A common theme has shown up in my life lately.
Identity.
I read about it in my devotional on Thursday, read about being "crucified with Christ" in Galatians on Saturday, the sermon was about it on Sunday & I have seen several posts about identity on Facebook & Twitter today.
I read this today:
"Not only do we not know God except through Jesus Christ, but we do not know ourselves except through Jesus Christ." -Blaise Pascal
I gave my life to Christ when I was 13. I was at First Priority at my middle school & I felt the Lord tugging at my heart strings, so I went down to the front, dropped to my knees & prayed for God to enter into my heart and make me whole.
I proceeded into high school much like everyone else. I did things that I knew were wrong. I said things that I had no business saying. I went places I knew I didn't need to be. I made mistakes, ya know? Sin. I was trying to form my identity from the things around me rather than from what I asked to be inside of me: Christ. Whether that meant wrapping myself up in dating relationships or friendships or extracurricular activities or my GPA, I was searching.
God was a part of my life, of course. I knew the worship songs. I read the Word. I went to services. I was doing everything that a "Christian" needed to do. Nobody wants to go to Hell, right? I sure didn't. I sure don't! But He was just a part of my life. He wasn't my life. I was comfortable with where God & I were together. I knew enough about Him so that I could keep up with appearances but still leave Him on the backburner when the things I wanted to do didn't fit into His plans for me.
My freshman year of college really changed everything for me. Being away from home with only Him to guide me, my freshman experience class, Winshape, deterioration of a relationship... It all just pushed me into God's arms moreso than I had ever experienced before. When I got home from Winshape, I started volunteering with Give Love Away & middle school & main stage worship at Crossroads. I cannot get enough of the Bible. & my actions have finally started to reflect Him rather than just my words. I was no longer "comfortable," and I never wanted to feel "comfortable" again.
Why am I telling you all this?
As a Christian, I feel that it is my duty to tell folks about Him. I do not take the fire and brimstone tactic. Of course, I want everyone to know about a savior that is powerful, merciful, beautiful & just because I want them to meet him & spend eternity in Heaven with Him. But at the same time, I want people to meet Him because the relationship that awaits them is a game-changer. It's a life-changer. So many times, we meet Christ, pray the prayer and tuck Him under our belt so we make sure we're "saved." We post a status or two, maybe tweet every once in a while a Bible verse that we hear. We make sure that we're seen at church, and we donate something... every once in a while... to a cause we think it reputable. But we still never get it.
God wants to save us. He wants to welcome us into eternity with Him when our time on Earth is finished, but what about in the meantime?
When you start dating someone, do you kiss them right on the mouth, ask them to marry you and then say, "Ok, this is really cool! You are so perfect! See you in 20 years when I'm done doing what I want to do & I'm ready to get serious!" Of course, not! We agonize over how they feel about us. We text them & call them & go on dates with them. We want to know about them. Learn about them. We fall in love with them, and we work hard to make them fall in love with us. Ok, ok... I know this is vastly different. But still. God is crazy in love with us. & He wants nothing more than for us to seek Him & fall madly in love with Him. When you ask God to come into your heart, it's not over. Salvation does not end with "the prayer." It starts with it.
Salvation is not just being saved in the afterlife. It's about being saved in this life. Gah, this life can be confusing sometimes. Where do you go? What do you do? What kind of job do you go after? What man do you look for? What do you do when all you want to do is strangle everyone that you come in contact with for no apparent reason? God wants to save us from the crap of this life.
When our eyes are fixed on Him, we can weather the storm and make it to the other side. When our identity is fixed on Him, we are unstoppable.
I am crucified with Christ. When I offered up my life to Him, I had no idea that it meant that I would have to "crucify" the longings of this life. The desires of this life. Sacrifices have to be made. & I spent a lot of years trying to cut corners so that I could make appearances but still hold on to the worldly things that I felt that I needed. But He is all I need. He is what I build my identity on. No, it's not always comfortable. No, it's not always easy or simple. & yes, I make mistakes daily.
But I am so in love with my Creator.
& seeking Him has caused me to find who He created me to be.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Nothing Left Unsaid
I don't have a problem with self esteem any more than the average girl.
We pinch, and we poke at problems that we see in the mirror.
We internalize the things that people say at us in anger during arguments.
