Link-Ups, Soul Relationships

Do You Measure Yourself?

Michelle

This post was originally published on April 25, 2014…

A journalist visited a town famous for its rampant unhappiness to see if he could understand its origin. Walking down the street, he noticed a man ahead of him. 

Suddenly, a little man, no more than a few inches high, appeared and ran up the man’s leg. He started sticking pins into the man and sewing things to him. 

Instantly, the man was covered by these tiny tailors, all sticking him with pins. He looked completely miserable as he shuffled off.

The journalist saw this happen to one person after another, until he was ready to give up and go home. The town was completely infested with tiny tailors; no wonder everyone was unhappy.

Then the journalist noticed one woman covered with tiny tailors who apparently said something, and the tiny tailors just melted away. 

The journalist ran over to her. “What did you say to get free of them?!” he exclaimed.

“Oh,” she answered, “it was nothing. I just told them I’ve decided to stop measuring myself.”

–Guy Finley

How many of us allow tiny tailors to attach themselves to us? To our outsides…to our insides…

How many of us walk through life feeling defeated, because we feel like we don’t measure up to some impossible standard of living?

Whether it’s the way you feel you should be talking to your spouse, or the way you feel you shouldbe interacting with your children, or the way you feel you should lose weight, or the way you feel youshould treat yourself.

In all of these examples, we should ourselves. We should ourselves almost to the point of exhaustion and defeat.

Surely, I’m not the only one?!

This year was supposed to be the year I came to accept myself and who I am. Not that I was content to just remain stagnant where I was when the year started, but to just accept ME. for ME.

I’m not sure I’m progressing in this goal.

And it makes me kind of sad.

What example am I setting for my children if I walk around with LOADS of negative self-talk going on? That does nothing for the environment in my home.

Just this morning, I felt like I was failing at life. And then my daughter, my beautiful daughter, wrapped her arms around my neck and said the sweetest words to me, “I Love You, Momma.”

WOAH! It was like a ton of bricks were lifted off my shoulders.

Then, my son echoed her sentiments. He said, “It’s OK, Momma.”

And I knew I was right where I was meant to be…being ‘measured’ by the ones who love me most. Who see me at my best…and at my worst…

We are our own worst critics. Let’s band together and silence the inner voice which tells us that we’ll never measure up…

Link-Ups, Series, Soul Relationships

Friend

Michelle

This post was originally published on April 25, 2014…

Hey Friends! Here we are, at another Friday (already?). So, I’ve been doing some thinking…scary, I know. I’m going to start writing more frequently. There for a while, I was writing almost daily and it has slowly trickled off. But, as I’ve said before…I need to write like I need to breathe. And sometimes, it’s not much…but just taking the time to sit down and get all of the thoughts out of my head and onto paper (21st Century translation = computer screen).

Today, as with all Fridays, I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker for her Five Minute Friday writing challenge. Today’s prompt is Friend…ready? GO!

It’s funny to think of the word friend. Sometimes, I think that I haven’t got a friend in the world, and then other times, when I take a long-hard look around, I realize I’m blessed with an overwhelming supply of friends.

Those who encourage me with the things they say or do.

Those who lift me up when I’m having trouble lifting myself up.

Those who pray for me when I feel I don’t have the strength or stamina to pray for myself.

Those who remind me of the song of my life and sing it back to me when I forget it’s chorus or the verses.

Those who let me know that it’s okay (and perfectly normal) to yell at my children on occasion. (Side note: thank God for His grace and mercy that I don’t stay in ‘that place.’)

Those who push me to do more. To be more. To love more. To forgive more – even when I feel I. Just. Can’t. Forgive. Again.

Those who love me when I feel I’m at my most unlovable.

Those who have care and compassion for me when I’m hurting.

I have several girlfriends who fit some or all of the above. And I’m so grateful for each and every one of them.

I know that you, my dear reader, have this person or people in your life that do these things for you. Oftentimes, it’s the person we would least expect it to be. In my case, it’s my children.

I know that I can’t share all of my personal woes and life struggles in detail with my children, but they have been my best friends lately.

They remind me that I’m their superhero. I’m their mom. I’m their first friend. And I hope to be their best and last friend they have.

His Word, Kids/Parenting, Soul Relationships

There is Power in the Name

Michelle

Fear…there are a lot of feelings that this one word can elicit in someone when they hear it.

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For those of you who have the Proverbs 31 Ministry First 5 app, you know that today, Lysa TerKeurst writes about Matthew 1:20 and fear. The fear Joseph had when he found out Mary was pregnant – and it wasn’t his child. Fear of the shame that would be heaped upon him by the towns people. Fear of the anger toward Mary for ‘stepping out’ of their marriage. Fear of the confusion he felt about the circumstances.

These are all tactics that the enemy uses to try to incapacitate God’s children. To keep believers from accepting their God-given assignment. To prevent us from fully walking out in our purpose.

Lysa further goes on to say that, just as in Joseph’s day, the enemy wants us to be afraid today. And it’s not the good, healthy kind of fear that keeps us from dare-devil stunts and protects us. No…not this fear. He wants to keep us tangled in his lies, stifled in the discomfort of living without purpose, and suffocating in the fear of the darkness he covers us with.

