ENCOURAGED IN HEART

Well, similar to Little Mikey at his bowl of Life cereal, I’m going to try it! Recently, I checked an item off my bucket list! No, Dog didn’t ask me to go on a bounty with him, but he should, he really should…with Dog’s flavorful language and my attitude, well, we’d make for some good reality TV viewing…and then we could join hands with the team and pray it out.

I did however, enter my very first triathlon! And wowzers are those words that I never thought I’d type! Alone, I’d probably never “tri” a triathalon…but as a team, count me in! This is a first time tri for all the “Dream Team” members:

(L-R: Bikin’ Me, Swimimin’ Kerry and Runnin’ Joann channeling our inner Charlie’s Angles poses!)

We’re each doing an event and the only thing I can think of is look out South Riding…literally, me on a bike amongst fellow riders…“LOOK OUT, I’M A JERSEY DRIVER!” (even while on Fierce)!

I’m inspired to be on the same team with Joann and Kerry for they’re not only hysterical to hang with, but their lives have encouraged me to dig a little deeper. God’s helped Jo kick cancer in the butt and Kerry’s facing serious medical issues, and despite it all…they’re going for it! But not alone, as a team!

What do you think our team name should be? And, what will you “tri”?

As iron sharpens iron, so one (wo)man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

Jake’s teacher passed me a story that he wrote today. It encouraged my heart so much, that I wanted to share it with you too. (I only spelled the words so that you could understand his message, which I believe will bless your heart!)

“One day two happy fish were swimming in the ocean. One Monday when they were swimming in the ocean they found some coral they tried to pull it up but they couldn’t pull it up. They found some clover but the clover just ran away then they remembered you don’t have to have stuff like coral you just have to have God.”

Two weeks ago Jake told me that, “I think God wants me to be an illustrator and a soccer player!”

I think God might want him to be an author too…

As I peddled at a smooth clip of 22.7km/hr (whatever speed that is…my “mph” mode won’t appear despite my many clickings) on Fierce this morning, I screeched to a halt when the traffic light turned crimson. Man, do I hate when that happens. Going at a good speed, then needing to come to a dramatic halt.

And then God brought back another time, in a different season, when I was going at a good speed…and then came to a dramatic halt.

“I don’t think you acted like a very good Christian,” was the newbie’s response to my writing piece. A writing piece that I was trying to show via words how bad I behaved and how good God is, but anyhoo…

I held my tongue but let loose my thoughts, which on any given day I already have in spades, Ummm…OUCH! My words, not actions are under critique here little Miss Perfect.

To make matters worse, she was having a good hair day and I, well, let’s just say it was another ball cap kind of day!

If that had been my first writer’s critique circle, it very well could have been my last. I won’t lie, that woman’s words hurt. I very well could have used that one well-intentioned but poorly stated sentence as reason as to why I should delay pursuing my passion and purpose as I know it today.

I don’t know much, but here’s a slice of what I do know. I’m not going to trust a stranger, who just met me, to be the litmus test of my Godliness. My sentence structure, and overuse of commas and exclamation points…perhaps. I’ll take other’s opinions into consideration and then ask those that I trust, The Finkster, my in-nies and of course, the Big G.

And so I did.

Both the Finkster and my accountability partner, Nancy, advised to, “just shake it off”.

And so I did.

If I didn’t have people who I could trust to “do life with”…that woman’s one sentence could have de-railed me. My in-nies and dear friends did not just “happen”…there was time, then life experiences, then risks to see if we could trust one another, then more time. Many people were sifted through the risk taking process of trust. You know I’m a crazy Jersey girl with a whole lotta attitude. I don’t trust easily, which helped me be an above average cop, but below average “truster”. After sowing love and time into one another’s lives, my in-nies and I can speak truth and know that the source is love.

Guess I have two questions today, “Are you allowing one person’s statement to get you off track?” and “Do you have people in your life that will tell you your strengths but also love you enough to gently speak to your weaknesses?”

I look up to the mountains–
where does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

The LORD himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

The LORD keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

Psalm 121:1-8 (New Living Translation)