Authenticity

How To Make God Like YOU Better Than OTHERS!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a man holding a laptop

The question that keeps me up at night is:

How can God like me BEST, BETTER than other people?

My “Therapist” (What does SHE know?) says that these thoughts of comparison and drivenness are rooted in some sort of neurosis deep down, but I doubt that! Anyway, practically speaking, don’t we ALL want the teacher to like US best? Or the boss? Or even our friends?

Of course!

So, those are the types of questions that keep me up at night. And then God seemed to help me understand how to be his favorite! (I DO know that sentence is “Officially” a “Heresy” or whatever, but stay with me, because what God showed me is -Surprise! – theologically accurate, once you understand my point!)

Anyway, this is what happened.

It seemed God was highlighting the word “Beautiful” to a few of us.

How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!

Ancient Text

There was something God wanted to reveal to us about this word.

As shown in this quote below, God isn’t quite as hung up about physical beauty as we are.

“Looks aren’t everything . . . God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.”

The Message

So He couldn’t be talking about that.

And in my prayer time, God seemed to show me a picture of two golden cups, one tarnished1, one polished.

Does one of these cups have less value? He seemed to ask my soul.

No! Of course not. Bought by a gold buyer, they would pay equally for both cups as they have EQUAL value.

So it is with my children, He seemed to whisper.

I think God was saying that ALL of his children have EQUAL VALUE in His eyes.

But some are a little more polished or beautiful.

I wondered how to polish oneself. I suddenly realized that a cup can’t polish itself! “How do we get polished a bit more?” I wondered

Let Me polish you, He seemed to whisper. As you draw near to me and seek me, I am polishing you.

And so I thought I would share what I learned here today with you so that maybe God will EVEN like you as much as He likes me!

Or maybe The Point is that:

If we knew how much God valued and loved us, we wouldn’t care how much He loved anyone else.

And I felt calmed, somehow, loved, and like I could finally take my unbearable list of “To-Do” items, the ones that I unconsciously think will help God to “like me” a bit more, and put it over there, far away, in the pile of stuff that God longs to burn. And I felt a bit more free. Maybe I don’t need to be better than others.

My therapist must be wrong!

(At least, I think that’s what she was getting at. See Paragraph One, above, but I am a bit confused whenever she speaks if I’m honest).

God LIKES me, as I already proved definitely HERE. And He LIKES you, too, and finds you more and more beautiful as you allow Him to purify your golden cup in the fire of His Presence. And there is our freedom.

If you still don’t know what I’m talking about, read this ancient story and let the metaphor sit inside your heart for a bit as you ponder, reflect and thank God for this truth.

(And God will be polishing your gold cup a bit more, even as you do this, friend.)

Photo Credit – Good News! by Jade Destiny on Unsplash

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

1 (*I DO know that only silver tarnishes in real life, not gold, but this is a metaphor, remember? And I believe God considers each of His children to be of the highest value, of gold, so that’s why gold is in the picture. Can we return to the point now?)

Want To Become Less Nuts Now? (Non-)Expert Psychotherapy For Free!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Last time, I told you everything I know about Psychotherapy. Here are five steps to summarize the previous post on fighting overwhelm based on my experience with Psychotherapy. (With any luck, these steps will also help us to become a little less nuts – The point of this post).

1. We slow down.

2. We quiet ourselves.

3. We come as we are, bringing our scattered emotions and lifting our situations to God.

4. We wait.

5. We listen.

Click HERE to continue reading.

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

While Swimming I Got A Great Idea! Weekly Connection Time!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
man in black and white checkered dress shirt and black cap sitting on chair

So, I was on a long swim because I am so athletic and fit, and while I saw a few fish, I sensed God speaking to my heart.

“Who cares?” you ask.

Well, Holy Spirit was speaking about you.

I know you have been waiting in suspense, clicking “refresh screen” every few minutes since you read THIS POST, and I promised to share one of my fish stories with you, so let’s get down to business.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

That day, as I swam, I came across a brownish green slimy patch of regular-looking water weeds that I swam over.

