May 24, 2012

• Small Stories…

  My last post on being genuine generated a question from several readers:

  What do you do if you ARE genuine and real and then someone rejects you for that? How do you deal with that hurt?   First of all, this is a very real risk that you face when you “put yourself out there”. 

  If you want my genuine answer  – I do not know that I have a healthy way of dealing with this.  My “strategy” is to just be myself and then if someone doesn’t like me, I think something like “Well, I didn’t need them anyway. Lots of others DO like me for who I am.”

  Like I said…not necessarily healthy. But that is how I deal with it.  I try not to take it too personal, because I know that not everyone is going to click with everyone else.  There are certain people that I am not very attracted or drawn to, so why would I think that everyone will be drawn to me? So you pursue those friendships where this is a mutual “like” of each other and let the others fade into the distance.

  That is my slightly-whacked-out-but-honest answer!

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  In other news…yesterday my friend Karlee and I went to Wal-Greens and bought the blondest hair color we could find.  She was scared to try it, but I told her I was not.  She did a home color job on me and now this is what my hair looks like:

  

  It is blonder than they have ever gotten it in the salon. The downside is that there is an orangish color on my roots. But honestly, I’m cool with that. I am not very attached to my hair when it comes to needing it to be a certain way. Funky and slightly weird is ok with me. So I am totally embracing the orange.  (I also coined a new word to describe the color. It is blorange.  This is a mixture of “blonde” and “orange.”)  I would describe it as more “cantelope” and “less pumpkin” colored.  Sounds pretty, not?    Karlee kept saying that it “turned out better than she thought it would” and I was afraid to ask how low her expectations were to being with!  Another friend (we’ll just call her “L” to preserve her identity) told me that she preferred I not stand beside her at our kids’ school field day.  I am choosing to believe she was joking!  

  (And…of course…the ever unflattering self-portrait taken with the phone. Even though I tried to put on a nice smile, I still look creepy-ish!)

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  My friend Cindy is giving away an awesome!! box of loot over at her site.  Check it out HERE  — But don’t feel obligated to sign up for the give-a-way.  I am sure that I want it more than you do!  Ha, ha.

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  Today is Nikki’s last day of school. She is beyond excited to be done for the year!  The boys have 5 days left (including today) and I am about as ready as they are for school to be done.

  The problem is: I have these way high hopes for how my summer (largely at home with the kids) will go. I have lofty plans and dreamy ideas about how we will relax and hang out together in peace and how I will be such a great and attentive Mom.  How I will enjoy my kids to the fullest. 

  I don’t know why I set myself up for this inevitable failure.  Because by day 3 or 4 and I am usually like “Dang! Why did I want school to end again?”  Yeah, I’ve got issues. You don’t need to remind me.

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  I continue to re-learn this about myself: I am the true definition of an extrovert.   {An extrovert is a person who is energized by being around other people. Extroverts tend to “fade” when alone and can easily become bored without other people around. When given the chance, an extrovert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. In fact, extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak. Extroverts often think best when they are talking. Concepts just don’t seem real to them unless they can talk about them; reflecting on them isn’t enough.}

  Yet, even as an extrovert, I realize more and more the importance of me just being alone.  Alone with my thoughts and alone with God. Because even the most people-loving person can be drained if they do not have a source of strength and Someone pouring into their lives!  I need to figure out a way to prioritize that alone time because I just tend to be with people if I have the opportunity.

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  For the past year, Jeremy and I have been involved in a Bible study/community group in our small town.  (The name of it is “Element” and our good friends, the Bishops, had the vision to plant a church here!  The big focus, though, will be the community groups.  We are SO excited about “Element” and about seeing God work in people’s lives!) I have learned SO much through being a part of this group and I am so grateful for the way that being part of this community group has grown my faith in God and my relationship with Him!!  Now, Jeremy and I are stepping out in FAITH (because it is certainly not of our own experience or skills) to lead the 2nd “Element” community group. Tuesday night was our first gathering!  We really enjoyed it and were so grateful for the friends who attended!

  Anyway, one of the big things that I have been learning this past year is something that I want to encourage each of you with today.

  We often make sharing Jesus so complicated.  We are scared off by it.  We feel intimidated or we fear rejection. But really, sharing Jesus boils down to this:  We each have our story. (Everyone does have a story…don’t ever forget that!) and then there is the story of Jesus.  And our role is to tell others about that point (or those points) in our lives where HIS story and OUR story intersect. 

  We are shaped by our life experiences and our hurts and struggles and victories and triumps.  We all have a story that is worth telling.  Witnessing to others is just about (once again) being genuine and being honest enough to share our story and then tell others about how Jesus’ story impacted our lives, whether in big or small ways. 

  I am reminded of a story from the Bible…about the “woman at the well” in John Chapter 4.  What an unlikely candidate to be the one from her town who meets Jesus, talks with Him, realizes that He is the Messiah…and then what does she do?  She is SO excited that she goes back to her town and tells everyone about this “man she met who told her everything she ever did!”  And through her sharing her story…maybe people came to know Jesus.  When we are truly excited about something, we WILL talk about it.  We will want to share our story with others! Transformation is no small thing…even though it often happens in very small steps.

  If we are true followers of Jesus, there will be many stories (past and current) to draw on and share about how God has transformed our lives.  How exciting is that?  And how freeing to know that it is as simple as that.

  Being real. Sharing our story.  Showing love.  And remembering that it is NOT about us…but about bringing glory to God through what He has done in our lives.

  Our HIStory is HIS-story in the making! 

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  • 10:55 am
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