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Getting a Grip on my Worries

4/29/2013

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My sweaty palms have nothing to do with the steamy afternoon temperatures. How did I let my husband talk me into this? One minute I’m nibbling on a funnel cake, and the next, standing in line for the wildest ride at the park.

I plop into the seat and lower the padded harness over my shoulders. Click. Can this thing hold me? I grab the safety restraint and yank it up and down. Never hurts to check for defects. The operator pulls the lever. No turning back now.  

Three … Two ... One … and with a mighty force my head smacks hard against the back of the seat. Looping and twisting along the track, a powerful plunge grabs at my stomach. But the worst is yet to come.

Just as we approach the first steep hill, we screech to an abrupt stop. Inch-by-agonizing-inch we crawl toward the top, bracing ourselves for the inevitable drop. I use this precious time to secure my grip and plant my feet against anything solid.

My husband laughs like a lunatic.

“Put your hands in the air!” he shouts over the clanking coaster.

Has he gone mad? We’re about to nose-dive over a cliff!

 He stretches out his hands, hollers, and kicks both legs in opposite directions. Meanwhile, I scratch and claw to hang on.   

And just as quickly as it began, it ends.

I stumble down the walkway and scold my husband. “I can’t believe you talked me into that!”

He swings his arm around my shaky shoulder. “You know, there’s two ways to ride a roller coaster. You can hold on tight -- and worry the whole time -- or you can lift up your hands and enjoy the ride.” He gives me a playful squeeze. “And my way is more fun.”  

He does have a point.

When I’m riding a roller coaster, somehow I convince myself it’s my power and strength that keeps me in my seat. As long as I have a good strong grip, I think I’m in control.  

Unfortunately, there are times when I’ve applied that same technique in other areas of my life. Like when it comes to worrying.   

I know I’m supposed to give my concerns to God, but how easily my worries work their way into my thoughts! Often the situation is out of my control, but I tighten my grip and hold on to the problem anyway. And keeping a firm grip on my problems can be exhausting!

So how do I stop traveling down the same path and let go of my worries? The apostle Paul tells me:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT)

Instead of clinging to the problem, I can hold onto God and rest in His strength. When I feel overwhelmed with worry, I need to stop fretting and start talking to God. Taking time to thank Him for all He has done in the past will remind me that I am still in His capable hands for my future.

Let’s be real. Life can be tough and it isn’t always a smooth ride. But I don’t want to hold on so tightly that I can’t enjoy the journey. I want to throw my hands in the air, trust in God, and enjoy the twists and turns of an exciting ride.

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*Image courtesy of ponsulak / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Remembering My Great Escape

4/22/2013

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Check out those "musical notes" socks!
It’s been a rough day at school. I can tell. Even before her backpack hits the floor, Taylor is fighting back the tears. Then it all comes spilling out. The emotions of a sixth grade girl. I’ve been there. Feelings so intense you don’t know what to do with them. 

She tells me about her day. I listen and try to encourage her. I wish I could fix it, but I can’t. She stomps down the steps and slams the door.

Madison plops her backpack onto the kitchen table. She finds her spelling words and a sheet of scratch paper. Half-way through her spelling list I hear the faint plunking of piano keys coming from the basement. Taylor is practicing.

Emily joins us at the table with a couple of thick textbooks. As both girls work on their homework, a slow, solemn melody echoes through the house.

Madison and I chat about an upcoming field trip and she hands me a permission slip. The piano music has become more lively and up-beat.

In a few minutes the music stops. Taylor slips by us, grabbing her backpack off the floor.

And she’s humming.

I smile, thinking back a few decades ago … back when I stomped up the steps in our old farmhouse and slammed my bedroom door. I remember shoving my arm under my mattress, fishing for my diary. Then I’d stretch out on my bed and start scribbling away. I didn’t know what to do with my emotions, so I poured them into my writing.

Everyone needs a place to get away from the stresses of life, if only for a little while. Everyone needs to find their own escape.   

I’m thankful Taylor has found hers.

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The Voice of Truth

4/15/2013

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Okay, I’ll admit it. Sometimes I talk to myself. Not out loud, mind you. But I have this annoying inner voice and every so often I have to tell it to be quiet. Like when I first decided to pursue my dream of becoming a writer. That voice just wouldn’t shut up. It worked hard to discourage me.  

You? A writer? You don’t have anything to say.

