It's Okay to Be You

I realize I've been strangely quiet for the past week or so, although I did promise to report back on my Glad Game experiment, but sometimes transformation requires extended moments of silence.

I don't mind much as it's usually during such moments that I happen upon another piece of my life's puzzle that brings me closer to my dreams or helps me find contentment while they still seem afar off. Today's perfect piece came in the form of a message that I had to share with my lovely readers (whoever you are):

"The more you do things to please others, the more you erode away at your own sense of worth, confidence, and sense of self. When you’re preoccupied with the expectations of others for fear of their disapproval, you’re revealing that it isn’t okay for you to be you." – Dr. Mark Chironna

I suppose such a thing seems at odds with a blog about transformation, about change. Yet in actually, it affirms what I've already come to realize—my transformation can have nothing to do with my wanting to please anyone except myself. My desire is simply to fully become all that I was created to be and to live the amazing life that I was meant to live.

An apple seed can only ever become an apple tree. And, at my core, I can only ever be me. It's okay. I've heard from the highest authority that I'm pretty fabulous—fearfully and wonderfully made, a pearl of great price, in fact. I hear that you are, too!

A Heroic Act Motivated By Love

Along the route from work to my parents house, I pass by a church that has one of those flashy electronic signs. Have you seen them? The colorful ones with ever changing messages and animated pictures. Anyway, one day as I was stopped at the light near this church, I noticed a rather intriguing message: "You may not be able to change the world, but you can make a world of difference." Well, today I happened upon a story about a woman in China who is a stunning example of how very true that message is. Eighty-eight-year-old Lou Xiaoying, who earned a meager living recycling trash, managed to rescue and care for 30 infants she found abandoned in the trash, despite being barely able to fend for herself: http://bit.ly/OMT5Tb.

Because of one woman, 30 children will have the chance to live and love and dream and make a difference in someone else's life. In her own words: "I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage, how could we not recycle something as important as human lives." 

I have no more excuses.

The Glad Game

Calling all Pollyannas. Are you willing to play a game with me this week? Since it's Olympic season, now's the perfect time for it. Anyone who is willing is eligible to play, and everyone who plays, wins.

As I was meditating yesterday, it occurred to me that the best way to have more joy in my life and, hence, open the door for more good things to happen is to complain less, be glad more. Then I got the bright idea that I should test out my theory—social scientist that I am—by trying for an entire week to not complain or say anything negative, beginning today. In fact, I could take it a step further by finding something positive to say even about a problem I'm having. Admittedly this will be a challenge, but as with most things, I believe it will work best if I approach it one day at a time. So, are you game?

Are you willing to give up complaining for just one day? No griping. No whining. No ranting. No bemoaning how hard times are, or how dishonest this or that politician is. No negative talk about coworkers or bosses. No moping about long check-out lines or heavy traffic or the price of gas. For one day, just be glad being alive and take in all the beauty, love and inspiration that's around you and that you might have overlooked before while you were busy complaining.

Again, for the sake of full disclosure, I admit this isn't going to be easy. We live in an imperfect world and bad things, tragic things, happen almost daily it seems. And with instant messaging, Twitter and smart phones, tragic news is spread worldwide within minutes. Yet surprisingly, even in the midst of tragedy there are gifts, bright spots, to be found. I don't always see them as I'm sure others don't for we see "through a glass darkly," but I have to believe the gifts are there. Faith sees the good even in the most dire of situations. Jesus explained this principle best when He told His disciples (and us):

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

So, if you wake up with a headache, just be glad you woke up. If traffic is heavy on the way to work, just be glad you have a job and a car that you can drive to work. Line at the Starbucks too long? Get excited that you have money to by $4.00 coffee. Just give it a try for an hour, two hours, a day, or maybe even the whole week.

I'm looking forward to a beautiful week. I'll let you know how it turns out.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Childlike Faith

"If you believe within your heart you'll know
That no one can change the path that you must go
Believe what you feel and know you're right, because
The time will come around when you say it's yours"

If You Believe by Charlie Small, performed in The Wiz
©1974 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Sometimes I think Christians, myself included, are just too spiritual for their own good, which is why we fail to see the wondrous works in this day that the disciples—Peter, James and John et al.—were able to see and accomplish: water being changed into wine; five loaves and two fish feeding a multitude of 5,000 men plus women and children; healing of the blind, lame and deaf; and let's not forget Lazarus. Admittedly, the disciples were also blown away by these things, even when they were themselves able to do them.

Disciples: Master, even the demons danced to your tune!
Jesus: I know. [The Message, Luke 10:17-18]

By the book of Acts, however, they'd gotten over it. They were as unfazed as Jesus was—the miraculous was normal to them, like breathing.

I don't know why, but Christians today simply cannot grasp that when Jesus spoke of mustard seed faith moving mountains, he was speaking of actual mountains being moved—as well as emotional or psychological mountains/stumbling blocks—in the same that way a fig tree withered and died at His spoken word. And in the same way the huge stone fortress surrounding Jericho crumbled to dust at the exuberant praises of the Israelites and before that a sea became dry land before Moses' rod. (It's my favorite scene in the Ten Commandments, although I imagine I'm going to be just a bit disappointed to discover that Moses looks nothing like Charlton Heston.)

As God continues to deal with my thoughts and opening my eyes to limitless possibilities, I'm discovering that there are a vast many things about this universe and God Himself that simply defy reason and understanding. To experience the wonders that Peter, James and John did, requires a childlike faith to see what can't be seen, hear what can't be heard, and believe what absolutely seems impossible.

"Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." - Mark 9:23

Meditation #4—He Puts My Tears in a Bottle

"Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up;

he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up:

for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.

...Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle:

are they not in thy book?

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back:

this I know; for God is for me.

In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word." - Psalm 56:1-2; 8-10

I love my God. No tear of mine goes unnoticed; he captures each in a bottle. No cry goes unheard; he hastens to deliver me. He gives attention to everything about me and my life as I am always on His mind. When the enemy comes against me, it is the Lord Most High who fights my battles so that I can walk in the abundance of peace and joy that He promises to all His beloved. He rejoices over me with singing and I am soon comforted.

Thank you Jesus for your grace. Thank you for your love.