Crossroads of Life

In life, there are times we find ourselves standing at a crossroad. For all the planning and mapping out the direction we intend to go, we often come upon a crossroad we had not expected.

Merriam-Webster defines Crossroad as -- 1: a road that crosses a main road or runs cross-country between main roads 2: a: the place of intersection of two or more roads b (1): a small community located at such a crossroads (2): a central meeting place c: a crucial point especially where a decision must be made

Wouldn’t it be great to have a GPS for our life choices? We have a GPS we travel around with now. The best thing about these little devises is that the age old argument about stopping for directions is eliminated. Somehow, men find taking directions from the female voice in the box far less threatening than asking a real person. Whatever works!

We have named the female voice of our GPS Sadie. Her full name is Sadie-Sadie Bossy Lady. Rather than finding her directions insulting as he would, I don’t know, say mine, my husband gets tickled at Sadie. He does, however, take a stand once in a while and goes in another direction just because he can! Sadie jumps into action and adjusts her game plan declaring she is ‘recalculating.’ I think she sounds annoyed. Regardless, she comes up with another plan and we move on down the road.

No matter how we have planned our lives, crossroads will pop up and throw our plan out the window. There is a GPS for life, the Bible. Referencing the Webster listing above, the option we encounter causing the most distress will be option C:a crucial point especially where a decision must be made.

The good news is that the Bible is a road map of wisdom with any and every answer regarding direction we need. The problem lies with people’s inability or unwillingness to learn to read the map! We want easy answers; we want Sadie-Sadie Bossy Lady telling us where to turn and when. We do not want the accountability that comes with making crucial decisions. We do not want to have to step back and ‘recalculate’, so we wait.

People, GPS can stand for God Problem Solves or God Promises Security or God Provides Solutions. Next time you hit a crossroad, pull out the only GPS that counts!

Notice What You Notice

Notice what you notice.

That line strikes me as quite profound. I am one that pays attention to ordinary things. Perhaps it’s the writer in me being tuned in to my surroundings for the word pictures. Perhaps it is the mother in me that was always had to have at least one eye and ear trained toward my children. Regardless, being aware is in the details.

Priorities
Priorities may be a factor that determines that on which we focus. For instance, I love plants and can spend time just ‘being’ around them. My husband really couldn’t care less. We had a fierce wind storm early one morning that toppled the star of my front landscape. You have to realize that by ‘landscape’ I mean the meager area that actually has a plan; a purpose in the Five Year Plan I’ve been working on for seven years.

Anyway, this tall imposing Spanish Dagger, loving called the Stickity Pokity, was blown over; broken off at ground level. I call it the star of my landscape because it stood out against the skyline when viewed from the street level and coming up our hillside driveway. It was magnificent. That afternoon was clear and sunny when my husband returned home from work. He did not notice the Stickity Pokity no longer standing next to the driveway. I had noticed at first glance through squinted eyes due to a migraine headache; how was it possible that my husband did not see it as he came up the driveway, drove right beside where it once stood and never noticed it wasn’t there any longer? I do not know.

Gender
Some say there is a distinct difference between men and women in this area. Living with my husband provides a solid argument for that theory. I would like to walk around inside his head for one day, thinking his thoughts, seeing the world through his eyes and noticing what attracts his attention.

The running joke around here is that men, at least the men folk in my home, can not find anything they are looking for unless it is jumping up and down, calling their name. My husband can not find anything in the fridge unless it is right along the front edge of the top shelf. Anything beyond that is invisible to him. If he can not open the door, stand back and have it fall out, he doesn’t see it. Heaven forbid he should actually have to move something around to see behind things. I can tell him which shelf the desired object is on, whether it is on the right, left or in the center without so much as glancing in his direction and from the comfort of the couch but he still can not find it. I know this information because I pay attention, not because my fridge is so organized and structured, believe me.

I’d like to point out that this same man can talk to you about sports data, tell stories from previous games attended, and even tell you how much he paid for tickets many years ago. Is that a gender thing or a priority issue? Let’s just call it Gender Priority and be done with it.

Perspectives
I have a theory that perspective has a lot to do with determining that which we notice and what we do not. This is not gender related at all. Having had many children living in my home at one time or another, I can tell you that their perspective makes things like towels on the floor a non-issue. Same thing for full trash cans. Glasses left on the coffee table, shoes beside the couch, school papers wafting to the floor, clean folded clothes under the bed, candy wrappers stuck in all sorts of odd places……none of these things ever hit their attention radar. They walk through the same rooms I traverse yet are oblivious to all the aforementioned. What was obvious to me rendered them oblivious. Obvious, oblivious. Notice how closely spelled those two words are, yet mean something entirely different? From their perspective, nothing was askew. From my perspective, a stress meltdown was imminent because nothing was on their radar. Indeed, perspective is a powerful factor in determining what we notice.