We have bad days, and we doubt who we are and where we're going.
I preface my post today with this because this blog entry might make you think at first that I am down on myself, but then that I am full of it. Just bear with me.
I've already written once about the female "too much but not enough" paradox, and I feel that you can see where I'm coming from.
I would like to think I'm not too high maintenance. I am pretty go-with-it, and I don't rock the boat all that much. I just want everyone to be happy. But I know that romantically. Relationally. I can be a handful.
Not because I expect too much, but because I find it physically impossible to hold in my emotions. I've never been good at "playing the game." Sure, I have watched the game being played around me, and I could probably play it fairly well, but me being who I am, there's no way I would be happy in game mode.
I like for the cards to be on the table. If I feel a certain way, I don't understand why I can't (or shouldn't) say so. If the person I am dating feels a certain way, why should I have to read between the lines and find out for myself when it would be so much easier just to hear it from his mouth?
There are some days when I am just so overcome with emotion that I need to see the person's face. I need to talk to them face-to-face & make whatever it is I need to say all the more meaningful. There are some times that I have a thought in the shower early in the morning, and I don't want to forget it, so I will text it to whoever it concerns right at that moment. Yes, I am aware that you are asleep & I am even a little bit sorry that it's so early. Also, I tend to have bad dreams. They range from ax-murderer-chasing-me-through-the-house-nightmare to just basic unpleasantness, but I am going to want to talk about them. Most likely in the middle of the night. I am slightly sorry about this, too, but not enough to not wake you up at 3:00 in the morning.
These reasons and so many more are the things that seem to drive people that I have dated crazy. Haha. & when you're told more than once that you expect too much & you ARE too much, it makes you reevaluate. You begin to internalize the fact that you might be too much and not enough all at the same time.
There is a happy ending to this story.
I know that sometimes the over-the-top-run-to-them-with-everything-deep-meaningful attitude can suffocate. I have showed up at guy's houses that I was in love with just to tell them that I was because I believe in the power of looking someone in the eyes. They would always smile kindly but then use it as ammunition against me later. My actions "scared" them away. I didn't fit into their schedule. I busted in on them unannounced, and I didn't fit. Haha. Well, you know what? I have been dating the wrong guys!
To have someone drop everything they are doing just to come sit on your driveway with you for hours. To sit you down and tell you that no matter how you feel, they are in love with you! To not get in "trouble" when your text messages are a little bit too early in the day or a little too late at night.
Yes, I take a lot of maintenance. But relationships take a lot of maintenance! There are days that my emotions get the best of me. I'm a lot to handle. I'm confusing. I want to talk about things that might possibly be unpleasant. & ladies, I know that you know where I am coming from.
Men want us to believe that we need to just bottle it up until they are willing to open up. We are instructed to walk on eggshells & wait around until they are ready, so that we don't "scare" them away prematurely. How many times have you heard that you're the kind of person they want to be with... Just not "right now"?
Ladies, drop them! If they're not ready for you, what makes you think a couple years will change a thing. While you're "waiting," there are guys out there looking to listen to you. They want to take care of you. They want to sweep you off your feet metaphorically and literally. They want to tell you they love you in the middle of the night. In your driveway. Because that's what you deserve. You deserve to be cherished and loved in the same way that you have always tried to cherish and love others.
You can be yourself with them.
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that it doesn't involve eggshells. Or waiting.
Only late night talks on the driveway, early morning text messages & someone to turn nightmares into dreams.
We pinch, and we poke at problems that we see in the mirror.
We internalize the things that people say at us in anger during arguments.
We have bad days, and we doubt who we are and where we're going.
I preface my post today with this because this blog entry might make you think at first that I am down on myself, but then that I am full of it. Just bear with me.
I've already written once about the female "too much but not enough" paradox, and I feel that you can see where I'm coming from.
I would like to think I'm not too high maintenance. I am pretty go-with-it, and I don't rock the boat all that much. I just want everyone to be happy. But I know that romantically. Relationally. I can be a handful.
Not because I expect too much, but because I find it physically impossible to hold in my emotions. I've never been good at "playing the game." Sure, I have watched the game being played around me, and I could probably play it fairly well, but me being who I am, there's no way I would be happy in game mode.
