Man In The Mirror

Hands down...Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" remains one of my favorite life songs. Sigh...so good.

The Question of Conviction

I've been thinking about conviction again. It seems to be born out of different things. First thought elicits two points of origin.

* Inspiration

* Reaction

I guess I'm feeling a bit driven to make sure that my beliefs about things come from the former instead of the latter.

Reaction, if not measured against inspiration, can birth dangerous convictions. Not dangerous in terms of being edgy or new...but dangerous in terms of being misleading or distracting. Reaction-born conviction sways past the point of balance to the extremes that the pendulum can swing. It limits itself the moment it is birthed. And, I'm realizing, it just trades one tight fist for another...

Inspiration is another thing entirely...and it's what I'm considering...

Stronger

Worldwide Version - How Great Is Our God

What a great song! I love when artists blend languages...it's a great picture of all of God's children. Not just Americans as it turns out... ;)

World Aids Day

Today is World Aids Day. The issue is close to my heart, so I want to take the opportunity to mention that humanity of all shapes and sizes is immensely precious. The suffering that this disease inflicts on the untreated is beyond tragic...and the people that are left behind are often forgotten. Don't be one of those who shuns or forgets. Be a world changer. :)

Scientific Treatment

So...I'm actually balanced on this topic. Shocking, I know. Right. Smack. In the middle.

Medical Treatment. Traditional vs. Homeopathic/Alternative.

But that's also exactly my point...I feel I need to be balanced on this. God has given us incredible doctors and chemical scientists...amazing strategies, techniques and technologies for cures and rehabilitation. He has also given us an amazing creation loaded with substances that can aid in healing. Both are valuable and can serve each other. A blend of me-treatment and they-treatment.

But...I get nervous when people get wayyyyy too into the alternative stuff. Believing every fad or whim. Taking one person's word without scientific study. No controlled experimentation coupled with well-analyzed data. Procedures or substances that offer a "treats all that ills" guarantee or promise ends that aren't logical and/or humanly possible.

Seriously, why would a pill of crushed up black flies treat my bladder infection? (actually heard this remedy prescribed to a friend) If you can tell me that there's a chemical in those crispy mini-carcasses that increases the acidity or something so that the bacteria die, fine!...but show me the data. (Although, I'm thinking I'd try anything else before that. Eww.) Why does electrical shock therapy make viruses and bacteria disappear? Seriously, a particular frequency for a particular illness? I know our bodies are electrical machines, but is there scientific data on that? Please show me!

I worry because I have a couple of people in my life that I think are suffering MORE because of an inbalanced dedication to alternative medicine. I understand the desperation to find a treatment. I also understand the burden of expense. But...not all that glitters is gold. It can actually be fluff...or poison.

Balance. Balance. Balance.

Christmas Tea

I'm so excited! I get to go to Maywood Covenant Church in Foley this weekend to speak at a Christmas Tea! Even better???...I get to see Michelle again! She was my most awesome Spanish teacher in high school. :)

Sigh.

Why, oh why!!

As a teacher, I long for the moment when a person enters the stage of ownership. It's when he or she doesn't simply think/believe/act based on what mom/dad say or what's popular or socially acceptable or politically correct. It's when he or she "owns" their intelligence and conviction...and thinks for themselves. I live for those moments.

The hitch for some, though, is pride.

When I was younger (and when I hit this stage), I was sure I knew everything. In fact, with a sliver of an experience or even just an observation, I was a self-declared expert on how others were doing things wrong. I knew how parents should parent, how bosses should boss, how religious people should relig...it went on and on. Based...sigh...on very little. Granted, sometimes my observations or revelations were legitimate, forming some impressions and convictions...but how it made me the expert???...ugh...and how it made me qualified to tell others how to live their lives???...ugh x2. Looking back...Embarrassing.

Obviously, with a few decades under my belt, I have areas in which I have incurred some wisdom...experiences, wins/losses, mistakes/rewards, lessons...and I can offer that to be helpful. Because of my pride struggle, though, I still work hard to make sure I'm "teachable" (desire it more and more actually and that's awesome!), so that I can continue to learn and improve any wisdom I currently have AND gain more and more new wisdom too.