I sensed from God that the slimy patch of brownish green weeds was my writing. 

“Wow!” I thought. I felt so encouraged by that! There were many, many, much more than usual, minnows1 swimming around in this little unremarkable patch of weeds, which encouraged my heart so much.

The minnows are you!

And this is where it gets personal, and I stick my finger through this Substack and poke you in the chest a little.

I have been astonished at how God has brought so many readers (people from 33 countries so far have read this writing online2), or how there are so many minnows around this brownish colored, slimy patch of weeds!

I kept swimming, because as you know, I swim VERY far, and after I turned around and began swimming back home, I suddenly stopped at the location of that little patch of weeds because THERE WERE SO MANY MINNOWS I couldn’t find a way to swim through them.

God is feeding you, friend, and bringing us together to share our food with each other in this little patch of weeds.

The Point?

There is purpose, there is something God is doing, as He is drawing us together. I no longer feel like I am writing to the wind with the sole purpose of building up my shallow self-esteem, begging for “likes,” and trying to inflate my ego.3

I believe that God is waking people up, teaching them to soar, and placing them in communities to grow roots more deeply so that more of the seeds He has planted in each of our hearts can blossom into the flowers He has called each one of us to share with the world.

So, would any of you be interested in attending a weekly prayer and connection gathering, starting in the fall? 5:00pm Pacific time Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are potential times that work. Please let me know in the comments, by email, or through the contact forms, which day would be preferable.

The time would be to discuss together and pray together. No talking experience or prayer experience is necessary! It would be great to share prayer and tea regularly, friend.

Yes, of course it would be free!4

Everyone needs to bring their own tea. That’s it! I look forward to connecting with some of you!

Leave a comment

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!

1 Also, minnows are small fish, and small fish will, by definition, get bigger (I think?), and so I hope that you hang out with me in my little brown weed patch long enough so that I can get all the credit for your growth! (Editor’s note – Try to think of others, not just yourself. Lori’s note: Whatever!)

2 Yes, the stats of which country you are from are posted for free! Yes, the web is super weird. I’m sorry, but I didn’t even ask to know! “Not all visitors who visit your site will have their location enabled in their browsers. Some visitors might access your site through an incognito browser or a Virtual Private Network (VPN).” So, get an incognito browser or a VPN! The web is weird! You’re welcome! Good luck!

3 Though of course I am doing that, too!

4 Did you think I would pay you to attend?

Falling Off The Cliff Of Invisible Cultural Cues? It’s Thrilling That The Most Needed Cure Is Here Right Now

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
man in black crew neck t-shirt lying on gray rock

I was swimming that day when God seemed to whisper in my ear, touching a deeper place in my heart with the words that called me to correct the direction of my life by only a degree.

This is what happened.

I was mindlessly living my life, as we all do, being blown by the wind of the general opinions and attitudes of others, as the hidden currents of our culture pull us. (And by the way, if you think you are immune to the pushes and pulls of your current culture, that is the very air you breathe, then HAHAHAHAHAH! We laugh at you!) The only thing more ridiculous than being blown by the wind of the general opinions and attitudes of the culture you live in is NOT KNOWING you are being blown by the wind and of your culture!

THE POINT is that we are all shaped by the voices of others that enter our minds unobserved, and that God’s voice serves as a salve, as medicine, correcting our lives by a degree or two, if our ears are open to hearing Him convicting us.

This is what happened to me recently.

I had been swimming that day, as I do in that lake in the summer.

Usually, I see one fish, maybe two, as I swim along before I tire.

But that day I saw a school of fish, something rare in this lake. “Wow!” I thought. When I saw another school of fish, a large fish, and another large fish, and then two more huge schools of fish, I began to think, “This is VERY, VERY unusual.”

Literally hundreds more fish passed me that day, until I finally asked, “God, do you want to speak to me?” through this very unusual situation.