I like for the cards to be on the table. If I feel a certain way, I don't understand why I can't (or shouldn't) say so. If the person I am dating feels a certain way, why should I have to read between the lines and find out for myself when it would be so much easier just to hear it from his mouth?
There are some days when I am just so overcome with emotion that I need to see the person's face. I need to talk to them face-to-face & make whatever it is I need to say all the more meaningful. There are some times that I have a thought in the shower early in the morning, and I don't want to forget it, so I will text it to whoever it concerns right at that moment. Yes, I am aware that you are asleep & I am even a little bit sorry that it's so early. Also, I tend to have bad dreams. They range from ax-murderer-chasing-me-through-the-house-nightmare to just basic unpleasantness, but I am going to want to talk about them. Most likely in the middle of the night. I am slightly sorry about this, too, but not enough to not wake you up at 3:00 in the morning.
These reasons and so many more are the things that seem to drive people that I have dated crazy. Haha. & when you're told more than once that you expect too much & you ARE too much, it makes you reevaluate. You begin to internalize the fact that you might be too much and not enough all at the same time.
There is a happy ending to this story.
I know that sometimes the over-the-top-run-to-them-with-everything-deep-meaningful attitude can suffocate. I have showed up at guy's houses that I was in love with just to tell them that I was because I believe in the power of looking someone in the eyes. They would always smile kindly but then use it as ammunition against me later. My actions "scared" them away. I didn't fit into their schedule. I busted in on them unannounced, and I didn't fit. Haha. Well, you know what? I have been dating the wrong guys!
To have someone drop everything they are doing just to come sit on your driveway with you for hours. To sit you down and tell you that no matter how you feel, they are in love with you! To not get in "trouble" when your text messages are a little bit too early in the day or a little too late at night.
Yes, I take a lot of maintenance. But relationships take a lot of maintenance! There are days that my emotions get the best of me. I'm a lot to handle. I'm confusing. I want to talk about things that might possibly be unpleasant. & ladies, I know that you know where I am coming from.
Men want us to believe that we need to just bottle it up until they are willing to open up. We are instructed to walk on eggshells & wait around until they are ready, so that we don't "scare" them away prematurely. How many times have you heard that you're the kind of person they want to be with... Just not "right now"?
Ladies, drop them! If they're not ready for you, what makes you think a couple years will change a thing. While you're "waiting," there are guys out there looking to listen to you. They want to take care of you. They want to sweep you off your feet metaphorically and literally. They want to tell you they love you in the middle of the night. In your driveway. Because that's what you deserve. You deserve to be cherished and loved in the same way that you have always tried to cherish and love others.
You can be yourself with them.
I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that it doesn't involve eggshells. Or waiting.
Only late night talks on the driveway, early morning text messages & someone to turn nightmares into dreams.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Doubt
I use the phrase, "There's not a doubt in my mind," a lot.
Maybe because it's the most serious way I know how to get my point across?
Maybe it's just my passion overflowing into my speech?
I don't know. I just know that I probably say that to someone at least once a day.
There was no doubt in my mind that all of us in middle school would still be friends to this day. I mean like the group that we went to 8th grade dance with... You guys know who I mean. Haha.
There was no doubt in my mind that Douglasville would be the place in which I raised my own family.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would cheer all through high school.
There was no doubt in my mind that my grandmother would watch me graduate.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would graduate & move to Tuscaloosa.
There was no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't make it through the application process for Winshape.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would be strong enough to follow through with my boyfriend fast.
But then, oddly enough...
There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to marry Ryan.
You see, I am passionate. But not quite accurate. Haha.
I am not complaining. God has placed me exactly where I need to be to do His work. I am merely examining how life throws curveballs. We can never keep up with them.
I have been struggling with that more than I am proud to admit.
Should we be ashamed when the things that we hold so tightly to fall apart? I mean, we let those things get the better of us. We let those things break us down. We let those things scare us and sometimes even change us.
In those moments, I believed.
Those fleeting moments made their way into my life. & I clung to them. Is that wrong? That I didn't evaluate... I just felt. I didn't examine... I just went. With the innocence of a child, I believed. & it mattered.
It's not wrong. Did your friendship fall apart? Did you not make it to the school you wanted to make it to? Did you flunk out? Did you let your family down? Did you let your friends down? Did your marriage fall apart? Or your engagement? Or your relationship? Well, my heart goes out to you. Something you believed in is no longer there. & I know you hurt.
