ENCOURAGED IN HEART

My weekly weigh-in revealed a three ounce loss…the past few weeks I’ve been more like a percolator coffee pot (the slow drip kind!) but heck, I’ll take the drips!

The nugget God dropped on my heart this week is to take the path of least avoidance.

That’s a dramatically different path than the way I walked my past 30 years; which had been the path of least resistance (avoiding pain at all costs!).

I biked this Saturday and realized when I see curbs, with no slanted handicap entrance, I peddle faster and enter head first into the challenge. I love the quick thrill of taking the curb (the whole 5 inches I’m in the air!) and challenge!   I feel…well, fierce!  And viola – my baby finally has a name, yup, you guessed
it…Fierce!

Woo-hoo! She is Fierce in her sleek slate color with black slimming accents and modestly placed crimson flair!

Fierce and I climbed up a grassy hill to the desired paved path and this message stuck to me like glue.  I glanced down to check my heart rate on my spiffy monitor/watch, only to pant a chuckle out. Fierce isn’t the only gal in town with crimson flair!  Me too with my fierce nails!

I celebrate on this journey; I am no longer choosing the path of least resistance.  The well worn path has been replaced with the path of least avoidance.  In all aspects of my life: grief, in emotional, physical and spiritual health.  Heck, even in my physical fitness!  The path of least resistance helped me avoid pain and painful people.

I cry now. I’m learning to open up and trust (the correct people) and share, for that’s “safe” for me.  I used to only worry about what was “safe” for others.

I recently read, It’s So Hard to Love You by Bill Klatte and Kate Thompson.  On page 95, they offered awesome practical advice on dealing with pain/painful people:

1.  Feel It – acknowledge accept your thoughts/feelings.
2.  Think It – rethink what happened and plan how you’ll respond.
3.  Act It – replace your old behavior with new.

This week, I felt overwhelmed with grief in my missing Romeo.  Frequently, I felt the familiar urge inside, of my chompers getting started.  I recognized the urge for what it was, an emotional need, versus a physical hunger.  Instead of eating food (because I wasn’t physically hungry…I was sad, emotionally hungry) I painted my nails.

We all have our individual quirks.  I happen to be inundated with them (hence another request to PRAY FOR DAVE!). It’s a pet peeve of mine to take the time to paint my nails only to dent them up before their dried. Yup, painting my ½ inch long nails (I’m not exaggerating, I just measured…) did the trick.  I followed the outlines step and I experienced delight:

Feel – I felt sad.
Replace- I will not eat, because I am not hungry. What to do…I will do something to occupy my hands.
Act – I painted my nails.

Well, to sum things up, the path of least avoidance equals more work. Feel free to go ahead and roll your eyes, have a hissy fit and get it out…because that’s Step 1…CHECK. 

In my pursuit to “do life” God’s way, He’s required major adjustments made.  I believe there are more adjustments to come, and no matter what – I’m not quitting. So slide over Paris Hilton, “That’s Hot” has been replaced with “That’s Fierce!”

I’m not trying to get my way
in the world’s way
I’m trying to get your way,
your Word’s way.
I’m staying on your trail;
I’m putting one foot
In front of the other.
I’M NOT GIVING UP. Psalm 17:4-5 (Message)

If you have made the choice to not quit, then sister, you’re fierce too!

Which path are you on? The least resistance or the least avoidance?  It takes just one turn to change paths.  I pray today, you make the choice to fiercely go forward!