WARNING:
if you’re peeking over the fence from your “yard” to mine thinking the grass is greener over here – it’s NOT.
Just being real here.
(this is what my teen daughter calls the “mom pose”: makes the “mom” look slimmer than a straight-on shot might reveal)
Yes :
- Somehow… faith in who Jesus is led me to Him, compelled me to follow Him and I am His valued daughter.
- I have a decently healthy marriage
- My kids are not running off the rails at this moment
- I am content with my home and where we live
- I can’t express enough my gratitude for our healthy local church (https://ccclife.org/)
- Friends in my life are deep, real and long-lasting
- I enjoy drawing and have made a very modest business out of it (Hand Drawn Photos | SimplyHisStudio llc | United States)
- Much to my surprise, I finally did get my writings from over the years gathered up and into a published book (see the menu atop my blog page).
These are truths about me, and they are good. Real good.
AND
At the same time
These are also true:
- My introverted self sometimes feel fire-hosed by the amount of relating to others I must do to maintain the truths about me I listed before this.
- I AM TIRED – partly because I am not 25 any more. And, uh… I haven’t been for multiple decades (what?!)
- This body of mine seems to have some sort of daily pain – a minor meniscus tear in my knee is the current culprit. Arthritis in my neck. Joint pain. I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been having recently hit the menopause milestone, despite fitness measures ingrained in my routine. The inescapable reality is, “outwardly [ I am ] wasting away” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
- I DON’T know what I’m doing. In parenting, in starting a business, in marketing a book, in articulating Jesus’ salvation to the world around me as I ought, in praying the most effective prayer of a righteous woman (James 5), in stepping out to share my writing in this digital/social media age, etc. I make effort, I seek to learn from God’s Word and others, and I tremulously take the step of faith right in front of me if I’m astute enough to recognize it, but that’s it.
- I am so selfish and even more oblivious to the actual depth of my self-ness. I like quiet and pretty and comfortable. So, daily taking up my cross to sacrifice those things for the beauty of God’s power enabled through me to others and to observe (sometimes even participate – wow!) His magnificent weaving of His purposes in my life with others is a constant “the struggle is real” reality.
I could go on.
And on.
As you peek over your fence into my yard of being an artist, writer, cross-cultural ministry participant, etc – remember, I am no pop star.
You and I – we’re in this together and the playing field is LEVEL in view of the cross.
We are on that even ground WITH one another.
A little comic proof to send you into your weekend – photo fails. Enjoy:
(p.s. – God’s kind encouragement to me: it was dark and cloudy at the beginning of writing this post, and now the sun is bright and I hear Spring’s robins singing happily outside)