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today, i am thankful for the simple truth that we were destined to fail. that in the infinite wisdom of our Creator, of the Promise Maker, we were given the chance to fail. and fail again and again and again.
as a society, we dont expect failure. we dont allow for it in our lives, and we dont allow for it in others. we’ve somehow grown to expect perfection. if we have a less than stellar experience at a restaurant, we tell everyone. if someone cuts us off in traffic, we’re livid. and our unlucky coworkers feel wrath when we finally arrive at work.
we expect to be wowed by amazing feats of physical ability every time we watch an nfl game.
we expect the gold medal and if someone else wins, even fairly, we dont accept our position graciously.
but thats not reality. none of it.
reality is that we’re each broken, hurting people. living in a damaged society doing its best to hold itself together. reality is that the world would be a better place if only we allowed each other the grace to fail and the mercy to pick each other back up.
reality is knowing that i am who i am because of the people in my life who let me fail forward. who let me land on my face, and were there to pick up the pieces.
and if there is a balance to be had, its in realizing we all fail. we all try, and we all fail.
and in understanding that, in accepting that, we truly find our ability to love others for who they are. because it’s in accepting that simple truth, that the playing field is equalized. and i think, just maybe, thats what this Cross is supposed to point us to. that we’re all in need of grace and mercy. that we all fail. we were destined to.
so tonight, i am thankful for that simple truth. because it points us to a much bigger truth. a truth that has carried millions of souls over thousands of years.
tonight, i am also thankful, that we are also destined to get back up.
for you see, in that infinite wisdom, He knew we’d never make it on our own. He knew that we’d fail. so He sent His Son to live a perfect life, in our stead.
and it’s because of that perfect life, that perfect sacrifice, that we can extend grace and mercy to others. it’s because we’ve first experienced failure, and the unconditional love that followed it, that we can offer the same to those around us.
God help us to live like Your Son did…..
today i am thankful for answered prayers.
for big issues not being so big. for mercy and grace, and for people who let you fail. not because they want you to fail, but because they want you to try….
for friends new puppas (hello tanka!)
and for knowing that next steps will be needed.
most of all, today i am thankful just to be alive.
and some days we’re reminded of how small we are. and of how not-in-control we really are. and how the smallest decisions at work can be so utterly wrong.
and some days we’re reminded, again, of how much we need grace. of how imperfect we are. of how our armor is stained and dented. a patchwork of stories; stories of victories and failures, of mountain tops and dark valleys, stories of hard breaks and heartache. stories, knit together with cords of mercy, grace, love and determination.
our armor, my armor, may not be beautiful. it may not shine like the noonday sun. it may not be high gloss or something you’d even want to try and polish…. but it tells you about who i am.
for tonight, im thankful for communion. for the exchange that took place two thousand years ago. the exchange of my sinfulness for His grace, my failures for His victory, my shortsightedness with His vision. my pale excuses for hopes, for the dreams He dreams for me.
for tonight, im going to sleep knowing that the one who watches over me will neither slumber nor sleep, that He will watch over my life, both now and forevermore. (psalm 121)
and for that, i am thankful.
I cannot believe i’ve let this slip by for a whole week! I’ve not given up and i wont quit it though.
in no particular order, i am thankful for:
days off
i took thursday and friday off for some much needed refreshment. it was wonderful. i litterally did nothing on thursday. ive not done nothing, in so long. friday consisted of a trip to the zoo, a parking space that was majically appeared after we prayed for one, and lots of good times.
laptops
mobile computing. it’s great:-)
music
especially the newest stavesacre, God bless stavesacre
challenges
amazingly enough, i put this on here.
conversations with friends youve not spoken with in a year
talks with friends that remind you of who you are, of why you’re doing what you’re doing. that show you that it’s ok if your life looks more like the scragly, scrawny tree stubbornly clinging to the side of a cliff. refusing to let go and give up. talks with friends that remind you that its not always how pretty you flower, but how deep your roots go.
and that sometimes, the most beautiful thing in the world is to find a kindred spirit. a heart that is bruised and bloodied, that has been through battles, that has seen victory and defeat…. but refuses to let go and give up. reminders that it’s in finding those people that one sees how much beauty truly exists in life, in those around you, and in ones own self.
reminders of the promises made for me.
