Look Up!

Have you heard that tomorrow night there is supposed to be a blue moon? I don't believe I've ever seen one so I am quite excited about it.

Have you heard that Jesus is coming back? I've seen signs about His return and heard stories about it my whole life. I'm quite excited about that as well.

Did you read my blog yesterday, asking you to tell me what's wrong with you that maybe you haven't told anyone else? Did you feel my heart reaching out to yours? Did you know I've been waiting my whole life to be heard and not just listened to--much like those of you who wrote to me and shared your stories? I was quite excited about that. And saddened. And...? And I was humbled. I was seared by the words written as they resonated within my own soul. That old expression "misery loves company" is true in part. To know someone understands your hurts and haunts even though your paths most likely won't cross down here is invaluable.

Our stories, friends, often have the same theme. The plot line may be a little different and some of the characters aren't quite the same but the similarities are obvious. The hurts common. The difference is the way we have allowed and are still allowing God to work in us to take those aches away.

I had lunch today with a new friend and what should have only been a 1-3 hour event turned into one that lasted nearly 6 hours. Why? What made this woman so special that I spent a whole afternoon with her and she with me when we'd only met once before in a social setting? I'll tell you. God allowed us to have kindred spirits, willing hearts that dared once more to reach out to another soul when so many in our pasts have let us down. He allowed us to tell things to each other that few others were privy to. We felt safe and trusted Him enough to bless this meeting. Will we have another "date" such as this? Who knows? I hope so! I'm excited about that.

In conclusion to this scattered thoughts blog (you know I don't always make much sense after 7:00 pm), here are my final words: look up. Look up to see the blue moon tomorrow night. Look up to see Jesus on the horizon. Look up to see that not everyone is looking down on you but instead, they are waiting to make eye contact with you, to connect with you, and to comfort you--often without even realizing they are being a balm to your soul. Our redemption draweth nigh, friends. Look up!

What's your problem?

July 29, 2015

What's wrong with you? Seriously, if someone was to sit down with you and be prepared to actually listen--listen and not interrupt with their "I'll tell you what you need to do" spiel--what would you tell her?

One day if I am in the position again to do such, I plan to have a meeting where I have the ladies in it fill out an index card with five things on it that tell what they wish others knew about them. You see, so many of us are harboring secret pains, secret fears, hurts, haunts, and thoughts that we just wish we could share with someone. Not to whine about and not to elicit sympathy but just so that others would know that we hurt, that we need, and that we need a little help.

What about you, sister? If you were in my meeting, what would be on your list? That persistent cough that keeps you from laughing too much for fear of your tears running down your leg? Or, on a more serious level, that certain time of the year--say Mother's Day--when so many around are celebrating the fact that they had a mom who was priceless when yours wasn't so great--or maybe because you yourself haven't had the opportunity to give birth? Maybe it's that you have chronic pain that doesn't allow you to participate in activities because your body just can't function like it should and you wind up looking lazy or useless when inside you are so wishing you could get more involved? Maybe it's that your husband isn't really nice to you in private. Maybe your kid(s) treat you poorly. Perhaps you have a dream to be a _____________(fill in the blank) and you just can't get the support you need to try to pursue it.

Do these issues bother you at night, when instead of sleeping peacefully, they rage inside of you? Do your secret tears and pleas to God to make it better keep you from resting so that in the morning you wake up drained and just wish you didn't have to face the day? Does even this sweet Bible verse I've listed cause you to cringe because no matter how you try, you just can't seem to find your joy--in the morning, in the afternoon, nor at night?

Sigh. I've been there. And truthfully? Sometimes I go back for visits, even though I'd prefer to stay on top of the mountain rather than go through the valley where it can be dark and lonely. Why? Honestly? Sometimes--even though it's dreary and cold there--it's safe. I know my pain. I know my misery. I know my loneliness. No matter how many (if any) folks try to understand, they just don't get it. They don't get me. Or if they start to, I can be more than they really want to get involved with. You see, like me, they have their own pains and issues to deal with. Maybe they have enough folks in their support groups and networks of friends and don't have room for one more.

I wish I could tell you this is just a lie from the devil but...there's too much truth in there, right? So many women seem to have it all together or have their groups already sealed that an outsider may be invited in for a party or two but to be allowed full membership is just not in their plan. I wish I could tell you to just hang on; that that one soul sister is just waiting to be connected to you. I wish I could tell you that if you would just pray about these things that God would take them all away from you and have you come out on top but I can't do this. I can't give you false hopes and fake promises.