So, we have looked at priorities, gender and perspective. My question to you, dear reader, is can we change what we notice and deem attention worthy? Perhaps making a concerted effort to notice what you notice will give you insight. It’s that simple, notice what you notice; being aware is in the details.

Color Me Blessed

As inept as I sometimes feel regarding my abilities, I am enjoying some modern technologies in the social networking world. I have a MySpace page, created to follow what was going on in the lives of my grandchildren. I don’t find it very user friendly. Consequently, not much time spent there.

I am also on Facebook and enjoy it very much. Little snippets from the lives of friends, old and new, help me feel connected in the busy-busy, rush-rush world. I like being able to see the pictures they post of all things important to them. Again, just tiny box-like windows into the lives of those I care about.

I was telling my dear friend, Helen, how at one time I scheduled in a day once a week for connecting with two friends. Life moves so quickly and spans of time pass before you know, so maintaining relationships is often left behind. It is one of those things we tell ourselves we will get to later. We usually don’t get to those kinds of things….

So, knowing myself and my need to be structured if I am to accomplish anything at all, I scheduled in a day to connect with at least two people, be they friend or family, I had not touched base with in a while. It was a good system for me. Facebook now puts me in contact with many people every day. Awesome! The need to reach out to those not on the social networking highway still exists, so I think I will leave that assignment in my weekly routine.

People matter in our lives and are worth the extra effort it takes to nourish and maintain communication. No matter how large your paycheck, it still cannot link arms with you and stand up against the harsh realities of the world, people do that. Our jobs are necessities to provide sustenance and roofs over our heads but cannot lend a shoulder to cry on when your heart is broken. Our vehicles can not hold our hands as we sit in an emergency room waiting to hear if our loved one will be okay. People matter in the times that matter most in our lives. Should we not then pay at least as much attention to them as we do our worldly material possessions and endeavors? I believe we should.

This is not to say we just throw our every thought and emotion out there for all those we know to access. No, there are those people in our inner circle to which we entrust our hopes, fears, dreams and tears. It’s called an inner circle because it is closer to your heart and those inside are there by invitation only. Blessed and fortunate is the man or woman that can count on even one finger someone with which they share their inner circle. Sadly, some never have that treasured relationship. So, protect our inner circle, we shall.

There are still many contributions made into our lives which both enrich and expand our worlds, making life more colorful and meaningful. Friends and family are the contributors and these are the folks I’m writing about today. Just as many pieces of colorful fabric comprise a patchwork quilt; our friends add beauty to our lives. Any blanket can keep you warm but isn’t it nice to see the patterns and colors come together to make a patchwork quilt beautiful? Reach out and contact an old friend today. It will make the day for both of you.

Quote for the Day

I collect quotes; the ones that strike a chord in me when I read them. I'm sharing one with you this morning. Here it is:

If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it.

Roger Babson(1875-1967, American statistician, columnist)

I don't know if the author was a spiritual man or not but his philosophy certainly applies in a Christian walk, doesn't it?! It's difficult to look at ourselves as the source of our woes when we're so busy pointing at others, the enemy and/or situations.

As a parent, the kids give me all the examples I need (see how I'm talking about their examples & not mine, hehehe). One child or another would come telling some sad, sad tale about how a sibling did them wrong and the first thing I asked was, "What did you do to them?" It made them so mad when I did that! After a bit, we would eventually get around to discovering the action that inspired the assault in the first place. When this was brought into the light, they invariably came back with, " but I was just...(fill in the blank).." Somehow they have justified their own actions but want retribution whacked down on the other person for their heinous crime.

No one likes to own responsibility for the not so wonderful actions, behaviors, attitudes and issues of their life. This is especially true when we KNOW we are not acting as Christ would have us do, yet we spend a great deal of energy listing all the reasons we can't. "....but I was just ...." "...but they..." "...don't have time..." the list goes on and on. We've all been there and said those very things.

The Christian's life should reveal the truth of who Jesus Christ is. In so doing, it can provide a godly example and legacy for future generations. God wants us to invest our lives in ways that bring honor and glory to Him. Doing so, we will also be developing a rich spiritual inheritance to give to others.

Again I ask, what legacy will we leave behind?

“If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it.”

We could leave a better legacy by examining our own hearts and actions honestly; making adjustments to realign with godly principles.

"No matter how pretty it may be, the view through rose colored glasses is neither honest nor accurate. Our actions need to stand up in the clear bright Light that is God."
Connie Lynn Bermea (1953- American Christian writer)

You may quote me on that!

The Heart of the Matter

Giving comes in all shapes and sizes. I’m not talking about sizes of the gift but sizes of the giving. To clarify even more, I’m not talking about the cost of the gift when referring to the size but the magnitude of the gift on the heart of the receiver.