And He did speak. And His voice healed my heart. But that is for next time because my time is up again, and as mentioned HERE, your attention span is much too short (No! It’s NOT that I get distracted and forget what I’m even writing about – of COURSE NOT!)

God uses anything, everything, to grab our attention – poke and startle us a little- if our eyes, ears, and hearts are open to this possibility.

How is God trying to wake you lately, friend?

And so, the best way to course correct to avoid walking off the cliff by the invisible wind of culture? Clean out your ears to the voice of God, friend. He’s already speaking. We simply need to find our ears on the ground and reattach them to hear what He is saying—more on this next time.

Photo Credit – Will He Fall Off The Cliff Or Receive Help? by Felipe Souza on Unsplash

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! (Proven HERE, HERE and HERE!) Let’s journey together!

Are You A Spiritual Loser? How To Get An “A” On Your Spiritual Report Card!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

a statue of a man standing on top of stacks of money

Photo Credit – Loser and Winner by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash – Notice that the “Winner” here has less money than the “Loser,” so it’s not about more money, but you already know that! For additional proof, however, consider this quote from one of the wisest people I know:

I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.

Jim Carrey

While training for a triathlon, I was pretty fit.

I swam to my friend’s home two bays down at the lake where we were staying as a regular training exercise.

Then I suddenly got a bit older, and I wasn’t QUITE as fit anymore, at least as I thought I was. “Could I swim to her home again?” I asked myself. A few quick years had passed, of sitting on the couch and eating donuts at every meal, but otherwise, I still felt pretty fit. That summer day, I swam and swam. I did it! Wow!

I sat on her wharf in my solo victory party, my pride rising around me like a great cloud, buoying up my low self-esteem until the cloud tried to suffocate me with the sudden unwelcome thought, “But CAN I swim back home?

No walking trails existed along the shore of these “boat access only” cottages, and of course, cell phone reception was an impossibility in that remote area, even if I did have a phone with me (I didn’t, of course).

My stomach quavered.

How would I get home?

And The Point of this Newsletter is that sometimes, as graciously illustrated HERE and HERE, we aren’t QUITE as amazing as we imagine ourselves to be.

What if that’s true spiritually, too?

Now, before you hold up your hands and caution me against speaking further, responding with the most common objection, like: “Well, at LEAST I’m not Ted Bundy or someone super bad like that! Therefore, I’m sure God will open the Great Golden gates to me!”

Again, I ask, what if being a bit “nicer” than a serial killer like Ted Bundy is STILL not an “A” on your spiritual report card according to Jesus?

(Just asking the question).

And so, how did I get home that day that I swam WAY too far and exhausted myself with my pride? A person I knew saved me. As I swam, when I saw someone I knew, I would crawl up their ladder onto their wharf to sit awhile, resting (and pretending to visit while I caught my breath), until I had enough strength to continue my journey.

And luckily for you, that’s how you can find the way to your true home, too – Just drag your tired butt out of wherever you are struggling just to get by, and rest awhile with Jesus.

He’ll give you some food for your journey, a blanket to warm your soul with increasingly authentic relationships, and a map to guide your unique life adventure to begin soaring like a bird in the sky with Him.

A white bird flying through a cloudy blue sky

He energizes those who get tired . . . but those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar . . .

The Message

And the best part? God will swing open those Golden Gates to anyone who is friends with His son. What have you got to lose except a bit of suffocating pride that you don’t REALLY want anyway?

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

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

Blind to What Actually Matters Most? The Forgotten Step You Need To Soar

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a horse standing on a beach next to the ocean

Last time, I told you the story of me getting connected with an online group aiming to dig deep spiritually, past the muck and hard earth and to help each other shovel as deep as the soft parts of our hearts, where God feels most welcome.

So, to connect with this online group in person, I’ll be boarding an airplane this week, waving goodbye to you all and STARTING – Wait, I mean CONTINUING of course! – my new identity as a travel blogger!