But hurt is not bad. Hurt is not wrong.
You're growing.
Whether you like it or not. You are becoming something amazing!
So don't doubt.
If you'd known that it wasn't going to work out, would you change anything?
Would you forsake the moments?
If you'd known that the one thing you thought you could trust would be the one thing that you trust the least, would you take it back?
I didn't think so.
Maybe because it's the most serious way I know how to get my point across?
Maybe it's just my passion overflowing into my speech?
I don't know. I just know that I probably say that to someone at least once a day.
There was no doubt in my mind that all of us in middle school would still be friends to this day. I mean like the group that we went to 8th grade dance with... You guys know who I mean. Haha.
There was no doubt in my mind that Douglasville would be the place in which I raised my own family.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would cheer all through high school.
There was no doubt in my mind that my grandmother would watch me graduate.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would graduate & move to Tuscaloosa.
There was no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't make it through the application process for Winshape.
There was no doubt in my mind that I would be strong enough to follow through with my boyfriend fast.
But then, oddly enough...
There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to marry Ryan.
You see, I am passionate. But not quite accurate. Haha.
I am not complaining. God has placed me exactly where I need to be to do His work. I am merely examining how life throws curveballs. We can never keep up with them.
I have been struggling with that more than I am proud to admit.
Should we be ashamed when the things that we hold so tightly to fall apart? I mean, we let those things get the better of us. We let those things break us down. We let those things scare us and sometimes even change us.
In those moments, I believed.
Those fleeting moments made their way into my life. & I clung to them. Is that wrong? That I didn't evaluate... I just felt. I didn't examine... I just went. With the innocence of a child, I believed. & it mattered.
It's not wrong. Did your friendship fall apart? Did you not make it to the school you wanted to make it to? Did you flunk out? Did you let your family down? Did you let your friends down? Did your marriage fall apart? Or your engagement? Or your relationship? Well, my heart goes out to you. Something you believed in is no longer there. & I know you hurt.
But hurt is not bad. Hurt is not wrong.
You're growing.
Whether you like it or not. You are becoming something amazing!
So don't doubt.
If you'd known that it wasn't going to work out, would you change anything?
Would you forsake the moments?
If you'd known that the one thing you thought you could trust would be the one thing that you trust the least, would you take it back?
I didn't think so.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
When You're Least Expecting It.
There are no words to describe the past three months of my life.
I have sat in front of this computer for days now trying to string together phrases that can capture the sheer importance of this summer so that I can remember this down the road. I want to remember this summer.
I graduated high school more than 2 years ago. The person I am today is not the person that delivered a speech on graduation night. I am not the same person that moved to Mercer with Stephanie a few months later. I am not the same person that left for camp last May. I am not the same person that entered Georgia State last fall. I am not even the same person that got my heart broken just a few months ago. These past three months have changed me from deep within who I am to even how I dress and how I do my hair.
I have always viewed life as a time that we spend to find ourselves. & when you do, then everything just falls into place & it all makes sense. I thought that one day, I would be able to sit down and pinpoint every decision made, every step taken & find contentment in the fact that it all led to some pinnacle point where I was who I was going to be for the rest of eternity.
But it's not. Which is both incredibly scary and deliciously exciting at the same time. I guess I see that life is not about finding who you are at all, but about creating who you are instead. There is no right answer. You just keep adjusting and adapting. Over and over. It's never ending.
I have done a lot of things this summer. I have driven a lot of miles. I have sung a lot of songs. I have taken so many pictures. I have laughed harder than I have in years. I have found more & more of God's grace in every passing day. I have gotten one too many pedicures. Hahah. I have recreated pieces of myself that I never thought needed changing. I just have that stand-on-your-head-frolic-in-the-meadow kind of happiness that everybody dreams about. & it's not forced. & it's incredibly real.
I am blessed. The plans that God has for me astonish me everyday. He is revealing them to me one piece at a time. Right when you think things can't get any better, something (or maybe someone) else comes along to expand your dreams even more.
If there was a way to bottle up the emotions I feel right now as I type this, I would.
I intended to make this summer, my last real summer, one that would make an impact on who I am.
