For two years, I did what I thought I was supposed to do. I posted “authentically” in various online spaces. I hosted a podcast. I wrote for other blogs. I did all of those things, and it was just … not me. Bits and pieces of it were. But the stuff that drained me was not balancing the stuff that invigorated me.
I am Democrat. You are Republican. Peace depends on me.
I am a woman, you are not; peace depends on me.
I am a Christian, you are not; peace depends on me.
In a recent Blue Bloods episode, Danny reveals a family pact the adults all made the day their children were born: We made the choice to bring you into the world. You didn't make the choice, we did. So a bargain was struck that day that you owe us nothing and we owe you everything.
He's right. We owe our children everything. …
Our Life Story is made up in fractions. However, since we forgot everything we learned in third grade math I think sometimes we get stuck and think that PART of our story is going to end up being our WHOLE story. But that's not the case. Basic math tells us that PARTS and WHOLES are very different, and that one piece does not define the whole pie.
Thanks to the sermon at our church this morning, I now understand that under most circumstances, relying on what you have rather than depending on what you hope for is the complete opposite of having faith. Not only does Hebrews 11:1 tell us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen,” but think about it logistically: how will you get there if you don’t leave here? How will you grasp what you hope for if you don’t let go of what you have?
I truly, with my whole heart, believe that if we could all do this for each other, the $40+ billion spent annually on anxiety disorders in the United States could plummet. If we could show each other, Hey, you matter and then back it up with our actions, what a wonderful world this could be.
I think the moments we post with our smiling faces are great. I don't think they're meant to brush over the crappy moments, I think they're meant to make the happy moments SHINE! Highlight these positive and joyful moments. At the end of your life, isn't that what you want to stick out anyway?
My heart is jumbled for where we are as a nation, but I've been singing this all day. I believe God is still on His throne, that life will go on, and that those of us who stand up will make the difference for how the next four years proceed.
