I've decided to embark on a new project of sorts.
You can follow it here...http://www.theyearofginny.blogspot.com
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Trying Not to Get Hurt
I think that in many instances in which I end up making someone mad, or offending someone in some way, it's all because I'm making an effort not to get hurt.
Once we've been hurt, and we've felt everything that comes along with it, most of us try to prevent from having to feel that way ever again. Being hurt, to the core, is the worst. It's damaging and leaves scars that can only heal with time.
I think the times that I put up walls and jump to the defensive, or intentionally keep someone at arm's length through any number of mechanisms, I'm really just trying not to get hurt. It seems hard, learning how to walk the fine line between letting your guard down and also protecting your heart. I've written about this before, but it's still something I'm trying to figure out.
So the next time I, or someone else, do something that at first makes you mad or upset, realize that really, at the end of the day, we're all just trying not to get hurt.
Once we've been hurt, and we've felt everything that comes along with it, most of us try to prevent from having to feel that way ever again. Being hurt, to the core, is the worst. It's damaging and leaves scars that can only heal with time.
I think the times that I put up walls and jump to the defensive, or intentionally keep someone at arm's length through any number of mechanisms, I'm really just trying not to get hurt. It seems hard, learning how to walk the fine line between letting your guard down and also protecting your heart. I've written about this before, but it's still something I'm trying to figure out.
So the next time I, or someone else, do something that at first makes you mad or upset, realize that really, at the end of the day, we're all just trying not to get hurt.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A Breath
One of life's most profound, yet simple pleasures is to take a really deep breath. Deep breath in, deep breath out. Maybe even sigh or otherwise verbalize your exhale. Few things are better.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
The Smallest Things
Sometimes God speaks to me in the smallest things.
Yesterday, I was saving a document, of which the first words were "It is well-documented..." When I was saving the document, as is usually the case, the first words were listed in the "Save As" title. In this case, it said "It is well." One of my favorite hymns.
As cliche as it is to say, don't forsake the small things that God speaks to you through. Being able to find meaning in the minute details of our lives is one of the greatest paths to joy. At least I think so.
Yesterday, I was saving a document, of which the first words were "It is well-documented..." When I was saving the document, as is usually the case, the first words were listed in the "Save As" title. In this case, it said "It is well." One of my favorite hymns.
As cliche as it is to say, don't forsake the small things that God speaks to you through. Being able to find meaning in the minute details of our lives is one of the greatest paths to joy. At least I think so.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Humility: Word of the Day (and Week, and Month, and Year)
Recently I've realized that I am in need of a dose of humility.
Humility is defined by the all-knowing Wikipedia as this: "Humility, or being humble, is the defining characteristic of an unpretentious and modest person, someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others."
As a Christian and someone who attempts (and often fails) to follow Jesus' patterns for how I should act, it disturbs me that lately I've been catching myself thinking prideful, even arrogant thoughts.
Granted, I think self-confidence and pride are two different things. I think it's very positive to believe in yourself and to have healthy self-esteem. I also think it's negative to take self-confidence to the level of self-pride, believing that I can do things on my own apart from the help of others, including God.
It's so easy to get caught up in the daily trappings of life, and it's easy (at least for me) to be consumed by the goings-on in my little singular world. I know that I need to do a better job of recognizing that the world is so full, and so far beyond my own meager "problems" and "issues." I need to do a better job of recognizing and appreciating others, even in the smallest things. I need to do a better job of having a servant's heart, instead of expecting others to serve me.
Why I am blogging this? Because I think the act of admitting where I fall short is freeing and is a first step in working on the areas that need work, all 1,765,394 of them. And maybe, just maybe, someone else out there struggles with the same things as I do, and maybe, just maybe, they'll realize they're not alone in their faults.
Humility is defined by the all-knowing Wikipedia as this: "Humility, or being humble, is the defining characteristic of an unpretentious and modest person, someone who does not think that he or she is better or more important than others."
As a Christian and someone who attempts (and often fails) to follow Jesus' patterns for how I should act, it disturbs me that lately I've been catching myself thinking prideful, even arrogant thoughts.
Granted, I think self-confidence and pride are two different things. I think it's very positive to believe in yourself and to have healthy self-esteem. I also think it's negative to take self-confidence to the level of self-pride, believing that I can do things on my own apart from the help of others, including God.
It's so easy to get caught up in the daily trappings of life, and it's easy (at least for me) to be consumed by the goings-on in my little singular world. I know that I need to do a better job of recognizing that the world is so full, and so far beyond my own meager "problems" and "issues." I need to do a better job of recognizing and appreciating others, even in the smallest things. I need to do a better job of having a servant's heart, instead of expecting others to serve me.
Why I am blogging this? Because I think the act of admitting where I fall short is freeing and is a first step in working on the areas that need work, all 1,765,394 of them. And maybe, just maybe, someone else out there struggles with the same things as I do, and maybe, just maybe, they'll realize they're not alone in their faults.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Life, In Three Words
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”
Robert Frost
Yes, yes it does.
Robert Frost
Yes, yes it does.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wow.
A great deal has changed since my last post, not the least of which is that in the last three weeks, I've lost a job, taken a week's break, and started a new one.
The overarching theme of this whole ordeal is this: God is in control. The way that things unfolded left me with no doubts that He is deeply involved in the orchestration of my life and my circumstances, and left with no doubt that He wants me to be happy and wants to take care of me. I certainly don't deserve it, but it's true. Miraculously true.
I've learned the dangers of pride, in ourselves and in others. It is absolutely toxic. I'm not talking about taking personal pride in a job well done, etc., I'm talking about arrogance and placing yourself above others, even if only in your own thoughts.
I don't have the desire (nor the time) to go into all of the details of the last three weeks. I have a new job, somewhere that I worked for a couple of years back, and I am extremely busy even in my first week, and I am happy to be doing work that I thoroughly enjoy, especially the writing. I've had to realign some priorities and refocus my thoughts about the source of my worth, and I don't think I'm quite done with that process. But I'm getting there.
The overarching theme of this whole ordeal is this: God is in control. The way that things unfolded left me with no doubts that He is deeply involved in the orchestration of my life and my circumstances, and left with no doubt that He wants me to be happy and wants to take care of me. I certainly don't deserve it, but it's true. Miraculously true.
I've learned the dangers of pride, in ourselves and in others. It is absolutely toxic. I'm not talking about taking personal pride in a job well done, etc., I'm talking about arrogance and placing yourself above others, even if only in your own thoughts.
I don't have the desire (nor the time) to go into all of the details of the last three weeks. I have a new job, somewhere that I worked for a couple of years back, and I am extremely busy even in my first week, and I am happy to be doing work that I thoroughly enjoy, especially the writing. I've had to realign some priorities and refocus my thoughts about the source of my worth, and I don't think I'm quite done with that process. But I'm getting there.
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