! WHY? Because You’re Ridiculous, Too! Oh! And Happy Christmas, Friend!

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Here Is Our Christmas Letter To Update You On Our Family and Our Year!

Please find our annual holiday “Newsletter1” below!

This is where we update you on our family and share some insightful sayings that our family members shared this year to encourage you! And so, “What happened this year?” You ask? I’m glad you asked!

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Well, our youngest child decided to leave home a year earlier than anticipated.

She’s planning to move out this summer, which sent me into a (SLIGHT!) identity spiral:

“Who am I if I am not a mom homeschooling her kids?”

Luckily, I have been researching starting another Master’s Degree (I’m smarter than I let on) or a certificate, or additional schooling of some sort, to try to claw my way into some sort of cultural significance. (Or should I get more counselling instead to work on the neuroses that drive me? Well, I guess we’ll see whether a year of schooling or a year of therapy is cheaper.)

As long as I have enough going on to keep me busy and distracted, that’s my goal!

So, yes, given my new plans, as described above, for when all the kids move out, everything is great!

Now that we’ve got all that sappy and annoying “real” stuff out of the way, not much has really changed around here.

We putter around a bit. Our kids putter around a bit, do their homeschooling, and then they move out and leave us, one after the other. (That’s FINE! Who cares?). Our animals, a dog and a rabbit, putter around a bit, too, as usual.

That’s about it.

Anyway, without further ado, here are some quotes family members said last year. May you have a good laugh (At our expense?! – WAIT! IF you laugh, EVEN ONCE, MAKE SURE you send us some of the stupid stuff YOU said so we can laugh at you, too!)

Why not?

We’re all ridiculous. We might as well admit it! And then let’s laugh together!

Andy to me: “Yes! I DO want you to come to the hockey game with me! Why? Because I’ll have more fun if you’re there! Everything is better with you. You’re like whipped cream.”

Did I mention that we are celebrating twenty-five years of marriage this year? If you’re marriage is on the rocks, copy and paste what Andy said here to your wife! More marriage advice HERE and HERE and below!

Kyah, as she was about to do math – “Oh wait. I have to get my headset so I can listen to classical music so I won’t cry.”

And so, as you can see, not much changes in our homeschooling rhythms, either! “If you have to cry, go ahead and do it!” is what I say when I homeschool my kids! You can find more helpful homeschooling advice HERE and HERE!

Me to a young man from our church, “You’re a good boy.”

Kyah: “Mom! Why do you talk to him like that! That’s the same way you talk to the dog!”

Young man: “She’s trying to embarrass me, but she ends up embarrassing herself.”

Me: (!)

THE POINT is that not much seems to change with me, either, despite my pouring money into (obviously useless) therapy! However, more articles on how to excel relationally and even to have fun with others can be found HERE and HERE!

Significant changes in our home INCLUDE that our predator (dog) and prey (bunny) ARE changing!

A LOT!

Andy to me: “You are like Cesar Millan. You ARE the dog whisperer.” The dog was peacefully lying at my feet during supper2.

Then Andy said, “I NEVER thought I would say THAT about YOU!”

Me, thinking: “WHY did he have to say that last line?”

However, we can now leave our dog and bunny alone together – unattended! Actually, our bunny gently (but manipulatively) nibbled at the dog’s toes once. Our dog is so sweet and good-natured that the bunny now terrifies the dog when she jumps around the house, asserting her dominance.

(I’m sure there’s some great marriage advice in there somewhere, but I’ll need some careful reflection time to extract it from this life situation. So I may require a lot of time for skiing, relaxing in the hot tub, etc., during this Christmas break. However stay tuned and expectantly anticipate more helpful relationship advice this coming year!)

And so, Merry Christmas! We hope you feel caught up on everything that happened in our lives this year! And we pray God overflows your lives with blessings, as you hang fast to the rope as it swings you through life!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Photo Credit – This is us in a choir that we joined this year. (Maybe new things ARE brewing…?) Do you sense a possible change in the weather, too, friend?

Forget about what’s happened;
don’t keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.
It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?

The Message

Don’t you see it, friend?

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

1 News! Hahahahaha!

2 (Because I “dropped” my food.) But why tell everyone that part?

Advice: Give Jesus And Faith An Extra Look For 3 Obvious Reasons

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(Spoiler Alert: Because you’re wrong! Three times!) You’re welcome! Good luck!

a woman sitting on a blanket looking at her reflection in a mirror

He was hilarious, the way he screwed up his lips and tried oh so carefully to hit the correct BASS and not TENOR note at the community harmony choir last night.

He had a neck tattoo and otherwise was a teensy bit “tough” or “scary looking.”