But there’s a bit more to the story, a part reflecting how God is already there working in all of our lives, and to see this, we need only open our eyes.

This is what happened.

I mentioned last time that I sensed God asking me to join this online group, and I was surprised that God actually knows what He is doing and even knows more than I do! The surprise was that I fit right into a group of people with similar backgrounds, that God was wooing, it appeared, in a similar direction. I had no idea where to begin looking for a group like that, and wouldn’t have thought to try. And over the months, I felt more connected in this group and felt called to continue walking and digging deep with these people.

There’s a story and a surprise kiss from God at this part of the story, too.

Last summer, I thought I sensed God asking us to eliminate clutter in our home. As I sold stuff, I felt Him nudge me, saying He wanted me to buy something for myself with the money I earned. But what? I couldn’t think of anything, which may sound funny, but is true. Do we always need more stuff from Walmart or different clothes when duct tape makes stuff last sooo much longer? (Did I mention I’m Canadian?)

But then, when I realized a few months later that I wanted to take more courses with these people, I counted the cost, and the amount for me to study the courses for the year was within about $10 of what I earned from selling stuff last summer.

As the icing on the cake, I received an email from the group administrator last week saying that I miscalculated the PayPal fees and owe them another $10.

So what?

A coincidence?

Maybe.

Or maybe God is opening my eyes and vicariously opening your eyes, that He DOES offer us little jewels along our path if our eyes are open.

And so what is the forgotten step to removing spiritual blinders?

ask

you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it

Ancient Text

As the song below plays, ask God what He has been whispering, but your ears lie on the floor. Where is He standing next to you with a key to solve a problem that disturbs your soul, but you are too busy to stop and notice Him standing next to you?

Help us, God, to remove the blinders from our eyes and the cotton balls from our ears so that we can soar into who we are meant to become, we pray.

a large bird flying through a blue sky

Photo Credits: Horse With Blinders by rhoda alex on Unsplash, Large Bird Soaring by Alfonso Betancourt on Unsplash

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

3 Hidden But Powerful Reasons Why You Love Dragonfly Décor

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

So discouraged. Head in hands. I haven’t seen the sun in weeks. It’s just cloudy skies day after day. I feel stuck inside this small room that confines me.

Where is the sunny sky, and how do these skinny arms transform into wings?

When is it my turn to fly?

I sit on the wooden box, my only piece of furniture in this cement box of a room and read.

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

The Message

And a glimmer of sun – Is it? Peeking through the clouds?

I go outside, for the first time in weeks, to look up at the sky and get a closer look. I shield my eyes now, for the sun shines with unstoppable radiance through the clouds. The sun reaches EVEN ME.

And I am pierced to the heart with this light that illuminates my chest and then expands upward and downward as I stand, mesmerized, as the sun peaks more and more of its light through the clouds that reluctantly part.

white clouds and blue sky

Is that hope I sense on the horizon, too? My heart stirs a little at the sight of something blurry, something I can’t quite bring into focus past the horizon. (Have you looked yet beyond your horizons?)

calm water during golden hour

In your great love revive me . . . I see the limits to everything human, but the horizons can’t contain your commands

The Message

I am warmer now, and I take off my sweater.

The sun’s rays, which are even brighter now, moments later, seem to warm me from the inside out.

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

The clouds part further, making room.

I reach deep, deep into my heart and pull out the weights that hold me to the earth.

I’ll take that, I sense the wind whispering.

Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders

The Message

And I feel an itch, now, and the urge to scratch at my back is almost unbearable . . .

The old skin falls off.

You’ll be changed from the inside out

The Message

And as I rest outside now, in the sun, my wings warming in the spring air, I feel almost enough hope to flap, flap my wings, as they dry here in the sun and then . . .

Do I have the courage to try them out?

Do you?

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar

The Message

a bug sitting on top of a green leaf

One species of dragonfly lives underwater for more than five years.

Yet some dragonfly species live only for a few short weeks on land.