I know, i’ve said this one before, but it still fits. and i need to be reminded of it, every day.
i was going to sit down and type up a cheerful blog about how thankful i am for my friends. it was going to be short, sugary and for the most part, shallow. i’ve decided against that.
dont get me wrong, i am incredibly thankful for my friends. be they near, or far away… i am thankful for those who have allowed me to walk beside them on their journeys. and im am thankful for those who stuck by me on mine.
im blessed to know friends from all parts of the country and our world. new york, pennsylvania, idaho, tennessee, texas, phillipines, canada, china (at times:0)), etc. but if i was honest with you tonight, id say that the biggest challenge ive faced since landing in texas was making friends here. sure, i’ve always got invites from coworkers to hang out, get drinks, etc… but the friendships i desire dont revolve around baseball games and a beer. they revolve around life.
they grow from the siren song that burns in our hearts for a deeper relationship with the one they call the promise maker. the friendships i want stem from a heartfelt desire to find our place in life, and to dig our roots deeply into the soil we’re planted in.
so while i am tremendously thankful for knowing each and every friend i’ve met, i know there is still more to come. i know there are bridges to build, people to meet, smiles to share, and roads to walk. i am hungry to walk this road with someone i call a friend.
i’ve never been one to enjoy gray areas. i much prefer to take my time and gather as much information as possible before making decisions.
and risk taking? not a huge fan of either.
but im learning that it’s only when one takes risks, it’s only when ones armor becomes dented and broken, that we are given the chance to truly experience life. sometimes we take risks and the rewards are great. other times, we take risks and the results leave us to ponder how something so simple could go so incredibly wrong.
in both times, and in every time in between, He promises to be with us.
blessing the good, redeeming the bad.
never. leaving. us.
and for tonight, that is what i am thankful for. that even though i dont always see Him, even though sometimes His hands are hid, i’m thankful that He promised to never leave.
today, i am thankful for dreams.
and for gentle reminders that the dreams placed in my heart, arent lost.
is there a reason we’re not honest when someone asks how we’re doing? is there something inside of us that keeps us from simply being real, and telling that person exactly what is going on?
we live our lives so connected, so intertwined with others, and yet so insulated and separate from any sort of real relationship. we twitter, blog, facebook, myspace, text and bluetooth each other more so now than any time in history. yet, when we’re faced with someone who asks that question, we freeze… and more often than not, we ofter a pat answer. dishonest, insincere….
now i realize that if you’re walking by that coworker you met two days ago and they ask how you’re doing, it’s probably not the best time to tell them about having to rub aunt edna’s corns or that your dog had an accident that weekend. i realize that there are times when a smile and an “im good, thank you. how are you?” is just what is needed.
but i also know that we dont share. we dont honestly tell people what is going on in life.
maybe it’s because when we ask someone how they are doing, we honestly dont want to know. we dont want to know about their struggles, challenges, fears, failures, battles and tears. we dont want to know what’s going on beneath the surface.
we as a people have determined that life is better lived in the shallow end of the pool. we prefer the scene, to see and be seen. we prefer the temporal pleasantries of discussing the weather and our dogs, than more eternal subjects like pain, struggle, heartbreak and passion.
what would happen if someone made that choice, that choice to say farewell to the shoreline. to push off the beach, find the deep waters and dive? what would that person look like? how would they live their life if they determined that how people saw them, didnt matter? that playing in the shallow end wasnt enough?
the bible speaks of rivers of water flowing inside of us. inside us. rivers. not streams, creeks, brooks or tributaries.
rivers. inside of us.
thats what i want to see. when i meet someone, i want to be the type of person who isnt scared of looking into the deep places inside of who they are. i want to be someone who can see the heartache, the pain, the uglieness that exists inside of us all, and still love that person.
there is so much more to life that we chose to miss out on, when we chose to only see the shallow end.
i realize, that sometimes, we just need to hide. we simply need someone, someplace to go where we are safe. i realize that not every person out there will be open and honest about who they are, their challenges and fears. there will be many times where i wont be honest. where i’ll tell someone who is honestly asking how i am, that i’m fine…. i’ll offer a smile and pleasantries and ask how they are.
i may not be the type of person who can push off the shoreline and never look back. but im going to go deeper. someone once said you wont leave where you are, until you decide where you want to be. i may not know where i want to end up, but i know there is an amazing world i want to see. and i’ve got a second chance to do so.
for second chances, and for the rivers that exist in each one of us, i am thankful.
today, i realize i need to communicate my thankfulness for at least two things. i missed posting yesterday and need to make up for it.
the next few weeks/months are probably going to be very busy. and stressful. and maybe you’re like me, you already feel maxed and dont know exactly how you’re going to make it through.
and maybe, if you’re like me, that was one of the first things on your mind this morning.
and maybe, if you’re like me, the sight of a rainbow in the sky on your way to work spoke of more than just the principle of the prism. maybe it spoke of a promise made long ago. and a promise kept. maybe it spoke of the promise maker, the same promise maker who promised to never leave us or forsake us. the same promise maker who promised to walk through the fire and flood with us.
the same promise maker who said that we are more than conquerors.
i hope it reminded you of the same thing it reminded me of.
because today, i am thankful for rainbows…. and promises.
today
i am thankful
for grace.
FindingTheCourageToDream.com 