Did I Hit My Head?

One of my Spiritual gifts is Encouragement. I love, love, love to encourage people. I’m like one of those ‘cheerleader’ type people who loves to lift others up.

…or at least I used to be.

I’m pretty sure it started happening when I started seeing others’ through my eyes instead of Christ’s eyes. Through my eyes people are not very nice. As a matter of fact, I’d say they’re downright mean. Well most of them anyway.

My ‘encourager’ is silenced. I catch myself (usually before I say anything audibly) wanting to speak truth from my own tainted vision, rather than Christ’s absolute truth.

I remember reading a Terri Blackstock book called; “The Heart Reader”, where people are given gifts to see, hear, or feel what others are thinking, feeling, etc. I may be combining two books, but I think it’s the same one. The people with the gift didn't even know they had it until it started working. They realized they were hearing the hurts of people that were unable to speak the hurts. They were seeing ‘impairments’ invisible to the eye. They were able to help minister to these ‘broken’ people with their gift.

Perhaps I better reread that book sometime soon. Either that or I’m going to need to see a physician higher up on the ‘scale’…like the Great Physician! How do I schedule those appointments? I’ll bet he just contacts me directly.

Power of the Semi-Colon

I love to edit writing. I typically edit spelling, but occasionally I also pick up on punctuation and grammar errors. The spelling errors stand out like huge flashing signs. The grammar and punctuation are not quite so obvious.

One thing I’ve learned in working with MS Word is if the Microsoft editor isn’t happy with your sentence, and you replace a comma with a semi-colon, he either gets so confused he ‘passes’ the review or perhaps a more startling truth...the semi-colon has more power than the editor. Either way it cracks me up! Semi-colon’s buddy, colon, is almost as powerful, but he sometimes causes editor problems.

The other powerful thing about Mr. Semi-colon is typically nobody questions him. I suppose any symbol that translates into a ‘wink’ should have some power.

; He’s got the power!

Disappearing Dreams

Somewhere, somehow, I feel like I’ve lost my dreams. I know I had them just a short time ago but I can’t seem to place them. I can’t seem to even verbalize them.

I was thinking about the movie “The Ultimate Gift”, which you have GOT to see if you haven’t already. I’ve mentioned it before, it’s a Fox Faith film and it is WONDERFUL. Anyway…part of it is remembering you’ve got to have dreams.

I know I’ve had dreams and I know I’ve had some dreams come true. But my most recent dreams seem to have disappeared before my eyes. I’m wondering if it’s just all the other junk filling up my mind right now. Somehow I feel like the dream, however hazy, should still be visible and memorable enough to sustain that part of me; the part of me that yearns to fulfill the dream…the part of me that thrives on the hope of the dream.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just do dream shopping or Google top 10 dreams? My guess is what would ‘pop up’ would be unfit to read. I’m not going to try it. Maybe a magazine about dreams where you could see how they look once they’re fulfilled and you could just check off the ones that interest you and you receive information on how to proceed.

Okay…admittedly part of the fun of dreams is the ability to out-dream what is reality. The ability to visualize something so incredible that it’s almost impossible to think it could be done. That’s where God comes in. The greatest thing about our dreams (at least in my opinion) is that God uses us…the imperfect, to fulfill the dreams HE places in us. They are greater than we can imagine because He is greater than we can imagine.

Here is where the AHA moment comes in…I think, just possibly, my dreams are out there and available for me to see, but I’ve closed my eyes to them while I’m working through the other junk. Well, at least I know they’re out there somewhere…or at least I hope they are…

Out of Control

I had a nutrition appointment today. I’ve had more appointments in the past 2 months with all types of medical/health providers than I have in my entire life! I’ve seen the Gyn a few times, Gen Practitioner, Endocrinologist, and Nutritionist. Frankly, the laboratory and pharmacist should really considering giving me a frequent shoppers card. I’ve spent more money in copays than any one person should have to budget AND with the exception of a headache (I think from the darn visits)…I feel fine! Go figure.

Today I was at the nutritionist office and after the obligatory weigh-in (like something from the initial weighing in Biggest Loser), I sat and listened and answered questions about my paperwork. When she asked me to explain why I was feeling depressed I shared with her just a bit of my feelings of being ‘out of control’ of my life. She recommended I talk to the GYN about a mild pill for depression…just what I need another drug.

A week or so ago I had a bit of a breakdown of a similar kind around my hubs and he reminded me, in his own straightforward but calm and collected way, that I am not meant to be in control…God is supposed to be in control. I had to stop and think about it.

I did the same thing today.

The minute I get to thinking about being out of control with work, surgery, doctors, lab work, meds, etc. it begins to overwhelm me. I think that must be why God reminds me regularly to take my thoughts captive…renew my heart, oh and to think about what is good and righteous. I’ve been saying over and over (at work and home) how I am out of control…and that is true. But that is also good, because then God can be IN control. I’ve actually been speaking too many negatives over my own life…and I have to remind myself that ‘we have the power of life and death on our tongues’. I want life spoken over me!

Okay so after another near death experience at check out from the nutritionist (and I thought Plumbers made a lot of money), I am back at work and thinking about the past couple of months and I realize and profess…I am out of control. God is truly driving my life right now and while I’m sure I’ll attempt to back seat drive, hopefully He can get us safely to our destination on the other side of these feelings.

Page Turner...

Two of my favorite things happen in the summer.

The first is garage sales are rampant and I take my 'blow money' and go shopping at the garage sales within the 3-4 miles of my home every Saturday. I love it! I've found some great gifts for family and friends and for my Bunco 'secret pal'.

The second is reading. Summer time is when I get down to reading. With my upcoming downtime I've been stockpiling books at my moms so I have plenty to read while I'm bed-bound. We have found tons of books at the garage sales and for just .25 a paperback...you really can't beat it unless you go to the library.

I've started reading these 'inspirational romances'...sort of Christian Harlequins and I LOVE them! They are quick reads and not trashy like some of the Harlequins tend to be.

Since I can't read the 12 we found at garage sales I was just reading other books I had on hold through winter. I just finished the last of those and thought I'd check out our 'bookshelves' at my work break room and lo' and behold there were several of these Inspirational Romances. I snatched a few up and read them. Three in the past week and a half. I went to go exchange some the other day and the rest were GONE! Apparently some other people at work appreciate them as much as I do. Now all that's left is old readers digests and a couple of old literary pieces I've had no desire to read since college.

Well it's back to garage sales to find more books or I'm going to have to actually purchase some books at our Christian Bookstore.

Any recommendations for some good christian fiction to read?