I'm Here Now

Most of us can recall some childhood memory when we were experiencing panic, disappointment, sadness, or a feeling of being lost.  We knew that the only thing that would make it all better was the presence of a loved one to provide reassurance and security.

 

When I was in kindergarten, I rode the bus home from school, and was one of the first stops on the route (we lived just down the street from the school).  One day we had a substitute bus driver, and he drove right past my house.  I was so shy and withdrawn (believe it or not...lol), I couldn't even muster up the courage to speak up and let him know of his error.  Instead, I sat and cried quietly in my seat, while the driver covered a lot of miles on out into more rural areas that I did not visually recognize. 

 

Meanwhile, my mother was frantic, calling the school to see if I was still there, driving up and down the road to see if somehow I was walking home from school, and so forth.  Eventually, the bus driver made his last drop off and began to head back to the bus lot.  It was then that he noticed me and asked where I should have been dropped off, and I guess I managed to tell him my address or street name.  Arriving back home and rushing into my mother's arms was the only thing that would have comforted me and eased my anxiety on that day.  I'm sure she probably soothed me, whispering something like, "It's okay.  I'm here now."

 

Even as adults, we need these moments.  It's hard to admit it, but each one of us needs to be wrapped up in the arms of safety, love, and security.  I've recently experienced that for the first time in a very long time - someone who wants to take care of me in ways I never thought I would be cared for, because I was always so busy doing it all for myself and my children.  It's crazy actually, having him there to lend a hand, to provide support, and for me to lean on.  I'm not used to it.  I've unfortunately grown accustomed to takers, not givers.  It feels luxurious.  When he says he'll handle a certain thing, I'll say "I've got this.  I've always taken care of this."  Then he says to me "I'm here now" and I feel like the child coming off the school bus, falling into arms of support and comfort and love. 

 

Indeed you are here now.  And I am slowly learning to let you hold me and help me.

 

"You're here, that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close..."

~"A Little Fall of Rain" from Les Miserables

 

 

Coat of Many...Betrayals

I'm writing a small group study guide for my church.  I haven't even heard the sermon yet that it's based on, but I know the topic (betrayal & forgiveness) and read several chapters in Genesis today that will apparently be discussed.  It's a story I know well - that of Joseph and the betrayal he endured. I counted three betrayals actually.  First, his own brothers betrayed him.  Out of their jealousy for his favoritism with his father, they sold him off as a slave, telling their father he had died.  Second, his master's wife tried unsuccessfully seduce him.  His rejection of her made her so angry that she lied to her husband and said he came on to her.  Third, after being thrown in prison and helping a cellmate by interpreting his dream correctly and giving him hope, he begged that the cellmate not forget him, and to put in a good word for him.  The cellmate did not do as Joseph asked.

When Joseph finally confronts his brothers - after he has climbed a ladder of success and become powerful and well-respected - he is overcome with sadness at what they did to him.  Still, he chooses to bless them more than you and I might say they deserve.

One verse stuck out to me in a big way.  Joseph comforts his brothers (comforts them!) over what they did to him.  He tells them, "...it was not you who sent me here, but God..." (Genesis 45:8).  Through all of the bitterness and resentment, Joseph found his way not only to forgiveness and compassion, but to see the divine purpose in his life story.  He recognized that, without the betrayals he suffered, he would not have come to perform God's purpose for him, which allowed him to put measures into place to feed a country during a seven year famine. 

I recently shared with my writing group that the person who committed one of the greatest, most hurtful acts of betrayal toward me, was the one who introduced me to the church I now attend.  I learned a lot from the sins that person committed against me.  But every time I marvel at how much I love my church, the pastor, the choir I'm in, the children's programming, etc......I think about the fact that I was brought here by way of a difficult road.  I don't believe it was an accident.  I needed to be here.  And now I have this wonderful community of people, as well as an amazing pastor and worship leader, to help me heal from the wounds of betrayal, and to grow in my relationship with God.

"Somewhere down the road

There'll be answers to the questions.

Somewhere down the road

Though we cannot see it now...

Somewhere down the road

You will find mighty arms reaching for you

And they will have the answers

Somewhere down the road."

~Faith Hill, "Somewhere Down the Road" (Prince of Egypt Nashville soundtrack)

All I'm Askin is for a Little Respect

Let me get out in front of this blog entry by identifying myself as a heterosexual woman and feminist.  It influences my experiences, my mindset, and the topics I’m about to discuss, so I’m just putting it out there. 