While we are otherwise occupied by focusing on fear, he is stealing our joy. The gospel of John tells us in chapter ten that, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The thief John is referring to is the devil. These are the words of Jesus, so He is who we will find a full life in.

He is stealing our purpose, he is killing our present moments, he is destroying our dreams.

It’s a total God thing that I read this today. See, just yesterday I was dealt a devastating blow. I mean, this was one of those below-the-belt sucker punches that not only knocks the wind out of you, but completely buckles your legs until you are on your knees on the ground. I mean when I first got the news, I felt every emotion on the spectrum. My first thought was, ‘Who the hell do they think they are?’ (yes, good church-going, Bible-reading, praying-momma, me had that thought). My next thought was, ‘Is any ounce of what they are claiming true?’ Even though I knew, deep down, it wasn’t.

While I’m ashamed these were my first two thoughts, I can say that I didn’t linger here very long before reminding myself that The Lord has this. He has this entire situation in the palm of His hand. He already knows the outcome. And, nothing, no NOTHING will come to me without first going through Him to me.

While knowing all of these facts, there is a part of me, however small, that is still living in FEAR about the situation. There is the perpetual ‘what if’ that keeps running through my mind. Because this is where the enemy wants me to unpack and camp out. He wants me to live in fear…so that I can forget about the purpose God has for me…so that I can focus on the ‘what if’ rather than the mission that God has given me, the calling He has on my life…so that I can NOT focus on the life-giving love around me daily.

The other thing that I need to remind myself of daily is that I’ve been here before. Well, maybe not in this EXACT place, but I’ve been in a very similar place. Where I was fearful of the outcome. And guess what? God delivered me from that. He kept me in the palm of His hand. When I was fretting about how the resolution would come, God already had it worked out.

So, leaning on the words found in Philippians 4:6-7, I will not be anxious about anything, but I will present my requests to God, and then the peace that surpasses all understanding, will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

The final comment that Lysa makes, and the nifty image that illustrates today’s lesson is this: ‘Proclaiming the name of Jesus brings power, protection, and a perspective that crushes fear.’

When the enemy tempts me to be fearful, when he allures me into worrying, when he seduces me into thinking nothing is going to turn out, I am just going to say, ‘Jesus help me,’ and I will feel the tension leave my body. I will feel the peace come to rest on my shoulders. And I will remember there is power in the name of Jesus.

Link-Ups, Series

#write31days – Day 1

Michelle

Espresso 2

Brave – there are songs and movies and quotes about it. To some degree, everyone wants to be it. And yet, do we really know what it takes to develop that sought after characteristic?

I had a planner recently. For any of you who know me, you know I love all things ‘office-supply.’ I love planners, pens, post-its, markers, etc. On this planner, the cover said, “I Wanna See You Be Brave.” I would often look at that cover and think about what makes one brave.

Merriam-Webster defines brave as: feeling or showing no fear – not afraid – having or showing courage. Courage is defined by Merriam-Webster as: the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous; mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

I think we can learn a lot about bravery and courage from these two definitions.

One of my favorite songs these days is by Sara Bareilles called ‘Brave.’ I’ve included some of the lyrics below.

You can be amazing; you can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug. You can be the outcast, or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love. Or you can start speaking up.

Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do when they settle beneath your skin. Kept on the inside and no sunlight, sometimes a shadow wins. But I wonder what would happen if you say what you wanna say. And the let words fall out; honestly, I wanna see you be brave…

Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down by the enemy; fallen for the fear; and done some disappearing, bow down to the mighty. Don’t run, just stop holding your tongue.

Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live. Maybe one of these days you can let the light in; show me how big your brave is.

And since your history of silence won’t do you any good, did you think it would? Let your words be anything but empty. Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say, and let the words fall out. Honestly, I wanna see you be brave with what you wanna say, and let the words fall out. Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.

Clearly from reading these lyrics, we know that she is talking about being brave and telling others the truth. Of course we always want to tell the truth, in love. But I think sometimes, we get so caught up in being politically correct, that we forget the truth needs to be shared. This requires bravery, courage, fearlessness.

So today, if you have words that need to be said, in love, say them. Show me how big your brave is. Tell that person you love them. Say ‘I’m sorry’ to the one that deserves to hear it. Don’t let another day go by without saying the words that need to be said.

Link-Ups, Series

#write31days – Brave

Michelle

Espresso 2

So, as is with every October, hundreds, no THOUSANDS of wonderful writers from all over join together for a writing challenge – to write every day for the month of October. 31 days…

Now, for those of you who don’t write on the regular, this may seem like no big deal. But when you choose a topic to cover to write on EVERYDAY for 31 days, it can seem overwhelming.

Take me, for instance…I came up with a fantastic idea for this year’s challenge. To write for 31 days on brave women. And here I am, two days late, just now posting my intro…

Alas, it’s better late than never.

I hope you’ll join me here every day for October for #write31days, covering 31 Days of Brave Women.

Have a great day, my friends.