"Life should be like a bike ride. Pedal as
hard as you can and feel the wind in your
hair, and ignore the bugs that hit you
along the way."
Those were the words that came into my head during a time that had was really rough. It was a time I was questioning everything--- where I was going and what my purpose in life was supposed to be. My future with dance was looking pretty slim at the time and everything in my world seemed to be closing. One night, I just jumped on my bike (not caring that I was wearing a long skirt) and took off down the street. I was stoked about riding all my frustration out in the night air.
What I realized quickly was that a bunch of bugs were out, which became dreadfully obvious when they kept hitting me in the face as I rushed by. It became plain annoying when they'd fly into my eyes. There was no way I wanted to cease my bike ride, however, and I wouldn't. I thought I'd be fine as long as my eyes were clear, so I thought of a solution. Trying to keep my eyes shielded, I rode back to the house and got my sunglasses for eye protection, and went on. So there I was, riding around my neighborhood after dark, in a skirt, with sunglasses on getting hit by bugs. (I must have looked like a character.) Then those words hit me, a regular Eureka moment. (Or not so regular.)
So what happens during bike rides truly can turn into life lessons.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Freedom Lies In Being What He Created
I have learned over the course of time that covering up who we really are to give off a certain picture to others is both hard and hurtful. Somehow in my early years, I had convinced myself through my own warped thinking that I had to be perfect. This feeling that I had to appear to have everything together and carry myself just so sometimes made me operate out of fear. I was afraid that if too many people saw that sometimes I truly could be silly, random, or just simply human, I'd loose credibility. (Huh?) This went on for years and it caused a lot of conflict in my heart. (Not to mention stress...)
Then, God started teaching me about freedom and not living out of fear, which began a process of examining, thinking, and changing the way I thought... I realized that in Him, we can be ourselves without striving to gain approval from others. We are to obey Him and live under His will and purpose... but He did not intend for us to put on a mask to cover up who we really are. He created each of us unique, with unique gifts and personalities to bring to the table of life.
Here is a real-life example, so we can be specific for a moment. It's a really simple one, but hopefully my point will come across... In the past, I was guilty of being paranoid that too many people would find out I could be a goof, like they'd discover that picture with my chipmunk-style cheeks and crossed eyes that was taken many years ago. Yes! There was actually a time when I was afraid that if too many people saw that side, I'd loose credibility. But guess what? I realized even God Himself laughs and has a sense of humor. Look at His creation.
Yeah. I'd say He has a sense of humor. (Photo taken during my trip to Israel, Nov '09.)
To sum it up, I learned that taking off the mask and being that person God created, while asking Him to change me into a better follower of Him is a much better alternative of being very concerned about the approval I may or may not get from others. What really matters is what He thinks, anyway, so it's best to strive to please Him instead of people. Once that kind of freedom in Him is found, it is a much healthier feeling! By the way, when I thought that I had learned what I needed to learn, God pushed me another step forward in the freedom lesson when He told me in my heart while I was in Israel this year to take the extra boost of freedom I feel over there back to America with me (I will post the full story later). And He's been showing me in many different ways what that looks like still. It was a very big and broad lesson that is still applying to many aspects of my life.
Before I close, I want to encourage anyone who feels like they need to put on "the mask" (whatever that mask is for you) that it's okay to remove it. There is a lot of freedom in being what God created you to be! (That's not to be confused with "settling in sin", which is a completely different issue than "taking of the mask" and just being you.) Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy Christmas. By the way, if you see a girl dressed as Santa anywhere, watch out... especially if she's running through a Christmas tree lot making turkey noises at night. Kidding! (But I have been known to do that. Just ask my friend Sherri, who has run along side with me in one of those adventures.) Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Then, God started teaching me about freedom and not living out of fear, which began a process of examining, thinking, and changing the way I thought... I realized that in Him, we can be ourselves without striving to gain approval from others. We are to obey Him and live under His will and purpose... but He did not intend for us to put on a mask to cover up who we really are. He created each of us unique, with unique gifts and personalities to bring to the table of life.
Here is a real-life example, so we can be specific for a moment. It's a really simple one, but hopefully my point will come across... In the past, I was guilty of being paranoid that too many people would find out I could be a goof, like they'd discover that picture with my chipmunk-style cheeks and crossed eyes that was taken many years ago. Yes! There was actually a time when I was afraid that if too many people saw that side, I'd loose credibility. But guess what? I realized even God Himself laughs and has a sense of humor. Look at His creation.
Yeah. I'd say He has a sense of humor. (Photo taken during my trip to Israel, Nov '09.)
