I'm 34 years old, soon to be 35. I find it HIGHLY unlikely that I will have children and I'm completely OK with that. But some people in my life are not so ok with it, and have even asked me "But who will take care of you when you are older?" I know they meant well, but having a child does not guarantee that I have adequate care when I am a senior citizen and unable to care for myself.
Some people think its a little unusual that I don't pine over having a baby. I love babies so much, love other people's babies and caring for them. But that doesn't mean I need a baby.
I look at it this way...what if by not having children I can go out and love on so many children and individuals who do not have a mother or someone to love them? What if that is my legacy?
"If my life is broken when given to Jesus, it may be because pieces will feed a multitude when a loaf would satisfy only a little boy" Elisabeth Elliot
I love this quote, I have for over 10 years. When I read this quote above, I interpret it many ways: Yes, when we are broken before God, He basically divides and conquers with the pieces of our life. I also see this quote as an explanation, somewhat, over the BABY question in my own life.
I want to touch AS MANY HURTING PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD AS I CAN. And I think the solution for me to do that is to be freed up on some levels that others are not.
And God has been SO gracious to me to put people into my life that I have been able to "mother" and pour myself into, and this fills me and gives me so much joy.
I think everyone has their own unique path. Sometimes it is not 2.5 kids, a pool and a SUV.
People will see me holding a baby sometimes and say "That is a good look on you". And you know what? They are right. Loving another person and showing compassion and tenderness is a good look on anyone.
It looks the same as:
Kneeling at the feet of a homeless man with no teeth and fitting him with shoes
Putting on rainboots and gloves to clean out a flood ravaged home
Having a friend over late into the night because she just needs to talk
Watching a young woman grow into adulthood that you have had the honor of mentoring for 10 years
And I'm not finished...I want to DO SO MUCH MORE...and expend myself more. Love more, care more....nurture more.
Whoever you are, Wherever you are, children, no children, its OK!
Just remember, everyone has a different path....but I think we all hope for the same destination.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Trusting
Who can you really trust? That is a question I am asking myself more and more these days. That really bothers me that I am at the place where I consciously wonder who it is that I can trust.
Who can I trust?
It has always been very easy for me to talk to others about things that were pressing on my soul. It was comforting to talk to another person about issues that were on my mind, or weighing me down.
It am learning lately though that a) people usually don’t care about what you are saying if it doesn’t affect them directly b) a lot of people will tell another person what you confided in them about and c) the direct result to talking about your problems to another is JUST a momentary release of getting it out. OH, and d) bearing your soul to another can make them stress out over your issues FOR you, or make them think you are looney tunes depending on what you say.
So, what is this girl to do?
Not talk…yes, and no.
First, I am making a concentrated effort to talk to God about things first. He knows me the best anyway, and He is always there to listen to the good, bad and ugly. He loves me no matter what I say.
Second, choose carefully whom I confide in, and ask for wisdom from very few. Everybody has got their opinion and perspective, but if you are like me, I am a pleaser and I listen, which is good, but it can cause my vision to be cloudy. So, I know that it is best for me to narrow down the number of people I talk to and glean insight from. That doesn’t mean I am isolated from my community of friends, but it means I am choosing to guard my heart more and more.
Finally, I am asking for my heart to stay soft towards people and situations. When hurt moves into your life, it can cause you to harden up, become jaded. And I am a little jaded, but I just pray that my heart will stay tender.
I pray that I will remember people are just people, imperfect and extremely incapable of letting you down, the same way I let others down too.
So, I guess scripturally what I am asking for would be called “being as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves”
God, make me wise, strong, tender and pliable. Make me approachable, readable, guarded and teachable. God, make ME
Who can I trust?
It has always been very easy for me to talk to others about things that were pressing on my soul. It was comforting to talk to another person about issues that were on my mind, or weighing me down.
It am learning lately though that a) people usually don’t care about what you are saying if it doesn’t affect them directly b) a lot of people will tell another person what you confided in them about and c) the direct result to talking about your problems to another is JUST a momentary release of getting it out. OH, and d) bearing your soul to another can make them stress out over your issues FOR you, or make them think you are looney tunes depending on what you say.
So, what is this girl to do?
Not talk…yes, and no.
First, I am making a concentrated effort to talk to God about things first. He knows me the best anyway, and He is always there to listen to the good, bad and ugly. He loves me no matter what I say.
Second, choose carefully whom I confide in, and ask for wisdom from very few. Everybody has got their opinion and perspective, but if you are like me, I am a pleaser and I listen, which is good, but it can cause my vision to be cloudy. So, I know that it is best for me to narrow down the number of people I talk to and glean insight from. That doesn’t mean I am isolated from my community of friends, but it means I am choosing to guard my heart more and more.
Finally, I am asking for my heart to stay soft towards people and situations. When hurt moves into your life, it can cause you to harden up, become jaded. And I am a little jaded, but I just pray that my heart will stay tender.
I pray that I will remember people are just people, imperfect and extremely incapable of letting you down, the same way I let others down too.