What I can do though is pray for you. I can listen. You don't want advice and you don't need any more scripture references, do you? You just want someone to listen, to care. You just want someone to hear you, to hear what you don't say as much as what you speak. So, here I am. I offer myself to you this morning to send me your lists, to write me your hearts, and to pour yourselves out in a note that will be read by an objective soul who truly only wants to try to ease your load this day. My email is hutcheson2010@yahoo.com. What you write will not be shared with anyone else other than my Father because that's the only other One Who can make a difference. I invite you to unburden yourselves today.

Let's pray.

Oh Lord, how many of your daughters are out there, reading this note, and wanting some relief? How many are enslaved to private pains and they just want some release? I know personally how much just writing things out can ease some of the pressures so--even if they don't share their stories with me--I hope that they too can find some comfort in just putting to pen and paper the things that are troubling them and that they will commit them afresh to You. If I could, I'd take those tears that they've yet to shed because they just can't let someone see them cry and I'd bottle them up and use them to nourish our dry land. Those tears, Lord, could probably ease the drought issues we are experiencing.

Father, may Your will be done today as hearts dare to open, as they cautiously approach this offer to share what's bothering them, and may You be shown mighty and powerful as You teach them that You overcame death and that we have the same power in us to do so when we trust in You. Help! We're crying out to You today. Restore us, Lord, we pray, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Oh be careful little mouth what you say

July 28, 2015

Warning: boots may be needed to continue reading today's blog because I fear some toes may be stepped upon. Read on at your own risk.

Ooh, that sounds kind of ominous, doesn't it? Wonder how many folks have already stopped reading? Oh well: you're still here and that's who I wanted to talk to anyways.

I've been pondering humans and humanity for a while now. At my age, I am tired of game playing where folks will go along with the crowd so that they may be considered part of the crowd but then are unable to stand on their own when no one else is around. Does that make sense? It's easy to say one thing--and fully believe you mean it--when you have accountability partners there to assist you in whatever goal you are reaching for. Take exercise, for instance. It's so much easier to stay with it when you have someone beside you, working with you, pushing you to complete and to not give up.

But when that person leaves and you are left to your own devices, then what? Or when you agree to be a part of something--say a visitation ministry or support group--but the ones you sought to impress aren't physically there, rather than focusing on the object at hand, you bail. You meant it when you committed but...but only if a certain somebody was going to see your actions.

Let's go a little further. Ever had someone ask you to pray for them? Ever seen a posting or been in a prayer service and jotted that soul's name down and never thought of them again--but at the time someone was led to believe you'd actually follow through on your vow? I see so many times "praying" on the comment section of a request. I hear the words "our thoughts and prayers go out to the..." blah blah blah as celebrities, politicians, and the media are prone to say when disaster strikes. This evokes a sense of gratitude, of hope, of trust that another soul is out there, praying on your behalf when in actuality chances are good you've not been given a second thought. Out of sight, out of mind.

I John 3:18 says: Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. The Fixx had a hit song back in 2009 called "One Thing Leads to Another." The chorus includes these words:

Why don't they

Do what they say

Say what they mean

One thing leads to another♫

Right now, I am remembering a dear child who told me what she thought I wanted to hear, along with a promise to follow up on what she was complimenting me about. Yeah. Guess what? There was no follow up, no conversation about what we had just discussed. But, because she thought her words were comforting and made her look like she really cared about what I was going through, she felt good in her heart about having done "the right thing." Does that make sense? Basically, she thought she was soothing me, stroking my ego, when in fact her words of "support" showed the opposite and left me feeling most unsupported. Sigh. It made her feel good to play the role of an adult, to say the things adults say to one another, and to have me think she has really grown into a woman of God. However, what it made me see was that yes, she is nearly an adult, yes she is playing the pretend role of one (because--after all--isn't that what adults do: tell you one thing and forget that promise when you are no longer in their sight?), and instead of being a woman of God, she is a woman of the world. My disappointment is palpable.

In conclusion, what I guess I am writing is a warning for us: if you don't mean it, don't say it. Don't try to placate others with soothing words that end up rubbing us the wrong way when you don't follow through. Just pat me on the hand and tell me I'm pretty instead. It would have about as much effect as your lie does.

Let's pray.

God...wow. I didn't know I was so upset over this incident until I started blogging on it. You know, Lord, being lied to has always been my number one pet peeve. This child did it by the oft touted "sin of omission" defense but...I still feel pricked and am not happy to see the youth of today turning into carbon copies of the women of yesterday.

Lord, we have GOT to be different. We have GOT to love in spirit and in truth. May we not tickle ears but instead may we touch hearts when our actions back up our words. Help me most with this, Father, so that I don't become hypocritical and judgmental and be a liar too.

Thank You, Lord, for this lesson this morning. Guard my tongue today, I ask, and help me to be a catalyst into changing this way of "Christianity" into one of Christ-likeness. In Your Son Jesus' name I pray. Amen.