I thought that this was an extraordinary concept. Now I have heard of the "name it and claim it" movement. I am absolutely against this, but I see no harm in hanging on to hope and the knowledge that God can work miracles and that he has made certain promises to us as His children.
This was brought to my mind again this morning when in less than an hour I got severely beaten down over and over again by different people hitting me with their negative and thoughtless comments. I am currently under an immense amount of stress. Between work, buying a house, and moving I am using every last reserve of energy I have. I am struggling with the feeling that now that I am soon to be a home owner I am seriously all "grown-up". Which of course I've known for awhile now, but there's just something about having a mortgage that pops a blazing neon sign in my head that says "adulthood...you have arrived!". This is exciting, but also makes me feel rather melancholy. There were things I had meant to do before reaching this point that haven't happened. This milestone reminds me painfully that the "normal" steps are probably not what God has planned for me, and though I know He is good, I can't help but feel a twinge of sorrow at this thought.
Work is also extremely busy with Spring and Summer activities coming up. This means I am getting hit from all sides with people needing me. Though it is nice to be needed it is also exhausting and with everything else going on very hard to keep track of. It doesn't help that I can make one person extremely happy and then have forgotten something and make another person at best slightly annoyed. It makes for a roller coaster ride of emotions. "YES! I got that all done and they are happy and it looks really good, if I do say so myself" then... "CRAP! I forgot to get that done." The later is usually after someone is asking me where something is and then I have to say "I don't have it yet" and I get the look that is both infuriating and shame inducing.
To try to have a positive time to look towards I, along with some friends, have decided to take a vacation to Florida in 3 weeks. I am looking forward to this trip like nothing else...except for having a house...that is pretty worthy of looking forward to also, but I digress. This trip will be a weeks worth of doing nothing but lying on the beach with an Mai Tai in one hand and a good book in the other. I can not wait!
All these things I've mentioned do actually have to do with my original point believe it or not. With the move being in mid-March I am constantly reminded by some about the trickiness of the weather and how it could be raining or snowing on my move day. This is apparently something they feel they must share with me since I don't have anything else to worry about and might as well worry about the weather too.
With work I am running my tail off trying to keep track of everything I am human so some things slip out of my mind and I drop the ball. Luckily, or unluckily depending how you see it, I have 600+ people right there to tell me when I fail or forget something.
My vacation doesn't even escape unscathed as this morning I was greeted with a "Hey, I heard you are headed to Florida! You know it was 44° there yesterday." . . . really?! That's great! Then I'll sit on the beach in a parka with a Irish creme coffee in one hand and my book in the other HA! Take that you naysayer!
Is it really that hard to speak life to me? Instead of reminding me about the weather; offer to help me move and encourage me that even if the weather is less than sunny that it will work out and the wonderful people who love and care for me will make it work some how.
Tell me that you understand I've got a lot on my plate and you know I'm working hard and that I am appreciated for that. You can still reiterate that what you need is needed ASAP, but that you know I will try to get it as fast and as excellent as I can.
Be happy with me that I get to take this trip. Talk to me about the beaches and how beautiful and vast the ocean is. If you are concerned about the possibility of chilly weather suggest I take a jacket since the weather has been less than summery lately, but also include that the ocean will still be beautiful and that there are plenty of ocean side places to sit inside while I drink my mai tai and read my book.
I spend most of my life in silence. When I go home I talk to my dog. When I am out in public that is the only time for me to hear positive words spoken to me. I am not the only one. Other singles or widows or widowers live the same life as me. When you see them hug them, if they like it. Tell them how nice they look, take them with you to lunch after service, ask them about their day and listen, ask them about their life, and SPEAK LIFE TO THEM!
