Worry Gets You Nowhere

I haven't had time to blog lately, because I've been too busy being negative.  It really comes down to the age old question of whether the glass is half empty or half full. I'm probably more of the half empty type, but I prefer to think I'm just being realistic instead of negative.  Let me give you an example.

Caroline has asthma. When I was in high school, I had a very good friend die from asthma. So the fact that my daughter battles this disease scares me a lot.  Whenever it comes to her health, I always want to hear the best and worst case senario. I'm pretty sure it drives my doctor crazy,  but he is patient with me. I don't assume the worst will happen every time, but I find it comforting to be prepared for any situation which may arise. So that's being real, not negative. Right?

Though this best/worse case scenario thing is great in some circumstances,  I think it's probably very unhealthy to apply it to all areas of life. Matthew 6:27 says, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" I am by no means a bible scholar, but I'm pretty certain the answer to this question is NO! The rest of the passage goes on to explain how our heavenly Father knows our needs and will take care of us in every way.

This means there is no need to worry about anything.  I don't have to waste time worrying a tornado will hit my house, when really God is just ushering in spring and watering the flowers with a thunderstorm. I don't need to worry that someone is going to get me or my girls because Target is letting men in the women's restroom.  I'm pretty sure those crazy thoughts will always pop into my brain, but I certainly don't have to entertain them. After all, a glass half full brings much more satisfaction than a half empty one!

Having a Heart for the Homeless

The two thoughts running through my head right now are "shame on me," and "what a difference a day can make!" Let me explain.

Monroe Park is located in the heart of VCU. I don't really know too much about the park, but I do know it's a spot where homeless people gather. I've been there on multiple occasions with the youth group and with my Sunday School class to take bagged lunches to people hanging out in the park.

Yesterday Monroe Park was filled with 30,000 runners, bands, vendors, and spectators for the Monument Avenue 10k.                                

I was in the middle of the festivities, and I am ashamed to admit I didn't even think about the people who normally inhabit the park. At least not until I saw Ron. Ron is a security guard for VCU who works in the park. I have talked to him plenty of times on past visits. The minute I saw him my heart burned in my chest. Where were all those homeless people who had been run out of their gathering place for the day's race events? 

Today my Sunday School class visited Monroe Park to feed the homeless. What a different scene from yesterday! All the events had been packed up and hauled away.

In place of people waiting in line to get their race medals, stood hungry people desperately hoping to get a bite to eat.

Now comes the "shame on me" part. When I am doing something,  I put myself 100% into the job. I work hard and try to do the right thing.  None of this is bad, but I often get so focused on the task,  I don't pay attention to my surroundings. Like yesterday for example, when I went to Monroe Park to run. My focus was on the race, not the homeless. On the way back to the car, I passed a few people digging through trashcans, and it never dawned on me to give them the unopened sports drink or granola bar I was holding in my hand. I just kept walking. I was in a rush to get to the car because I was sweaty from running and it was very windy and cold. Shame on me.

It is important to take care of our own needs, but it's also important to look out for the needs of others.  Matthew 25:40 says, "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" Today I planned to attend to "the least of these." I even put it on my calendar as "Monroe Park Homeless Ministy." I don't want to be a person who only helps others when I schedule it ahead of time. I am thankful my God forgives me when I mess up. I am thankful He gives me another chance to get it right, because after all, tomorrow is a new day!

You've Got This! Don't Give Up!

What a day! Caroline and I ran a 10k race this morning,  and it was the most fun I've ever had running. I don't usually think running is fun, but today was an absolute blast. So what made the 6.2 miles so enjoyable? Two things: anticipation coupled with encouragement.

The anticipation was intense! Will it rain?  Will it snow? Will there really be 40 mph wind gusts?  (Yes, meteoroligists were predicting this kind of insane forcast in the middle of April.) What if we can't find a place to park? Should we eat something before the race? Where will we put our stuff? Will we be able to run the whole time? What if we don't wear enough layers?  What if we get too hot?  Where will we find each other when the race is over? And the list goes on and on. Ridiculous thoughts contantly run through my head. But with anticipation comes determination!