But I never imagined it would turn out like it has.
In every single area of who I am, God has shaken things up and shown me that His plans are far greater than my own.
I have sat in front of this computer for days now trying to string together phrases that can capture the sheer importance of this summer so that I can remember this down the road. I want to remember this summer.
I graduated high school more than 2 years ago. The person I am today is not the person that delivered a speech on graduation night. I am not the same person that moved to Mercer with Stephanie a few months later. I am not the same person that left for camp last May. I am not the same person that entered Georgia State last fall. I am not even the same person that got my heart broken just a few months ago. These past three months have changed me from deep within who I am to even how I dress and how I do my hair.
I have always viewed life as a time that we spend to find ourselves. & when you do, then everything just falls into place & it all makes sense. I thought that one day, I would be able to sit down and pinpoint every decision made, every step taken & find contentment in the fact that it all led to some pinnacle point where I was who I was going to be for the rest of eternity.
But it's not. Which is both incredibly scary and deliciously exciting at the same time. I guess I see that life is not about finding who you are at all, but about creating who you are instead. There is no right answer. You just keep adjusting and adapting. Over and over. It's never ending.
I have done a lot of things this summer. I have driven a lot of miles. I have sung a lot of songs. I have taken so many pictures. I have laughed harder than I have in years. I have found more & more of God's grace in every passing day. I have gotten one too many pedicures. Hahah. I have recreated pieces of myself that I never thought needed changing. I just have that stand-on-your-head-frolic-in-the-meadow kind of happiness that everybody dreams about. & it's not forced. & it's incredibly real.
I am blessed. The plans that God has for me astonish me everyday. He is revealing them to me one piece at a time. Right when you think things can't get any better, something (or maybe someone) else comes along to expand your dreams even more.
If there was a way to bottle up the emotions I feel right now as I type this, I would.
I intended to make this summer, my last real summer, one that would make an impact on who I am.
But I never imagined it would turn out like it has.
In every single area of who I am, God has shaken things up and shown me that His plans are far greater than my own.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Be Scared.
I was talking to an old boyfriend earlier this week, and he said that my actions in the relationship 'scared him away'.
At first, these words hurt my feelings. I can't act like it didn't make me really think... I mean, nobody wants to be 'scary'. Especially in a relationship. Especially only being 20 years old. I am too young to be scary, right?
I wish I could explain why I get so caught up in things. Not just boyfriends but everything. I let things completely entangle me in emotion...
So, anyway, I was sitting here just thinking about how everything turned out. I could feel myself reprimanding my behavior. Thinking that I need to change. Maybe if I didn't care so much about people & things & events then I wouldn't get let down so easily.
But then I thought if I didn't care so much about people & things & events then the amazing things that I have experienced also would not have happened.
The truth is, I want to be scared. I want to be on the edge of my seat. I want to create magic... & magic never happens for the people that sit back and let life happen to them. Magic happens for the people that go out and MAKE life happen.
When I first accepted the Lord, I was scared. When I sang for the first time at Crossroads, I was scared. When I went on first dates. When I leaned in for first kisses. When I stood up in front of producers & auditioned for the biggest thing I've ever done. When I sang in front of 30,000 people in Jacksonville & in New Orleans & in Talladega. When I started leading 15 twelve year old girl on Wednesday. I was scared. And these things are what have fashioned me into what I am today.
Life is scary. It doesn't matter how many people have walked the walk before you. It doesn't matter how many stories you hear. You'll never be prepared for what's coming to you. & that is scary.
I don't know about you, but I want to be scared. Because when you're scared, you learn. When you're scared, sometimes you find incredible reward!
Be scared. But don't let it keep you from living. From loving. From growing & finding who you are in the meantime.
At first, these words hurt my feelings. I can't act like it didn't make me really think... I mean, nobody wants to be 'scary'. Especially in a relationship. Especially only being 20 years old. I am too young to be scary, right?
I wish I could explain why I get so caught up in things. Not just boyfriends but everything. I let things completely entangle me in emotion...
So, anyway, I was sitting here just thinking about how everything turned out. I could feel myself reprimanding my behavior. Thinking that I need to change. Maybe if I didn't care so much about people & things & events then I wouldn't get let down so easily.
But then I thought if I didn't care so much about people & things & events then the amazing things that I have experienced also would not have happened.