Often, we get very practical when deciding on a gift. I have been the both the receiver and giver of underwear in either a Christmas stocking or Easter basket. I can remember as a child thinking this was ‘iffy’ on the scale of gifts. As a practical parent of many, it seemed an opportunity to replenish the stock of necessities. I’ve seen that ‘iffy’ look on my kids faces before. I recognized it immediately.

Sometimes our motivation in gift giving goes askew and we are guilty of giving a gift we want the other person to have. They just don’t know they want it yet, that’s our thinking.

Then every once and a while, we give a gift that touches the receiver’s heart. I believe these gifts are from the heart to the heart. It is one such gift I write about today.

We have an older family member, Flora, in the hospital recovering from a painful hip replacement. She has been through a lot physically in this ordeal but it is her heart we have been concerned about. Not in a health way but in a broken, heart-sick way. Her grown children have been a source of heartache in a time when she needs support and encouragement. We can see the look of pain on her face when she moves about but it is the pain in her voice which has us most concerned.

When the heart is heartsick, the soul and spirit are affected. A phone call the previous evening prompted my husband, John, to go spend time with her the next afternoon after work. Thinking it would cheer her up, he stopped to get her some traditional Hispanic soul food; beans, rice and tacos. While waiting for the food, divine inspiration hit and he made arrangements with a Mariachi musician to walk across the street to the hospital with him and play a few Christian worship songs for Flora. She loves worship music!

Through tears of joy she worshipped openly as this young Believer/musician played. My husband says the young man sang beautifully and reverently. It was evident his talent was a gift from God. Nurses listening outside the door were moved as well. It was a time of praise, prayer and heart healing. This young man ministered to Flora with his music, she ministered to him through prayer. John said it was a beautiful sight to behold.

This was a gift from the heart to the heart!

It may not have been practical like underwear but I believe Flora’s heart is better today for it! I’ve never been more proud of my husband. He touched my heart, too.

Growing Pains

I have been going through a period in my life where I struggle with what can only be described as growing pains. Remember as a child when you’d complain to your parents that your legs hurt, especially at night? Their inevitable reply was that you would ok, it was only growing pains. Not a very satisfactory answer to a kid with hurtful legs but there was some sense of well being in knowing that at least it meant you were getting bigger.

Spiritually, we have growth spurts, too. It’s rather like the shedding of an old skin; somewhat snake like. To allow the growth to take place, we must shed that fleshly nature, layer after layer. As with the growing pains of our youth, this can be a painful process. Not always but decidedly from time to time. Our flesh hangs on to the old familiar ways with tenacity.

When I become aware that I’m dealing with spiritual growing pains again, I have found solace in a book called Joshua. The following paragraph comes from the book. I’ve removed character names and references but left the meat of content:

….We all have to be content with slow progress….Human beings are like plants. They grow in stages and those stages can’t be accelerated. In due time plants bear their fruit, and with human beings it is much the same. In the proper time and at the proper pace we grow into what God intends us to become. Events take place and strangers cross our paths that force us to think. All these things God uses to teach us and suggest a different way of understanding things. So we grow, gradually, imperceptible, under the subtle guidance of God’s own spirit. Being conscious of our success is not important. The left hand shouldn't know what the right hand is doing……

I have read this book at least six times; not as substitute for the Bible but, for me, another reflective source of how I aspire to be more Christ-like. When I am discontent with my personal spiritual growth, unhappy with myself, reading this book helps me align my thoughts back in a more proper order. God’s order, not mine, be done; the cry of my heart.

God shows me mercy but it seems I sometimes have difficulty showing myself any. I’m sharing all this to say, beating yourself up when you don’t feel you measure up is not a part of God’s growing plan. We are never going to be exactly where we aspire to be as long as we walk around in human flesh. It’s the process of the growing, the removal of our old self, the renewing of our minds that is the constant task before us. If we do our part, God is faithful to do His part and grow, we will.

Deliberate Day of Thanksgiving

Ahhh, Friday, my favorite day of the week. Thank you, Lord, for giving me another Friday!

Fridays are my deliberate day of thanksgiving. I give thanks every day but make a point of taking time each Friday to reflect back on the week and list the ways I saw the Lord working in my life. It amazes me to count the little things He does that I might not recognize at the time as His handiwork. That's why I have a ‘deliberate day of thanksgiving.’

While this a wonderful time to acknowledge His works in my life, it's also the time I reflect on MY works that weren't so great; confessing the areas I may have stumbled and fell and acknowledging opportunities to show a more spirit-filled example but didn't.

So, to say it is a bittersweet experience is very accurate. It keeps me honest with myself though. First listing His mercy and handiwork, then confessing my weaknesses and sins, asking for forgiveness is a cleansing, refreshing time.

If you don't have such a specific time for doing that, you might try it and just see how the Lord draws you up close, kisses your wounds and smiles on you. This is one habit I will carry throughout the rest of my life.