There is something about taking on a challenge that feels just out of your reach. And then it was go time! Just like that,  we were running down Monument Avenue with over 30,000 of our closest friends. People were lining the streets holding posters, dressed in costumes, and cheering wildly. There were bands every few blocks.

So instead of letting my mind fill with thoughts of defeat, and instead of my body telling me I was too old, I focused on all the other things happening around me.  I danced to the music and laughed with my daughter.  I read the posters and signs. I allowed cheers from the spectators to wash over me. I ran my race. I let encouragement from total strangers take me to the finish line faster and with more fun than I could have ever imagined.

All around you, every single day, people are running a race of some kind or another. Life is hard sometimes. The finish line seems so far away. Many people are running, trying so hard, but feeling like they can't make it. What if we stand on the sidelines and applaud for them? What if we encourage them with each step they take? Let's cheer for each other as we run this race of life. And as we run, let's keep our eyes on Jesus, so He may direct our steps.

"...And let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..."   ~Hebrews 12:1-2

Talking Less is Sometimes Best

I enjoy the gift of gab as much as anyone,  but lately I've been thinking sometimes it's best just to keep your mouth shut. This is sometimes difficult for me, because I am a very opinionated person. But then I think of a lady who had a very significant impact on my life, and I remember how her words encouraged my heart. She was always so kind and thoughtful,  but perhaps it's what she didn't say that most affected me.

Rose Morgan, a.k.a. Grammy,  was a lady who loved and babysat my girls. In the mornings I was always flying in by the seat of my pants, so we would only exchange pleasantries. But in the afternoons, we always took time for rich conversation.  

It would begin by her debriefing me about the day. She would share escapades and funny stories she'd had with the girls. Then she'd inquire about my day, and somehow she'd always work a life lesson into our conversation.  I will always treasure the nuggets of truth I gained from her. 

Sometimes though,  I learned more by what she didn't say to me. Monday afternoons, especially when the girls were babies,  I'd tell Grammy about our weekend adventures. Inevitably one of the girls would have always learned a new trick, and Grammy was always interested to hear the news. Whether it was a first smile, a first word, or a first step, Grammy would just smile and say, "Oh that is just grand!" Her eyes and her smile told me she already knew the great news, but she never took those "firsts" from me. She just let me think I was the first one who got to experience these milestones with my girls. Though I never knew this for sure, I always felt so full of gratitude for this thoughtfulness she extended to me. 

When I look back over my adult life,  if I am completely honest, there have been many times when I opened my big mouth and inserted my opinions.  What if I had followed the example Grammy set for me? What if I didn't always make a comment on everything? What if, like Grammy, my words were always encouraging? Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Thank you, Grammy for making that scripture so understandable for me.

Run Over...Again

I'm not sure if you know anything about boxwood bushes,  but I have learned over the years they are very hardy plants.  We have a boxwood bush planted in the corner of the flowerbed,  right beside the driveway. We've lived in this house for 16 years, and I cannot even begin to tell you the number of times this bush has been run over. All kinds of people have run over the bush for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes they clip the corner too close,  or accidentally back over it. One person even ran over it for spite, yet the bush remains strong.  Oh it has a gash taken out of it, but the roots run deep,  so the bush can flourish despite the multiple blows.

Do your ever feel like that boxwood bush, where you try hard to stand tall, but it seems there's always someone or something to knock you down? At times like this we may feel hurt and judged by others.  People can be so mean sometimes.  Their comments and accusations can cut us deep, making a huge hole in our hearts. But that's when we must remember that we have a choice.  We can allow the blow to cripple us by believing the lies others are saying, or we can listen to God's voice and know we are dearly loved.

The next time you feel attacked,  remember this:  With God's help, you are stronger than any attack planned against you.  Don't get discouraged and give up just because you get dinged a little. Your roots run deep. So trust God, put a smile on your face, and bloom where you are planted.