So, here I am in a predicament. What happens when you see someone in that ownership stage who is primed and ready to pull the "expert" card, knowing full-well that a lot of people will undoubtedly be alienated? Ugh. Best of intentions maybe...but...sigh... The strategic part of me is calculating the consequences...

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And how fitting...the Ransomed Heart devo of the day...

We Need Wisdom

When the apostles needed the help of some good men to shepherd the exploding new church, they chose men "full of the Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:3). The two go together; we need them both. We need to walk by the inspiration of the Spirit, and we need wisdom as well. Wisdom and Revelation. Early on in our journey, I think we should lean more into wisdom. It takes time to learn to walk with God in a deeply intimate way, and many challenges face us before we are accustomed to the way of the heart. We must practice our chords; we must do our drills.

For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
Proverbs 1:32-33; 2:9-11

We seek wisdom because the trail is narrow and hard to find. It is a cruel thing to tell someone to follow their dreams without also warning them what hell will come against them.

(Waking The Dead , 98, 99)

Mr. Know It All

So much to say...but why look backwards? Good job, Kelly! Good advice all around!...DON'T ASSUME! ;)

I Rest

Long-Winded

Well...hehe...I am, apparently, long-winded. I just returned from Sermon Prep meeting and was told that my latest teaching went 45 minutes!!!! Uh-oh! Hopefully, I didn't have too many snorers... ;)

Unwilling

One of the things I pay attention to when I think about my "thinkings" is the moment I am unwilling to think differently. The resistance causes me "pause". Some of the hesitancies, when I stop to consider, are because of belief...a particular conviction. After some thought, I chose to continue in that conviction or I alter it. Other times, my resistance alerts me to an unnecessary defense of self or choices...the kind that keeps me comfortable in not changing. Those are the ones that catch me off guard and actually bother me. A convenient trap.

Standing up for things is way different than defending unhealthiness...hopefully we don't find ourselves in that place of unwillness to consider...

Go with What You Know

I think I sometimes just have to go with what I know. I get myself into some discussions sometimes that apparently make some people feel uncomfortable. They have to work out my brain so they can feel better about theirs. Awkward. The thing is...my opinions on some of those matters have come from some pretty special experiences. Not just random "thinkings"...experiences. Not just "bullet points"...experiences. So the tension between making others happy or standing (maybe alone) in what I feel...well, it has to be faced. And continuing in conviction...it's ok.

Beautiful Outlaw

Here's John Eldredge's livestream talk about his new book about Jesus. I'm so excited to read it!

Beautiful Outlaw

When You Can't Find Home

The past few weeks have been...trying. Several friends have been suffering or experiencing crisis. I continue to have weird job issues. My house needed some major work, reminding me all over again that I'm basically poor with no hope of things changing in the near future. Some people have been spinning the drama. It's been a challenge. Ugh.

I think one of the tricky parts to this was that I couldn't really do anything to change any of it. All of my typical strategizing techniques weren't helpful for these situations. And some of them pulled on my heart MAJORLY. Seeing one of my best heart-friends suffer was unfathomably horrid. (She's better now...thank you, God!) So, you know...basically, my heart was in a vice-grip.

While it was a particular focus to try to maintain integrity (something I sometimes give up when the going gets tough), I have to say that it was very difficult to find "home"...a place of wide-open spaces to express my sorrows and frustrations. Some of my close friends were the ones struggling...so clearly I wouldn't add to that. Some were surprisingly closed or occupied with other things.

It made a girl feel pretty lonely.

BUT...God really helped me!! While it's a real gift to have people who help hold our hearts, I was reminded again that He is the source of "home". He is the wide open spaces. When people can't be there, He is! He gives us Himself before all things.

So...on the mend...with Him. There's no place like Home. ;)

World Vision Challenge

It's not new news that I'm a fan of the World Vision gift catalog for the holiday season. There are so many ways to help those in need instead of sinking into the materialistic "grabbing" that can be typical of the festivities. So...I pitched the idea to my classes. I asked specifically if they would want to come up with some money to help girls being rescued from the sex trade in Thailand. So far we are up to 12 kids!!! I'm so proud of my kiddos!

The World of Estimates

So frustrating. I'm used to the process of "evaluate, estimate, communicate" when it comes to the professional world. I don't know if it's miscommunication or what...but...ugh. Well, it's a good thing that God is bigger than my mountains. Sigh. Note to self: be more forceful on the front end.

