It's Complicated!

Went to see that movie last weekend - It's Complicated. Wasn't sure I'd like it, and there were questionable parts, of course, but oh my goodness - how good it feels to laugh until you have tears in your eyes. The Bible says a merry heart does good like a medicine - I believe it! When I came out of that theatre, I just seemed, lighter, happier - I don't know. It sounds kinda corny, but laughing is just plain good for you - body, soul, and spirit. Put yourself in a position today to get in some laughing time - do what you have to do - (if you can't find a way to laugh, call me and I'll tell you one of my ridiculous happenings!) - you'll feel better and people will wonder what's up with you, depending on where you experience your "laughing time!"

How do I see things?

Once again, as I ponder the current happenings in my life, the word perception pops to the forefront. If you put 10 people in a room and showed them a picture or a short video clip, then asked questions, you'd get completely different answers from each one. Did you ever see that movie "Man of the House". It was about some cheerleaders (5 or 6 I think) who witnessed a man being shot. When asked about the shooter, they said things like, "he was tall", "he was short", "he was blonde", "he was bald". Now they all saw the same man, so how could that be? An unconscious thing happens as we process what we see - it's "filtered", if you will, through our own experiences and knowledge, thus it's always truth to us, but very rarely is it the complete and accurate truth. The problem comes in, I think, (as if this discrepancy weren't enough), that 99.9% of us tend to forget this fact, and we believe that what we see and think and perceive is the honest to goodness truth and so, by a process of elimination, the other person must be wrong. Hmmm. This causes some confusion, some chaos, and often some hurt feelings. I have a friend with whom I experience this alot. This particular friend tends to think they know what I'm going to say, and I think, since I love details and talk lots, this person's mind tends to wander. Then later, when something doesn't fall into place correctly, this friend will say, "but you said", and I always have to say, "that's not what I said - that might be what you heard, but it wasn't what I said". It occurs to me that only God knows the actual 100% correct truth. My only hope of knowing that truth in each situation comes by letting Him shine His spotlight and show me. So that's my prayer...show me the truth; I also try really hard to remember this whole scenario of process and make room for it in my life - you know, kind of the old adage, putting myself in someone else's shoes and checking out the view from there.

Never say never

You know how you say (or at least I've been known to say) "I'll never do such and such" or "I'm never going to do that again", then low and behold, within about 6 months (or longer) you find yourself doing exactly the thing you swore you'd never do? How does that happen? Do I just not know myself or is it that the very thing I concentrate on and say I won't do, comes back to haunt me so to speak? Do I bring it on myself by my insistence and concentration of energy and thoughts on that idea? Who knows? But it seems to be true more than not, and actually, kind of comical when I see it happen to someone else! I have quite a list of things I said (if even only to myself), "that's something I'll never do", yet here I am. I guess maybe now that it's happened to me so much, I should pay attention to what I say I'll "never ever" do, then get prepared, because I'm probably going to soon find myself in the middle of doing exactly that!

Relationships

Could they be any harder? More painful? Yet more joyful and satisfying? For some reason God made each of us to be in relationship with one another and it seems to be the most difficult, yet wonderful thing. Odd, isn't it? Each of us thinks differently, views things differently, and for each of us, our opinion is the right one. So when someone we're in relationship with does something we consider "wrong" or "undesirable", we're offended. How do we work through that? Is that relationship worth saving, so we overlook some things? Or is it so heinous that we have to cut that person out of our lives? Or are we ever "supposed" to cut someone out of our lives? Where is the line where we set a boundary and be true to our own self, yet still realize as we mature, that it's not always about us and what we want and how we feel. Confusing, isn't it? As I get older (and hopefully more mature), I think about these things alot because things change as you age. People move away, get married, have families of their own, switch jobs, even pass away, so your circle of acquaintances changes. That's part of life, I know, but still at times it seems weird. There must be something very important about being in relationship with others, as God has literally mandated that by the very nature of our existence here. Hmmm. Guess I'd better pay good attention to the relationships I have - how important they are to me, which ones empower and support my life, which ones are a negative drain (energy vampires we used to call them in massage school), and which ones are just simply a joy to engage in. Make sure you have some good relationships in your life - cultivate them, work at them - don't feel badly if certain ones don't become or remain as close as you thought - let each walk their own path, but don't walk it alone.

The Blind Side

Today after church and lunch, my friend and I finally went to see The Blind Side - what a touching story. I know, it was a movie, and I'm sure there were some embellishments for Hollywood, but underneath it all, what a cool movie depicting a wonderful gesture and commitment to helping our fellow man. Aside from the fact that Sandra Bullock (one of my personal faves anyway) was absolutely amazing in this movie, the bottom line here is one of reminding us of something that, I personally believe, is one of the things God expects of us on this earth - here is a family that went out of their own comfort zone to help another human being. And, as a side note, I saw part of a tv interview with Michael Oher who now actually plays football for the Baltimore Ravens, and he was so sweet and humble - I was really impressed with his demeanor. Anyway, on the way home we were talking and were saying how in all actuality, if each Christian did one thing - if each Christian family took in one person who needed help, if each person looked around and met one need for someone less fortunate than themselves, what a better place this would be, and how much more of God's love would be spread around. See anyone around you less fortunate or who needs a little help? Maybe there's something you can do to meet their need. Think about it. We can all do something - maybe not as encompassing as taking another person into our home forever, but something. And who knows how that one little something might change another person's life.

Another Drumming Night!

Last night was our monthly drumming circle - it's always so much fun, but this time was especially interesting because we had a new instrument. In the pictures above, you'll see Tracey with the new "ocean drum". It looks like a regular hand drum, but is filled with metal beads that are supposed to sound like relaxing ocean waves when you move the drum around. It actually sounds more like a typhoon size wave if you ask me - a little on the loud side, but still very interesting. You can shake it, roll it, or just beat it with a mallet like a regular drum that results in a snare drum type sound. All in all, it was great fun. There's something therapeutic about beating on something, I guess - takes all your frustrations out. How comforting to be able to get that release amongst friends. Our group is growing and that makes it fun, also, to get to meet other people and share together. Hmmm..sounds a little like community forming, eh?

Disappointed

This is my niece, Maria, on Christmas Eve. There she is all decked out in her paper crown that came out of our Christmas crackers. Her expression is just how I feel today. You know how you try and try and try and try to make something work out the way you want it to, and in the end (whenever that eventually comes) it just ain't gonna work out that way? Well, that's where I am today....grieving a little, disappointed alot, wondering what's going to be around the corner. I know I think it would be better for me if things happened the way I want them to (there's that ugly control problem again!), but, perhaps down the road I will see that this will be for the best. So I'm going off to practice that look - I know I won't be as cute as she is when I do it, but at least on the inside, I'm going to let myself have today just to scowl - tomorrow I'll be looking at a bright new day, and we'll see what's on the horizon.