The truth is, I want to be scared. I want to be on the edge of my seat. I want to create magic... & magic never happens for the people that sit back and let life happen to them. Magic happens for the people that go out and MAKE life happen.
When I first accepted the Lord, I was scared. When I sang for the first time at Crossroads, I was scared. When I went on first dates. When I leaned in for first kisses. When I stood up in front of producers & auditioned for the biggest thing I've ever done. When I sang in front of 30,000 people in Jacksonville & in New Orleans & in Talladega. When I started leading 15 twelve year old girl on Wednesday. I was scared. And these things are what have fashioned me into what I am today.
Life is scary. It doesn't matter how many people have walked the walk before you. It doesn't matter how many stories you hear. You'll never be prepared for what's coming to you. & that is scary.
I don't know about you, but I want to be scared. Because when you're scared, you learn. When you're scared, sometimes you find incredible reward!
Be scared. But don't let it keep you from living. From loving. From growing & finding who you are in the meantime.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
fairy tales
I woke up this morning at 7 AM. My heavens, the only thing I wanted to do on this rainy morning was sleep until noon, but the real world called.
I layed in bed and thought about what I had going on the rest of this week. Work & gym today. Getting up at 6 AM tomorrow to babysit. 7 AM call time on Sunday for church. "Back to the real world," I thought to myself.
But really. I do not live in the real world. My entire life is a fairy tale!
The past 5 days have been a complete whirlwind!
For those of you who do not know, I auditioned for the television show, The Voice this weekend.
I have signed up to audition for many shows just like this one. American Idol, X Factor, America's Got Talent... But I never show up. Most of the time, I don't even tell people! Haha.
I cannot express how glad I am to have gone to the open call on Saturday. I met so many wonderful people, had so much fun with my family & friends, and I really proved to myself that this road is something I could really do! I could actually do this!
My fairy tale doesn't end with singing. I'm just blessed.
Blessed to be surrounded by the people that I am surrounded by. Blessed to have a family that loves me and that just rolls with the punches. Blessed to have such amazing friends that could honestly care less if I ever hit it big or not. Blessed to have a beautiful car that runs like a million bucks! Blessed to have a job that still allows me to go and do. Blessed to be able to take it easy this semester & focus on just being 20!
I am just so humbled.
I am the luckiest girl in the whole world.
I layed in bed and thought about what I had going on the rest of this week. Work & gym today. Getting up at 6 AM tomorrow to babysit. 7 AM call time on Sunday for church. "Back to the real world," I thought to myself.
But really. I do not live in the real world. My entire life is a fairy tale!
The past 5 days have been a complete whirlwind!
For those of you who do not know, I auditioned for the television show, The Voice this weekend.
I have signed up to audition for many shows just like this one. American Idol, X Factor, America's Got Talent... But I never show up. Most of the time, I don't even tell people! Haha.
I cannot express how glad I am to have gone to the open call on Saturday. I met so many wonderful people, had so much fun with my family & friends, and I really proved to myself that this road is something I could really do! I could actually do this!
My fairy tale doesn't end with singing. I'm just blessed.
Blessed to be surrounded by the people that I am surrounded by. Blessed to have a family that loves me and that just rolls with the punches. Blessed to have such amazing friends that could honestly care less if I ever hit it big or not. Blessed to have a beautiful car that runs like a million bucks! Blessed to have a job that still allows me to go and do. Blessed to be able to take it easy this semester & focus on just being 20!
I am just so humbled.
I am the luckiest girl in the whole world.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
When the World Kicks You. In the Face.
Sometimes life is going to kick you in the face.
I mean. Like literally scissor kick you right in the face.
You will just be walking along thinking all is well. It will be a sunny, beautiful day in which you think you've got it all together... Then bam. A size 17 Nike sneaker to the face. (Because I like to think the world wears Nike's)
When this happens, we have a few choices.
1. Lay there on the ground wallowing in our own self pity.
2. Create a strategic plan in which we get even with the world.
3. Overevaluate why we were kicked in the first place.
4. Become scared & withdrawn to protect ourselves from being kicked again.
5. Pull ourselves together, dust ourselves off & keep on moving.
I know that I wish that I could say that I always pick option #5. It's the most rational and probably the most healthy. But I know that I cannot say (with a clear conscience) that #5 is the one I regularly choose.