To sum it up, I learned that taking off the mask and being that person God created, while asking Him to change me into a better follower of Him is a much better alternative of being very concerned about the approval I may or may not get from others. What really matters is what He thinks, anyway, so it's best to strive to please Him instead of people. Once that kind of freedom in Him is found, it is a much healthier feeling! By the way, when I thought that I had learned what I needed to learn, God pushed me another step forward in the freedom lesson when He told me in my heart while I was in Israel this year to take the extra boost of freedom I feel over there back to America with me (I will post the full story later). And He's been showing me in many different ways what that looks like still. It was a very big and broad lesson that is still applying to many aspects of my life.
Before I close, I want to encourage anyone who feels like they need to put on "the mask" (whatever that mask is for you) that it's okay to remove it. There is a lot of freedom in being what God created you to be! (That's not to be confused with "settling in sin", which is a completely different issue than "taking of the mask" and just being you.) Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy Christmas. By the way, if you see a girl dressed as Santa anywhere, watch out... especially if she's running through a Christmas tree lot making turkey noises at night. Kidding! (But I have been known to do that. Just ask my friend Sherri, who has run along side with me in one of those adventures.) Merry Christmas everyone!!!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
'Tis The Season...
To be what? To be jolly? Or rushed, in a hurry? To cuss someone out in the toy store while getting little Bobby the wii he wants?
It makes one wonder when we hear “Peace on earth, good will to men”, then we go out around Christmas time and encounter holiday shoppers… Just today, going out to run errands, I nearly was rear-ended by a man driving with his arms flailing, followed by hands slamming down on the steering wheel as he drove like a maniac in his obvious fury. I could tell by his facial expressions that whoever was on the other end of his cell phone was being screamed at, and I found myself very thankful for glass windows in cars to block noise decibels. That coupled with other insane drivers determined to get those last-minute gifts, pushy customers in stores, and people with lost patience in general made my head swim in holiday buzz.
It just somehow seems so backwards that “‘Tis the season to be jolly” has seemingly turned into “It’s the reason to be naughty” for many of us.
Some quotations to note:
“Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.” ~Author Unknown
(Oh dear… and may I add that some of those will push people out of their way to grab that last “reduced price” gift?)
“Let Christmas not become a thing
Merely of merchant’s trafficking,
Of tinsel, bell and holly wreath
And surface pleasure, but beneath
The childish glamour, let us find
Nourishment for soul and mind.
Let us follow kinder ways
Through our teeming human maze,
And help the age of peace to come
From a Dreamer’s martyrdom.”
~Madeline Morse
In the end, I think the old cliche (though a bit over-used) says it best so I’ll say it myself… Have we forgotten to consider the real Reason for the season? I like what Longfellow has to say:
“I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet the words repeat,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had roll’d along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bow’d my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
‘Til ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!”
It makes one wonder when we hear “Peace on earth, good will to men”, then we go out around Christmas time and encounter holiday shoppers… Just today, going out to run errands, I nearly was rear-ended by a man driving with his arms flailing, followed by hands slamming down on the steering wheel as he drove like a maniac in his obvious fury. I could tell by his facial expressions that whoever was on the other end of his cell phone was being screamed at, and I found myself very thankful for glass windows in cars to block noise decibels. That coupled with other insane drivers determined to get those last-minute gifts, pushy customers in stores, and people with lost patience in general made my head swim in holiday buzz.
It just somehow seems so backwards that “‘Tis the season to be jolly” has seemingly turned into “It’s the reason to be naughty” for many of us.
Some quotations to note:
“Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.” ~Author Unknown
(Oh dear… and may I add that some of those will push people out of their way to grab that last “reduced price” gift?)
“Let Christmas not become a thing
Merely of merchant’s trafficking,
Of tinsel, bell and holly wreath
And surface pleasure, but beneath
The childish glamour, let us find
Nourishment for soul and mind.
Let us follow kinder ways
Through our teeming human maze,
And help the age of peace to come
From a Dreamer’s martyrdom.”
~Madeline Morse
In the end, I think the old cliche (though a bit over-used) says it best so I’ll say it myself… Have we forgotten to consider the real Reason for the season? I like what Longfellow has to say:
“I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet the words repeat,
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had roll’d along th’ unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bow’d my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
‘Til ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!”
The End of the Beginning--- Thought About Life and Dreams
Standing on the edge, gazing at the horizon… I must know what is beyond that distant line. As I breathe deeply, my mind swims. I realize that I am free to leave the edge, what I know as familiar, and plunge into the unknown while staying safe within the hands of the One who created me to live. I smile. This is what freedom feels like.
(Photo taken in Tel Aviv, Israel. November 2009)
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