Yet in this short time, dragonflies are a keystone species, meaning they play a crucial role in the health of their ecosystem.

And so, why do you, too, friend, love dragonfly décor?

  1. He is calling, calling you to more. Can you hear Him?
  2. There is a new season for you, too. Can you feel it?
  3. It matters to the ecosystem around you that you make the transition. Do you sense it?

P.S. – For more in-depth Fashion Analysis, check out my other Newsletters HERE, HERE and HERE.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Photo Credits: Parting Clouds by Marieke Verhoeven on Unsplash, Horizon by by Lucas Davies on Unsplash, Dragonfly Alive by Buddha Elemental on Unsplash

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

3 Healing And Stunning Reasons To Love Your DOG / GOD!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
photo of man hugging tan dog

Last night, I was up at three AM because our dog had his semiregular hair elastic emergency poo in which he eats a hair elastic and has trouble with the elimination thereof.

Surprisingly, my auto dictate function accidentally captured my monologue directed toward my dog, Siri, the last time this happened. “Are you kidding me? Okay, okay, okay! Let me help you, Siri! Just a minute! Stay, stay, stay, stay, STAY!”

However, he was able to get everything out all by himself last night!

I didn’t even need to reach down and pull it out like I usually do!

This morning, as I type this, I have just returned from a lovely spring walk with my dog, Siri, and my teen daughter. After enjoying the sweet spring air, part of this beautiful ritual includes finding an old stick nearby to “hockey puck,” our dog’s you-know-what off the middle of the road, the location our dog knew would be the perfect spot to place it.

To tie these miscellaneous thoughts together, I must admit to feeling astonished at how much time I had spent at the rear end of my dog the last time my dog was unwell (in his rear-end parts, of course)!

I wonder why people don’t tell pet owners this ahead of time?

Maybe it’s the same reason why they didn’t tell me it would be so much work to raise my kids. Because we would watch TV and eat junk food for eighteen years instead, the lifespan of dogs or the approximate time kids are in our home if we knew the truth!

Anyway, at least kids sometimes turn out useful!

Our kids may even help drive us to a Doctor’s appointment when we age! They will choose our old folks’ home! (My dad often reminded himself of this under his breath when he was furious at me, which helped him have increased patience with me!)

But are dogs EVER useful?

Why do we love dogs, given they aren’t even helpful? (Note: I’m not sure why my editor fought me SO much over that sentence! We all know that the only reason to “love” another is that we hope to get something in return eventually! Hello?)

Anyway, why do we love our DOGS? Because of the healing that occurs in our soul, of course!

For example:

  1. Dogs model how to forgive. Remember when I accidentally slammed your tail in the car door, Little Buddy? After your squeal, you immediately licked me to let me know you knew everything was okay between us. Thank you!
  2. Dogs comfort us. Remember when you hid behind me, Little Buddy when that scary dark shape approached as we walked that night? Wait -That analogy doesn’t quite measure up. Scratch that! Sometimes, I have the ILLUSION of being comforted because of a dog’s big, scary teeth, which he COULD use (instead of asking for a pet when a stranger entered our home, which is what he actually did). FEELING LIKE you are comforted is ALMOST the same thing as ACTUALLY BEING comforted, anyway!
  3. A dog’s love fits nicely inside the dark hole each of our souls carries- the part that screams for love!

If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal . . . To love is to be vulnerable.

C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves

Need I say more?

Now, I have recently been startled at the similarity between how a Dog’s love heals our souls in EXACTLY THE SAME WAY God’s love heals our souls!

For example:

  1. God will forgive you for every stupid thing you do if you ask Him, too!
  2. God can also comfort you when you’re home alone on a stormy night! For example: “True, [bullies] can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.” So all they can do is kill us! And when dying means hanging out with Jesus, we win both ways! (Do you feel comforted yet?)
  3. God’s love fits perfectly inside that dark emptiness within us, too! And His love is a (much) healthier alternative to heroin, booze, sugar and other “regular” vices we otherwise need to get through life!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

As the song below plays, consider asking God to pour out His love on you in a tangible way that you can pick up, treasure, and carry close to your heart.