I know everyone has their own ways to cope with the world's kicks. Me. I try to run from them. I avoid the problem until it's so big I physically can't handle it. Is this healthy? Of course not! But I do it. Do you ever notice how the world likes to kick you when you're down? Like when you're already incredibly stressed out and worried and nothing seems to be going your way some day... THAT'S when you find out that your ex is seeing somebody new?
Or when you've already failed a final, lost your wallet & fell down the stairs at school... THAT'S when your car won't seem to crank.
I mean, right now, I am sure you've got your own series of problems that are running through your mind.
Because problems always seem to come in a series. The world kicks you... You try to block the blows... But eventually you just surrender to the punches. I mean, what else could it do, right?
Robert Louis Stevenson said this:
"Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits."
Really think about this. If you succeeded in everything you did, where would you go from there? Have you ever met a person that succeeded in everything they did? I didn't think so. I haven't either.
We're all on the same playing field. We're all failing. Over and over again. I know the world is kicking me in the teeth... But it also kicks Donald Trump in the teeth. & Bill Gates & Natalie Grant & Halle Berry & Katy Perry & my pastor & my best friend & my ex boyfriend. I can look at everyone else's life... and no matter how it may look from the outside... I know that they are failing just like me.
There's peace in that. Life is not about what happens to us. It's about how we react to what's happened to us. I want to choose postivity. I want to choose happiness. I want to choose joy. I want to choose prayer. Oh my, this is not always simple. But it's beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful that someone that chooses to rise from the ashes & make something new and powerful from what was broken.
My very favorite quote is by Robert Frost.
"In three words, I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on."
I hope you know that. I hope I can learn that.
The world is going to kick you. Life is going to hurt. But it always goes on.
I mean. Like literally scissor kick you right in the face.
You will just be walking along thinking all is well. It will be a sunny, beautiful day in which you think you've got it all together... Then bam. A size 17 Nike sneaker to the face. (Because I like to think the world wears Nike's)
When this happens, we have a few choices.
1. Lay there on the ground wallowing in our own self pity.
2. Create a strategic plan in which we get even with the world.
3. Overevaluate why we were kicked in the first place.
4. Become scared & withdrawn to protect ourselves from being kicked again.
5. Pull ourselves together, dust ourselves off & keep on moving.
I know that I wish that I could say that I always pick option #5. It's the most rational and probably the most healthy. But I know that I cannot say (with a clear conscience) that #5 is the one I regularly choose.
I know everyone has their own ways to cope with the world's kicks. Me. I try to run from them. I avoid the problem until it's so big I physically can't handle it. Is this healthy? Of course not! But I do it. Do you ever notice how the world likes to kick you when you're down? Like when you're already incredibly stressed out and worried and nothing seems to be going your way some day... THAT'S when you find out that your ex is seeing somebody new?
Or when you've already failed a final, lost your wallet & fell down the stairs at school... THAT'S when your car won't seem to crank.
I mean, right now, I am sure you've got your own series of problems that are running through your mind.
Because problems always seem to come in a series. The world kicks you... You try to block the blows... But eventually you just surrender to the punches. I mean, what else could it do, right?
Robert Louis Stevenson said this:
"Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits."
Really think about this. If you succeeded in everything you did, where would you go from there? Have you ever met a person that succeeded in everything they did? I didn't think so. I haven't either.
We're all on the same playing field. We're all failing. Over and over again. I know the world is kicking me in the teeth... But it also kicks Donald Trump in the teeth. & Bill Gates & Natalie Grant & Halle Berry & Katy Perry & my pastor & my best friend & my ex boyfriend. I can look at everyone else's life... and no matter how it may look from the outside... I know that they are failing just like me.
There's peace in that. Life is not about what happens to us. It's about how we react to what's happened to us. I want to choose postivity. I want to choose happiness. I want to choose joy. I want to choose prayer. Oh my, this is not always simple. But it's beautiful. There is nothing more beautiful that someone that chooses to rise from the ashes & make something new and powerful from what was broken.
My very favorite quote is by Robert Frost.
"In three words, I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on."
I hope you know that. I hope I can learn that.
The world is going to kick you. Life is going to hurt. But it always goes on.
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