If you step out and try this, you might fail.

Why would you go to a writers conference? Writing for the church newsletter doesn’t make you a writer.

I remember one day when I met my friend, Grace, for lunch. She handed me her copy of Guideposts magazine and asked if I’d be interested in entering their writers workshop contest.

Over the next couple of days, my annoying voice worked overtime.

Are you kidding? It’s Guideposts. They probably get thousands of entries. Your chances of winning are so slim … 

But I couldn't stop thinking about it. Finally, I talked back to that negative voice.

What’s it going to hurt if I give it a try? Sure, it’s a little scary to step out and take a risk, but I’m not going to let fear control me …

So I entered the contest.

And a few months later my phone rang. I couldn’t believe it. I had won! I was so excited to tell Curt – I just had to tell him in person. So I called him at work.

“Are you in a meeting right now because I really need to tell you something and it’ll only take a minute and can you meet me in the parking lot?”

He probably thought I had wrecked the van. Or took a pregnancy test …

On my way to meet Curt, a song by the group, Casting Crowns came on the radio. I had always liked the song, but this time I heard the lyrics like never before. If you have a minute, click on the title below so you can listen to the song ...

Voice of Truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves

To step out of my comfort zone
To the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. 'Boy, you'll never win!'
"You'll never win"

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again "boy, you'll never win!
"You'll never win"

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

That line in the chorus, “You’ll never win,” still gets me every time. :-)  

Do you ever struggle with a negative inner voice? Your voice probably isn’t telling you to stop writing, but no doubt it’s trying to discourage you. 

The next time your inner voice starts jabbering, I encourage you to talk back. After all, we have a choice. We can either allow those lies to get the best of us, or we can listen and believe the voice of truth. 

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The Little Things

4/8/2013

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It was a typical weekday morning. Madison knocked on our bathroom door, her hair dripping wet from the shower. 

 “Come on over,” I said, grabbing the hair dryer. “I don’t want you going outside with a wet head.”

We stood for a few minutes, making silly faces in the mirror while I dried her hair. Curt was busy brushing his teeth. Finally, I gave up. “This old thing isn’t working very well,” I said, setting the dryer back inside the cabinet. We hurried downstairs to watch for the bus.

Later that morning after my shower, I turned on the hair dryer. What in the world? A blast of warm air hit me with such a powerful force; it felt like I’d stepped inside a wind tunnel. After a quick inspection I realized Curt had cleaned the lint off the screen.

How about that? Amazing how a little thing like removing some lint could make such a big difference. It worked like a brand new hair dryer.

I smiled into the mirror as my thoughts turned toward Curt. His little act of kindness had also made a big difference ... to me. 

He doesn’t even use that hair dryer. He was running late for work, yet he took the time to do something nice for me. I wondered how many times he had done some little thing that I hadn’t even noticed.   

I took it as a good reminder. 

Sometimes we just need to pull back from the daily routine of life and take time to notice the little things. 

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” 
- Mother Teresa


Image courtesy of John Kasawa / freedigitalphotos.net

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Back to School

4/1/2013

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This past week I went back to junior high. More specifically, I got to hang out with Mrs. Miller’s eighth-grade English classes. I talked about my writing journey, shared stories from winning the Guideposts contest and even threw in a few writing tips I’ve learned along the way. More than anything, I tried to encourage the students to follow their dreams. 

I spoke to three classes the first morning and two the following afternoon. I now have a new respect for teachers. I mean, the kids were great, but I can’t remember a time when I’ve talked so much. Just when I finished one class, in came another! And for heaven’s sake, when do teachers ever have time to go to the bathroom?

As a thank you, Mrs. Miller gave me her copy of Guideposts with each student’s signature adorning the front and back covers. I was deeply touched. But poor Gloria Estefan’s face on the front cover sure took a beating.
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Then something occurred to me. My picture was also in that magazine! I couldn’t help but wonder how my face fared after passing though the hands of 100 imaginative eighth graders. I flipped through the pages and found my article. How about that! I was completely unblemished.

When it comes to teenagers, sometimes it’s hard to know exactly where you stand. But no squiggly mustache? No goofy glasses? Not even a hint of a blackened-out tooth? I’ll take that as a compliment.     

Thank you Mrs. Miller – and all of the eighth grade students at Rockridge Jr. High for inviting me to come speak with you! I really enjoyed it.

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