But he was singing his heart out about a snowflake in winter, and his concentration, bent over the songbook, made him oblivious to those around him, who were staring at him.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

And to be clear, when I say he was “scary looking,” I mean he was to OTHERS! I NEVER assume to know someone’s heart by their EXTERIORS! PLEASE!

However, the comedian we watched the previous night, Shayne Smith, also had neck tattoos and complained that people judged him because of this. “People always assume I was in a gang!” he ranted. Well, he WAS in a gang for a while, we learned later that night, but what was THE POINT?

Oh yes, the point is that:

People may not be EXACTLY who you think they are!

And if I’m honest, I will often scratch my head and wonder who I am when I look in the mirror.

For example, we once had some youth over for dinner. The youth looked at our wedding photograph taken twenty-five years ago and scratched their heads asking, “Who in the WORLD are those people in the photo?”

Obviously, it’s us!

Obviously, we look EXACTLY like we did back then! Everyone knows that! Or maybe everyone doesn’t know that.

People mislead themselves all day long . . . We dupe ourselves in order to deceive others, creating social advantage.1

Scientific American -Living a Lie: We Deceive Ourselves To Better Deceive Others

Perhaps I don’t even know myself as much as I think I should!

And so you may not be EXACTLY who you think you are, either.

And if we’re wrong about others and even wrong about ourselves (I, at least, can admit to being wrong about myself ONCE, for example), maybe we’re wrong about God too.

Jesus is not who we expected him to be, either, actually.

Maybe God is not a mean ogre in the sky, waiting to zap you for your misdemeanors.

Maybe Jesus got off his throne in heaven and suffered pain and rejection on earth to have a shot at wooing you. Perhaps his body and his heart broke and are breaking for your return love of Him. Maybe every thought you have about God that is tied up neatly with a bow is wrong.

And so why give Jesus another chance this season?

Well, the answer to that question is obvious!

(1) You were wrong about others,

(2) You’re wrong about yourself,

THEREFORE

(3) You’re probably wrong about Jesus, too, if you’re honest!

The prayer that precedes all other prayer is, may the real me meet the real you

C.S. Lewis

As the song below sings, “come to Me all you weary,” consider asking Jesus what you may believe about Him that isn’t, in fact, true. And may Holy Spirit help you to “lay down your head,” so He can “give you rest” as you “leave your cares,” this season, friend. God, help us to hear Your whispers of truth about ourselves, others and You, we pray.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – Got Time For Another Look? by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash

1 Huh? THAT part is DEFINITELY wrong! Please!

2 Guaranteed, Official Ways To Win In The Craft Fairs And In Life!

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Go ahead, friend! Win! Why not?

a group of vases sit on a table

I humbly mention that I RAKED IN accolades at the Christmas Craft Fair1, because I won a ribbon in EVERY category that I entered!2

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

As I am a clear WINNER at Craft Fairs and at life, I wanted to share some of the hard-fought wisdom I’ve learned.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

I learned these essential truths:

1.Sometimes just showing up is enough to guarantee success!

Sometimes, we can use the experience of entering the Craft Fair to allow others to elevate us to such a lofty level that we can look down on the “Losers” in our category! And then we can feel better about ourselves! (In my case, there weren’t any “Losers” in one of my categories as I was the only contestant who entered that category3, but THAT didn’t stop ME from looking down on strangers who walked past me at the Craft Fair! I had a ribbon – TWO ribbons! “Did they?” I asked them silently with my eyes, as I puffed up my chest a bit to make sure my ribbons were on display.)

There are many ways to increase our fragile self-esteem by (humbly, of course!) looking down on others.

So, enter the Craft Fairs and go to the gym and to church!

2.Refuse to listen when people “Judge” you at the Craft Fair or in life!

For example, I felt my blood pressure rise to the level my therapist says will kill me if I don’t learn a “Successful Coping Strategy” (Whatever that means). When I got home, I had a fit, which my poor daughter was around to witness, where I complained loudly about the Judges who are not fair to contestants like me! The reason I was so upset was that my competitor’s (i.e., the enemy’s) oatmeal cookie submission won second place.

However, my dessert won third place, simply because I didn’t add any sugar to my baking submission.

People who VALUE the fact that I didn’t dump cups of poison onto the food to satisfy judges with unreasonably sweet tastes (called a Bliss Point which varies by culture) WOULD have at least considered that FOR A DESSERT WITHOUT SUGAR, it was pretty good!

“Why do I let other people judge my dessert, my cookies, or my life?” I wondered in a frenzy of frustration.

