HOW ABOUT A BONFIRE NIGHT?

I have the nicest friends ever! Really I do! And what is life without great friendships?! Picture this- to my friends (a couple) hearing I declare my longing for a local dish, and my reluctance to cook it for myself. My friend quickly offers for his wife to cook it and share with me. The offer itself was kind enough and I suitably extended my gratitude. Of course good manners wasn’t going to make me remind them to do it, if they ‘conveniently’ forgot. Imagine my surprise therefore when she calls me, saying the food was ready, and she was willing to drive out to get it to me. Disregarding the distance she’d have to drive under pouring rain, just to fulfill a ‘stomach’s’ desire?! I was beyond humbled! I carried that flask reverently filled with awe at such kindness, because honestly I dare say I couldn’t have done that myself!

I figured, if she drove out all the way to get it to me, then I might as well honor her by eating it hot and fresh! So I set the flask on the dining table, fetch a fork, say a blessing, send another heart felt message of thanks to the couple, then inviting all to join me I settle in to begin my meal.

My son over my shoulder, looks at the meal and says, ‘it looks like it’s the dogs’ meal!!’ Honestly, if he was close to me, he’d have ‘felt’ the crack of thunder on the nearest part of his body that I could reach. As he wasn’t, I had to content myself with strongly reprimanding him verbally! Imagine?! How dare you say something like that about a food I was about to eat, especially one that was such a selfless sacrifice of love?!

As quick as the words were leaving my mouth, I felt a wash of shame that lowered my voice, and stilled my appetite. I remembered saying to someone who was about to eat her meal of oats, that I didn’t like to eat oats because it reminded me of catarrh with lumps! And several other thoughtless things I’ve innocently said without thinking. What right had I to chastise my boy, when the apple obviously hadn’t fallen very far from the tree?

I thoughtfully chewed, meditating on the learning that my son had unwittingly reminded me of again  that evening. ‘Remove the log from your eye so that you can better see to remove the speck from another’ (Matthew 7:5), how often had I viewed my attitude as being okay, explaining my actions via my intentions, but judging others solely on their actions and the consequences? Perhaps I remained single because of the log in my eye that didn’t permit me see that the standard I had set for a selection, was actually a bar that I hadn’t surpassed and hence fenced me in?

Well I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for ‘em logs; and if you’re a friend and you spot them, do be a dear and point them out. Or you can come for a log chopping party and help stack up logs for a huge bonfire of hypocritical and limiting habits!

Every day, In Every Way, Be the Best of You!

Golden Lessons, via a Golden Child

D2AGE

"IT’S A DOG, NOT A CAT, A DOG CANNOT BE A CAT!"

Hi people, it’s the holidays! Hopefully it will not be spent gallivanting and stuffing my cheeks, but for more serious introspection on how I’d like to shape 2018. LOL!!! Who am I kidding?!

Anyways, let me gist you guys. Walahi these children are inspired by the Holy Spirit, either that or He just has a wacky sense of humor using our kids who should be learning from us to teach us! I vote the latter! What do YOU think?

So I was having a conversation with my precocious 8 year old over dinner, and he was (yet again, doesn’t he ever give up?!) campaigning for a dog. “Mom just a little one, a Chihuahua, that’s a house dog, and it won’t create a big mess because it’s little!”  I think to myself, you don’t know it’s the little creatures that create the most mess! Instead I respond, “Who is going to train it to know exactly where it’s going to poo and all that? I don’t want my house all stinky!”. “Okay Mom, I will train it, will you provide its own toilet?” “Well not like a real toilet, more like a box with some sand in it, that you can take out and clean out” I respond. Bobo doesn’t even let me finish … “Mom, it’s a Dog not a Cat, You’re describing a litter box, that’s what that is, a dog doesn’t use litter boxes, a dog cannot be a Cat!” My usual fluent self is silent, with no comeback, save to think O K A Y! That’s certainly telling me!

Immediately, my own classroom begins, and good friend that I am, I’m willing to share (Big Grin).

So many times we forget who we are and try to become cats. Maybe because of the economy, we try to bend and adapt our way through to become something we are not. Perhaps it’s our friends, and family, who pressure us with expectations, trying to make us cattish, not so much the dog’s that we truly are. Defining what should or shouldn’t be. Is it society, that relationship, our own insecurities? Whatever the factor, we’ve been made to conform, silence our true identities and blend into the expectations, faithfully ignoring the back pain that has arisen from carrying all that baggage of pressure, expectations, conformities, etc!

Don’t get me wrong, cats are beautiful creatures, with very defining qualities. So what’s wrong you ask? IT’S NOT WHO YOU ARE! Who are you? Yes, YOU?! There’s a place in this world for each and every one of us, with all our quirks and imperfections! You are not defined by your job, position in society, bank account, acts of heroism, family, or status. YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE! Bask in the certainty that You Are! Are Created, Known and Loved by the Almighty GOD! “…and if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart!” (1^st John 3:20)

I return back from my very liberating reprieve, and listen avidly to his chatter! Smiling so beatifically that he stops to compliment, ask, and without waiting for my answer continues on with his chatter.

Discover, Revel, Remain True to the Golden You…

D2AGE