So, I guess scripturally what I am asking for would be called “being as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves”
God, make me wise, strong, tender and pliable. Make me approachable, readable, guarded and teachable. God, make ME
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Glass Slipper Fit
Haiti, July 2010:
On a summer distribution trip to Haiti, we travelled outside of Port Au Prince in a small community hit badly by the earthquake. The distribution was at a church, the building had been leveled by the devastation, and a tarped roof and wooden benches now served as the church center. 300 people quickly piled in the small area when they had heard by word of mouth that shoes were being given away. I was in the corner during the distribution fitting children with shoes, their little hands using the top of my head as a way to balance as they were fitted for a new pair of shoes. With the language barrier, it was sometimes hard to figure out if the shoes were too big or small, but a big smile from each child definitely gave us the feedback, that “YES” they loved their new shoes. As the inventory was getting lower, I was fitting a young girl (probably about 11 or 12) and could not find a pair to fit her. She pointed to my slip-on Converse sneakers, letting me know that she liked them, and I figured it was worth a try. The thought went through my mind, but what will I wear? Wow, how selfish, when the thought that probably plagued this young girl’s mind was more like, “I hope I don’t step on anything sharp today and hurt my foot". I slipped my shoe off and onto her foot, and found that it was a glass slipper fit. Perfect. I handed her both of my shoes with a fullness in my heart that cannot be explained and watched her walk away with a huge smile, with her new treasure in her arms.
I found a pair of boys tennis shoes to wear that were too big for me. It was a great lesson I learned that day. One, in giving of even the clothing/shoes on my back, and two, what a challenge it is to walk around and live life in shoes that do not fit properly. My shoes were too big, and they hindered me from being 100% because I couldn’t walk as fast, they irritated my feet and took my mind off of what I was trying to accomplish because it held me back.
Great lesson learned.
Maybe you cannot go to Haiti...but you can give to Soles4Souls and help us continue to change lives...one pair of Converse sneakers at a time...
On a summer distribution trip to Haiti, we travelled outside of Port Au Prince in a small community hit badly by the earthquake. The distribution was at a church, the building had been leveled by the devastation, and a tarped roof and wooden benches now served as the church center. 300 people quickly piled in the small area when they had heard by word of mouth that shoes were being given away. I was in the corner during the distribution fitting children with shoes, their little hands using the top of my head as a way to balance as they were fitted for a new pair of shoes. With the language barrier, it was sometimes hard to figure out if the shoes were too big or small, but a big smile from each child definitely gave us the feedback, that “YES” they loved their new shoes. As the inventory was getting lower, I was fitting a young girl (probably about 11 or 12) and could not find a pair to fit her. She pointed to my slip-on Converse sneakers, letting me know that she liked them, and I figured it was worth a try. The thought went through my mind, but what will I wear? Wow, how selfish, when the thought that probably plagued this young girl’s mind was more like, “I hope I don’t step on anything sharp today and hurt my foot". I slipped my shoe off and onto her foot, and found that it was a glass slipper fit. Perfect. I handed her both of my shoes with a fullness in my heart that cannot be explained and watched her walk away with a huge smile, with her new treasure in her arms.
I found a pair of boys tennis shoes to wear that were too big for me. It was a great lesson I learned that day. One, in giving of even the clothing/shoes on my back, and two, what a challenge it is to walk around and live life in shoes that do not fit properly. My shoes were too big, and they hindered me from being 100% because I couldn’t walk as fast, they irritated my feet and took my mind off of what I was trying to accomplish because it held me back.
Great lesson learned.
Maybe you cannot go to Haiti...but you can give to Soles4Souls and help us continue to change lives...one pair of Converse sneakers at a time...
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Help People, Help People
I love being a part of Soles4Souls. I am so extremely BLESSED and graced to have a job that I absolutely love. I recognize the tremendous opportunity I have at this season in my life.
One of the parts of my job that I love is simply getting to help people, HELP OTHER PEOPLE. You may have to read that again. But basically I encounter people many times that just want to help, and I have the honor of helping them find the best method to do that. I love it.
There is nothing better than hearing the excitement in people's voices as they talk to me, and we explore ways that they can get plugged in. Establishing a relationship with people, and having them keep in touch as they begin shoe drives, plan events and further our mission is exciting. I believe that each and every person on this earth longs to give to another person, and there is no greater joy in giving. But making a difference and giving can be overwhelming, you look at the world and think, what can I do to make things better? And that is really where the heart of Soles4Souls can be found: in changing the world, ONE pair at a time! That one pair to one person can set in motion dreams that cannot even seem possible.
We can all make a difference in our world. When you look at a painting, there is more to it than just the artist that painted it. Some great scientific talent mixed and formulated the paints, a talented framer made the canvas, some tangible object created by gifted hands fashioned the inspiration behind the picture....do you get it? Everyone's part is IMPORTANT.
Use whatever you have at your disposal to make the world better...HELP.
One of the parts of my job that I love is simply getting to help people, HELP OTHER PEOPLE. You may have to read that again. But basically I encounter people many times that just want to help, and I have the honor of helping them find the best method to do that. I love it.
There is nothing better than hearing the excitement in people's voices as they talk to me, and we explore ways that they can get plugged in. Establishing a relationship with people, and having them keep in touch as they begin shoe drives, plan events and further our mission is exciting. I believe that each and every person on this earth longs to give to another person, and there is no greater joy in giving. But making a difference and giving can be overwhelming, you look at the world and think, what can I do to make things better? And that is really where the heart of Soles4Souls can be found: in changing the world, ONE pair at a time! That one pair to one person can set in motion dreams that cannot even seem possible.
We can all make a difference in our world. When you look at a painting, there is more to it than just the artist that painted it. Some great scientific talent mixed and formulated the paints, a talented framer made the canvas, some tangible object created by gifted hands fashioned the inspiration behind the picture....do you get it? Everyone's part is IMPORTANT.
Use whatever you have at your disposal to make the world better...HELP.
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