Yes! Why do you? I sensed the Spirit of God confirm to my heart.

Why, child?

He was pleading with me.

And just like that, I was convicted of being a bit of a nutcase again. NOT a nutcase in that I am DIFFERENT from others, but a nutcase in that I am the SAME as others. Why, too, do you let others judge your cookies, or your life, friend?

These judges don’t even VALUE the same things you do, whether it’s healthy food, or chasing hard after a God who doesn’t make sense a lot of the time.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise

6th-century Irish poet Dallán Forgaill

We sang the song with the above lyrics this week at church, and my heart felt a little more centered, a bit more aligned with true north. How is the compass of your heart, friend? Does it need a little realignment, too?

To bring your car, ego and life into realignment, consider reading stuff like THIS.

And I hope that your nutcase-ness is exposed a little bit, too, so that God can gently remove a bit more of the cultural rot from your heart, too, friend!

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credits – How To Know You’re A True Winner! by Jelly Dollar on Unsplash, MY ACTUAL RIBBONS! (See? I DO SO tell the truth, sometimes!)

1 Fall Craft Fair, actually, but I don’t want you to know that I forgot about this crumpled-up page of writing that I found in a crevice of my bag this week, because in the fall (of course!) I was too busy swimming in the local lake and now (of course!) it’s ski season AND I just bought a fat tire bike so I can ride on the snow! (Meaning I’m BUSY PEOPLE! PLEASE!)

2 Two categories.

3 Yes, I DID win SECOND place in a category had only ONE contestant (me) due to “Quality Concerns” or some nonsense like that! Whatever! Reread Point #2.

Discouraged By Life’s Race? You’ll Easily Find The Gift Of Refreshment In These 3 Ways

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Got time for a drink, friend? (No! NOT THAT kind of a drink!)

caution runners printed signage on road

She was running, wiping her brow, sweat dripping as she ran.

(I didn’t say life was always pretty.)

She grabbed another drink of water from the paper cup held out to her and dropped half of it on her shirt as she gulped the rest, crumpling and then tossing the paper cup.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

A large group of people running down a street

“They’ll have to clean that up later,” she thought.

She could see another racer just ahead of her, and if she could ONLY go a little faster. She wondered if the other racer might sprain an ankle or fall, or . . . “Then I would be in luck!” she thought.

Wait. Whaat?

She stopped mid-stride to examine her thoughts.

A crowd of racers surged past her in a blur, the rhythmic pounding of their shoes on the pavement the background noise to her thoughts.

When the crowd had passed, she stooped to pick up one of the paper cups, two. When had she become too busy to help clean up the mess she had trampled and even contributed to? Where was this race taking her?

Can’t you be satisfied to drink from the clear stream without muddying the water with your feet? Why do the rest of my sheep have to make do with grass that’s trampled down and water that’s been muddied?

The Message

She put her arm around the volunteer who had come to help those racers in need, the one who had noticed that she needed a more extended rest. She limped, her arm draped over the volunteer’s shoulders, to the aid station. They poked her with monitors and gave her a blanket to warm her and then left her alone.

She was fine. She only needed to rest.

And that’s how I woke up this morning.

How about you?

Ever wake up and remember that you forgot to rest, that you don’t know where your race is taking you, that no matter how hard you try, you can’t quite seem to keep up with your inner coach – you – shouting directions – “Turn left! Turn right! No! Go straight!” – in a way that bypasses the control center, the thoughts and dreams that lay dormant in your head?

It was time for me to rest, but how could I do that?

I needed to exit the race for a bit, to limp to the side and to check out my map. Just because everyone else was running in this direction, did that mean that I should too? What was the map of my heart saying?

I’ll give you the best of care
if you’ll only get to know and trust me . . .
I’ll . . . give you a long drink . . .

The Message

And then she sat.

And then she drank and drank and drank. And roots grew from her feet, deep, deep roots so that she could take a drink more often as she ran the race of life. Water was always at her feet, if only she could remember to drink.

How about you?

And so, what can we do to endure life’s race and not only survive but thrive?

In the middle of your tasks you can comfort yourself with Love as often as you can

Brother Lawrence in The Practice Of The Prescence Of God

Got time to put aside the race and the running and the keeping up and discover what your heart may be whispering?

As the song below sings, “there is a peace to settle your soul.” Consider asking Jesus which path to follow to take one step toward this peace. What hint do you sense in your soul? God, help us to hear your call (that our emotions sometimes chime) to stop, to reassess, and to drink, we pray.

Photo Credit – “Caution Runners!” As You Run The Race Of Life! by Nik on Unsplash, Messy Race (And Life) by Richard Scordato on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!