While meeting with my writing group at church last weekend, we discussed the topic of “what men want” in the context of our recent sermon series entitled “Great Sexpectations.”  Our pastor shared his belief that the two key things men want in marriage are sex and respect. 

I found myself a little surprised that respect was right up there on the list with sex.  I guess I have some predetermined beliefs that include the idea that, generally speaking, most men tend to be quite confident, self-assured, and secure…..more so, I dare say, than most women.  We could get into why that is, but I think my brief synopsis is that women, in Western culture at least, are socialized to think they could always be prettier, thinner, sexier, better moms, and so forth.  Men aren’t exposed to the same amount of pressure.  A quick glance at a sampling of advertisements will illustrate this, in my opinion.  Also, the traits of confidence, self-assurance, and security are tightly aligned with Western ideals of masculinity.  For these reasons, I assumed men would not need respect to such a degree that it might be considered one of the top two things they want in marriage.

Of course it goes without saying that no man (or person) wants to be nagged, condescended to, or belittled.  I get that.  But I don’t often hear men express that they want or need respect, while they are more vocal about wanting/needing sex.  I suspect this is because it feels a bit vulnerable to admit that respect is important.  No man wants to be accused of being needy.  Being needy is more expected of women somehow.  In fact, while stereotypically feminine traits are valued in men, they are also the go-to traits people use if they really want to insult a man (“He was crying like a little bitch,” “You’re such a fag,” etc.).   

One man in the group went on to say that he feels men, as a group, are weaker than they’ve ever been.  We discussed why this may or may not be true.  We also discussed the fact that women, as a group are stronger and more independent than they’ve ever been before, and that, perhaps some men are either voluntarily or involuntarily taking a proverbial back seat to such women nowadays. 

I’ve come to believe that two key things are required in a relationship.  Everything else is pre-empted by the existence of these two things.  And for me, those two things are love and respect.  Deal-breakers like infidelity, lying, and abuse (physical or emotional) really cannot occur in the presence of love and respect.  Of course, love and respect may ebb and flow at times, and we do not always show them in proportion to how we feel them.  When we are low on giving love or respect, we are more inclined to tend toward undesirable behaviors.   And while I feel that I am good at loving, I have to ask myself if I am as good at showing respect as I’d like to think I am…especially toward men.  Because of some of my assumptions about men’s reservoirs of self-confidence, security, and self-assuredness, I wonder if I haven’t always communicated my respect adequately.   Not that I'm trying to pull a Tammy Wynette up in here, I'm just being honest as I continue to make my way through this life.

There is no respect for others without humility in one's self.

Henri Frederic Amiel

How Can I Help You?

A pet peeve of mine is the lack of customer service in many businesses these days.  Sometimes I will complete a transaction without the cashier uttering a word to me.  They rely on the cash register’s display to communicate the price to me, they don’t count back my change, and they certainly don’t greet me in a warm way or thank me for my business.  What happened to the “How Can I Help You?” approach?

I think about this service-oriented approach with regard to interpersonal relationships as well.  So often, when people get on our nerves or disappoint us, we just judge them.  We draw our conclusions and condemn people for their choices, often without bothering to ask ourselves – or them – why they are doing things as they are.  Maybe we presume to know the cause of their behavior.  It’s much easier to assume someone is flawed in some way than to imagine there is a method to their madness.

Judgment without compassion suggests ignorance and self-righteousness, in my opinion.  Ironically, our detached, superior judgment of others can equate us with those we are judging.  When we judge someone or label them as lesser than us without attempting to understand them, what are we accomplishing and what purpose does it serve?  Putting them in their place?  Isolating them?  Securing our position as a superior being?   What would a measure of encouragement or support do instead?  How different would our world be if we approached others with a “How Can I Help You?” attitude?

Give, and it will be given to you.

Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”  Luke 6:38

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need,

yet closes his heart against him,

how does God's love abide in him? 1 John 3:17

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Phillipians 2:4

Questions of Forgiveness

It's fascinating to me how we view celebrities' lives under the microscope and judge them so easily, without knowing them or being directly impacted by them.  Oddly enough though, once the initial public reaction of disgust has passed, sins are quickly forgiven and forgotten as we get back to focusing on whatever it is that we love and admire about that particular celebrity.  