Sermonizing

Getting ready for a sermon tomorrow. Living a Life of Legacy. Should be fun! :)

Without You

I find it so interesting when a secular song actually becomes a worship song for me. I've been singing this to God lately.

And side FYI...I'd love to go to a David Guetta concert some day.

Irritating

It abso-freaking-lutely drives me crazy when people take stuff off MY plate. Puts me through the roof...

Yep

Just call me the Teen Relationship Counsellor.

DRAAAAAMMMMMAAA! ;)

Is there pay for this?

(Need drink or vacation...)

How Tricky

Complicated. Situations where you know there's no winning no matter how "perfect" the approach. Anger for confrontation and anger for no confrontation at the same time. What to do...

Well, the good news...but sad news...is that nothing would have or could have made things better. When dysfunction is the name of the game, the expectations have to be pretty low. And that expectation???...time and messy.

Sigh...

The Power of Acknowledgement

Something really simple, but amazingly powerful.

Acknowledgement.

I was thinking about how the storms of life...the challenges, the chanages, the losses, the offenses...can make someone feel completely alone. For all kinds of reasons the securities that normally keep us afloat seem to crumble, and we feel adrift in an ocean of trouble. So defeating. So demoralizing. So lonely.

Well, today, I noticed something...when people take a moment to "see" the suffering of another, they throw an individual a lifeline. When we say in word and deed that we see their pain and sorrow, we give them strength to face another moment.

There's no pressure to understand diagnose and fix. It's simple acknowledgement. It's simply telling them that you know they are here...and that matters.

November Challenge...Eating!

Well, my November challenge looms! My month of no spending (OK...emergencies, gasoline...exceptions). The biggest challenge, believe it or not, is cooking from scratch. Don't get me wrong...it's not a challenge in the negative sense. I actually look forward to it. It's just something that takes a bit more time and thought. Just in time, one of my favorite "food" bloggers released a series of postings about cooking from scratch. It began with the essentials and has moved into a variety of "how to's". Much fun!

So...here's to an exciting challenge!

Stocking Pantry with Flours

Stocking Pantry with Sweeteners

Stocking Pantry Essentials

Stocking Pantry with Spices

Holiday Giving

Our family changed how we give gifts for Christmas. Many years ago, we decided to give smaller gifts to the little kiddos and take the money for other gifts to pool for donations to various charitable organizations. It's been SO amazing to see the young ones invest in others and actually see them "change the world"...one chicken, one goat, one small business loan at a time. :)
World Vision Gift Catalog

Forgiveness

Time to hug the cactus. ;) AND...let others do the same.

Sing-along Time!!

Yep...someday I'm just going to break out into song. LOVE it! ;)

Don't Stir Your Own Pot

When you stand in fear...when you let yourself be driven by it...you stir your own pot. Why make things worse? Release love into your reality. With it comes wisdom and peace. A far better answer. :)

The Wound Cycle

In my high school Health class we've been talking about some of the reasons why we make unhealthy choices. There's definitely a variety. One of the topics we discussed this week was the Wound Cycle. It reveals how some of the unhealed cracks to our hearts can ignite reactionary beliefs and subsequent behaviors in an attempt to protect ourselves. Certainly, wisdom from tough experiences is a good thing, but in an unhealthy way and left unchecked, the festering wound can initiate a cycle that continues with reinforcements to old wounds and inflictions of new ones. We essentially become victims of our own choices.

Wound inficted...Changed belief (or reinforced wrong belief)...Choices...Actions...REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT...

Interestingly, I've found that this cycle applies to a lot of situations. The wounds don't always have to be what we would often deem "serious"...along the lines of abuse. And the behaviors from them don't always have to be "extreme"...like self-deprecating sexual behavior. We can see the Wound Cycle show up in our reactions to offense or rejection, revealing themselves in permitted selfishness, bitterness, withdrawal... It goes on and on and on...

This is why God's invitations to healing are such a blessing! He doesn't intend for us to survive our pasts as victims!! He makes a way for healing to happen so we can LIVE and THRIVE. Certainly, healing hurts. :( But, the wholeness is worth it...the restoration, the completion, the fellowship..

So...when a Wound Cycle reveals itself, maybe it's an opportunity for blessing... We are all definitely worth it!

The Stand