What are you sensing as your soul’s response?

Photo credit: Love Your Dog Photo by Eric Ward on Unsplash

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

3 Tips You Need To Know To Become An Amazingly Successful Human And Writer! (Like Me!)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
a monkey with its mouth open

In his effort to build up my fragile self-esteem, my husband reminded me lately that people from twenty-eight countries have read my online writing, which is still shocking to me!

Riding on the heels of this life success – And of course, now I can finally rest assured that my life has purpose and meaning – is that several people have been asking me lately if I’m thinking of writing a book!

Of course, I have been thinking of writing a book, but the trouble is that I can’t figure out what topic I should write about! Sure, I could write up those embarrassing stories about me that make people laugh when we have dinner together, but those stories make me look stupid! I would much rather write about something I’m an expert in so that people will respect and look up to me!

The trouble is, I can’t come up with anything that people would think I’m an expert in.

But I must be an expert in something, obviously, because I write stuff online!

Since I can’t find anything that I’m an expert in yet, or at least anything that I can convince others that I am an expert in (Which my editor says isn’t EXACTLY the same thing- Whatever!) I guess I could write up those stories about the stupid things I did that make me look like a complete idiot.

Well, these are the things that sometimes we need to do for fame and glory!

And that’s what life is all about, wouldn’t you agree?

And so, as a potentially inspiring author yourself, looking up at me with eyes of wonder, what should YOU write about, you ask me?

Great question!

Tip #1

Well, of course, write about the idiotic things you’ve done so that you’ll look stupider than I do, and then I’ll feel better about myself, and we can both share in the fame and glory! (I wouldn’t share any of my fame or glory, of course. I’m not “sanctified” enough for that, which is a Christian way of saying,  “I don’t want to.” But I wouldn’t try to take yours if you have your own share of fame or glory. Unless I could.)

Anyway, please send me what you write!

I won’t read it because my therapist says I’m too self-important (That’s the same thing as being important, right?) to read other people’s stuff, but if I’m having a bad day, then I can think about the stupid things that you’ve done and feel better about myself!

Thank you! And it’s nice to have a friend and do these kinds of activities together – It is a wonderful bonding experience! Blessings on your writing!

And the best part about writing online is that we can tell people what they should do to live a successful life like us!

I hope this advice makes you feel “successful1,” too!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Tip #2

Write headlines that grab people’s attention and are (mostly, in a relative, limited way) true!

This is the second piece of advice!

For example, I thought of titling today’s newsletter “Blathering About Nothing,” but that headline doesn’t rank as well in the headline analyzer, for which I pay $1,000 annually.

And now, getting down to the nitty-gritty of the advice in this newsletter, I will take off my mask and set aside my neurotic whiny online persona, which, of course has no reflection at all of my actual personality.

So you wonder what to write about or whether you should be writing at all or doing something else?

Tip #3

We want to align our life to do whatever it is that God has set before us as our path in this season, whether it’s something that gives us no accolades or glory, or which may (even!) cost us financially, relationally or culturally.

And when we’re busy doing these things together with Jesus, who strengthens us, we find out that the things that used to be so vital to us surprisingly matter a whole lot less!

And then it’s also critical to connect with a group of people that already like you so you don’t have to pretend to be important! They like you because they have to like you, of course, but what difference does that part make? And then you’re soaring.

a large bird flying through a blue sky

So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.

The Message

As the song below plays, ask God, “How do you long for me to pivot my life?” Ask yourself if any of this stuff that I am pulling my hair out trying to attain matters once I’m dead?

And then, once you wake up to the fact that you’ll be dead soon enough in the big scheme of things we call “Life”, you’ll be ready to live.

