I made a mistake the other day….I vented. I am not saying that venting is wrong, but for me I know it’s not something that is healthy for me, so I don’t tend to do it. So the other day when it slipped out, I came to regret it. Why? Well what came out the other day was pure frustration, and frustration doesn’t necessarily achieve the goals that I set for myself and my writing.
So I have some goals that I’ve developed over the years. The first being, that it be a reflection of what God is saying to me through the relationship that we have. Additionally, the way I write is to communicate the first goal, and do it in a way that those who read it would either be encouraged and or give them something to think about. I am not here to convince anyone of a position or tell them how they should think. That is probably why I don’t have a big following, I don’t typically get people all worked up nor do I give them some concrete view of the world that they can fight about.
What it does mean is that I try to speak about what has already been wrestled over. Also, that I do it in person. Luckily those who responded to me are people I love.
Well the other day, I did post something that was deemed a little political. A few of the responses made me sad, as they seemed to have a different point of view, and it was then that I knew how wrong I had been to post in the first place. It didn’t fit my criteria, and when it comes to what I put in print, those goals are important. They are goals that I have hashed out over the years with the God I wrestle with. Now does that mean I can’t express my opinion? No.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.
It’s not easy though, I am only human. There is still a bit of wrestling that goes on before I respond, and during that pause the Lord reminded me of something very important. That people are more important than my pride or any opinion I could ever have.
May this be a lesson I never forget and along with that….. I hope it makes you think!
Advent.
I’ve said it a bit recently to those around me, “it’s not how you start, but how you finish.” And don’t get me wrong…. It’s easier to finish well when you get out of the blocks cleanly.
judged me prematurely, and I think there has been a bit of an impact. I am grateful though for those who have been on the other side. The one’s that have given me the chance to change, grow and mature. Those are the ones that didn’t write me off, but gave me the time, love and encouragement to fulfill the potential they saw and hoped to see bloom.
So day 2 is always hard. I always wonder, what will I write about now? I also feel behind the eight ball because I am tired. Taking care of someone can be tiring. Part of it is physical, but it’s also a mental tired. Since I tend to overthink things, I am sure that is a lot of it! There is a spiritual aspect to it too. The word “spiritual” makes it sound very serious, but it really hasn’t felt that way.
The neurologist gave us an idea to fastrack the whole thing. So he called a doctor at the local emergency room to get us in. My hubby was so excited, we would go to the ER and they would transfer us to a larger hospital. It would be there that they would see the big mass in his head and they may even do surgery this weekend. Isn’t it great? There was not one tear, one moment of hesitation or fear. We looked at each other shook our heads with smiles on our faces.
Where you choose to look, has such an impact on your life. Yesterday, I did not write. I was not up as early as I needed to be, and by the time I got home I was tired. I think I got a little down, and so I got up this morning with purpose to do this morning differently. But… My first thoughts seemed to be all centered around me, (crazy huh?) so I knew I needed to widen my focus.
So this morning, it is time to put on a different lens. I really think I need one with a much wider angle. One that will let me see what’s in the background. The people, activity and the good that He is doing all around me.
You know, sometimes this writing part of my life is not easy! I try to come up with something interesting, or thought provoking, not preachy and above all not too opinionated. I try to frame what I write as my experience, and hope it either encourages or at least gives someone a different perspective.
phone call I got last night. I am typically the one who is messaging or talking to someone to encourage them, but last night the call was for me. Someone wanted to ask how I was, and check up on me and the family. I appreciated it so much! And at the end she prayed for me, and it was cool because it showed growth in her faith.
Why these two topics together? Well, I guess it’s because I hear much more ”opinion” than encouragement. And since I am like most people, I tend to think we are all looking for more encouragement, love, kindness and lack of judgment than we are looking for another opinion. So today be mindful of the words you say. Be a shoulder to lean on, cry on or just be a good listener. Leave your opinions behind, and see how you can be an encouragement to someone today.
Anyway, as I sat there, in the tiniest seat ever, (ugh) I was struck by a lyric from the song Rhiannon. “Dreams unwind, loves a state of mind.” I am sure I’ve heard that sung a thousand times before, but tonight it kept rolling around in my head. “Dreams unwind, loves a state of mind.” The more I thought about it, the more true I knew it was. 
Cheryl Mendoza 