 

In our personal lives, it is usually far more difficult to separate the sin from the sinner, especially when it is personal and has impacted our lives directly in a negative way.  Not too often do you hear someone say, "Sure, Johnny beat up his wife, but man - is he a great accountant!" 

 

What is it that prevents us from forgiving others?  Fear?  Pride?  Enjoyment of the power differential?  Because we are humans, we all sin. This means that we will repeatedly find ourselves being asked to forgive others,  as well as seeking forgiveness for our own actions.

If your life was front page news, what story might threaten to ruin the public’s perception of you? How would you make a case for your own forgiveness?  Has someone ever refused to forgive you after you genuinely apologized and asked forgiveness?  How did that make you feel?  Have you refused to forgive someone?  What purpose did that serve you?

 

Do you believe someone must ask your forgiveness in order to be forgiven by you?  Why or why not?

We typically think of forgiveness in terms of forgiving others and of God forgiving us.  What about forgiving ourselves?  Hebrews 9:14 tells us, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,  purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

 

If you’ve ever paid off a loan, you’ve probably experienced that feeling of sweet release and joy.  You are no longer in debt, and you wouldn’t continue to send payments once the loan is paid in full.  So why do we continue to beat ourselves up long after forgiveness has occurred?

Do you need to forgive yourself for something?  If so, what’s stopping you?

 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

(Matthew 6:14-15)

 

“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)

Learning to Dance Again

A relationship is like an intricately choreographed dance.  Not only do you need to move to the same rhythm, but you need to be very aware of your partner’s movements and how your corresponding movements might enhance or detract from the dance.  Balance is key, and while you may sometimes rely on one another for support or even lift one another, you must retain your own strength and posture, or you may both topple to the floor.

When you are “in between dances”, you become out of practice.  Ideally, you will still dance alone, but this is an entirely different experience.  Still beautiful and expressive, but now relying only on your own internal rhythm and choice of movements.  You know it’s only you out there, and that you will never be lifted high above the dance floor, nor will you feel a hand at the small of your back as you bend backward.  But there is also no one to drop you during a lift.  There is no one to step on your toes or trip you up. 

Still, the music is so inviting, as you realize you are involuntarily tapping your toe to the beat and swaying to the rhythm.  There really is no choice in the matter, the desire to join in is overwhelming.  It feels familiar.  The rhythm comes quite naturally.  Take my hand.  Lead the way. 

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye?
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go...
Our lives are better left to chance...I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance.
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king?
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say? You know I might have changed it all.
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go...
Our lives are better left to chance...I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance.
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance

"The Dance" by Garth Brooks

You Don't Need to Understand

My actions, beliefs, and choices may not make sense to you.  We are human, predispositioned to judge one another.  I'm the only one who has to walk in my shoes and silence my heart and head each night to find peaceful rest.  What rattles and enrages you might roll off of my back, and vice versa.  Thank God for that.  I know that, from time to time, I need the insight of someone who feels differently: to talk me off the ledge, to calm me, or even to prompt me to stand up for something important.

When disease strikes, when children are gunned down in a school, when a couple divorces, when unpopular business decisions are made...we ask "why?"  Maybe it's our need for control.  We can better deal with unexpected information if we know what caused it?  What creates the need to understand one another?  We speak of closure when a relationship ends, and what we really mean is that we need to understand why.  It helps us to heal, to process, to synthesize all the data in our minds. 

I wonder why we spend so much time analyzing others' choices, trying to make sense of what they are doing?  We get so riled up about others' life choices, when often it's not our business and may not even impact us in the slightest way.  A lawmaker wants to legislate what two lovers do in their bedroom.  A mother wants input in her son and daughter-in-law's family planning.  A father wants to influence his son's athletic choices.  A manager wants an employee to do things their way, even if another way is efficient and successful.

Some of my deepest and most challenging human encounters have bloomed by learning to accept the fact that I can never fully understand you and you can never fully understand me.  And while I might not make the same choices for myself as you do, the good news is that I don't have to understand or even agree with you.  I'm probably still going to try...probably going to ask questions to help me understand.  But I can choose to love or at least accept you anyway, because I'm not perfect either.  Sometimes I don't even understand myself, so I certainly don't expect you to understand me.

What is love? 

Love is when one person knows all of your secrets...

your deepest, darkest, most dreadful secrets

of which no one else in the world knows...

and yet in the end,

that one person does not think any less of you;

even if the rest of the world does."

~Unknown