And when Jesus is responsible for your success, life gets more fun.2

Photo credit: Amazed Monkey by Thomas Oxford on Unsplash, Bird Soaring by Alfonso Betancourt on Unsplash

Note: The photo of the monkey symbolizes you, of course – NOT me! Why would you think that? Refer to my opening line.

But take comfort!

The soaring bird symbolizes you, too.

1“Successful” relative to my life success, I mean, of course!

2 And funny, but that might be something unique to do with my life, so I have the advantage (over you) of being able to tell others about the stupid things I’ve done.

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

How To Be Mature Even When You Don’t Want To Be! 3 Helpful Tips (To Change The World)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
selective focus photography of man using tobacco

I’ve already explained HERE how to be mature.

You’re welcome!

And since that covers everything I know about the topic, I don’t have much more to say, except that I found myself in a (very rare!) instance where I was tempted (but didn’t succumb!) to acting with less than total maturity – The usual way that I conduct myself.

As I travelled recently, I sauntered across the line into injustice, which roused my dormant immaturity. I don’t usually cross over to the side where injustice lives. I like to stand firmly planted where the power is. (For example, read my marriage advice here!)

This is what happened.

“Welcome to the USA!” the signs read, cheerful people reaching through the posters to greet us.

Then the signs directed “Foreigners”, like us Canadians, to a long line of about 500 people waiting to enter US Customs, but our line-up only had 1 (that’s “ONE”) Customs Agent.

And when we finally arrived at Customs, my teen daughter ADMITTED (“WHY OH WHY did I teach her to tell the TRUTH?” I lamented with agony!) to forgetting to throw away her banana peel. She ignored or was too intimidated by the guys with guns at the customs depot to obey me when my eyes tried every manner of saying, “DROP the banana peel confession!”

So this little truthful confession cast into a deeper level of airport hell with the other Felons.

And there were no bathrooms during that long line up OR in the extra hell section of the airport we were in waiting for the Banana Felony to be absolved. And there was no water fountain. The lady before us was faint and had to sit on the floor just before her turn at Customs.

I felt like an animal waiting in a cage, the justice for basic human needs rising within me.

Not long after this, 3 hours later, when my sing songs, manic video watching and dancing about could no longer contain the fact that “I would like to use the bathroom please”, I was finally, reluctantly, given a pass out of the “Banana Felony” section of the airport.

Then the toilet wouldn’t flush. (It wasn’t just a number one but something more significant).

“Take that LAX airport!” I thought with great satisfaction!

There is justice in the world, after all!

After washing my hands, I suddenly realized it would be the hardest working person in the airport, the immigrant without much English, the one who is a post-doc in Moldova and whose 8-year-old child will one day end the Ebola epidemic. It would be that person who would encounter my indignant attempt at injustice.

I found a way to flush the toilet. (As I reflect, it was surprising how EASY it was to flush the toilet when one REALLY wanted to do it!)

“Did I find myself rejoicing in what I think I was rejoicing in?” my more mature self asked my recently victorious self several minutes later.

Yes, BUT I rose to the occasion and ACTED MATURELY!

Here’s how!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Three Tips to acting maturely EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT:

1) Try to remember that there are other people in the world besides you.

2) It’s okay that you aren’t friends with Trump, or someone in high places who has “connections,” and can bail you out of deep water when you are in trouble. (In fact, this may be a very good thing!) Something good happens to our soul when we suffer a little and brush up against a tiny measure of the injustice that most people around the world experience daily. This small measure of injustice can build compassion for the less fortunate if we let it (See Point #1).

An estimated 5 billion people have unmet justice needs globally, including people who cannot obtain justice for everyday problems, people who are excluded from the opportunity the law provides, and people who live in extreme conditions of injustice.

Source: World Justice Project

3) Let’s let the small injustices we experience be fuel to help another who has no power and regularly experiences this.

As the song below plays, consider asking God, “Is there someone I know experiencing injustice I can help support?” Who comes to mind? How can you reach out to them this week?

Will you rise?

Photo credit: Wise looking man by Parker Johnson on Unsplash

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