She Tried to Slap Me, But...

She was a friend. On Facebook. And a little more than an acquaintance in ‘real life.’ We’d had some respectful differences of opinion in the past. She leans to the left; I lean to the right. And, on some issues, we meet in the middle.

Today, I must have pushed her over the edge.

Here’s what happened.

I read an article on Facebook as I often do in the mornings before I get out of bed. It’s sort of a routine. Grab the phone, turn off the alarm, check the social media sites. Yeah, I’m a creature of habit. Someone had posted an article that I found interesting if a bit disturbing.  Although I’m not the most political person, as an American citizen, I feel a certain obligation to keep informed about what’s going on in my country, whether I agree with it or not.

I knew, from the content, if I reposted the article I would get some backlash. So, as I posted it, I added this disclaimer to my post: “This isn't a political post.  Just sharing something that I find disturbing from a former Secret Service agent.” I figured my Facebook friends, several of whom have differing yet intelligent opinions, might post a little response and I looked forward to reading their take on this. Little did I know that within minutes of posting, I would be severely judged.

How do you feel when you’ve been judged by someone? The thing is, we can’t control what others choose to think or feel; we can only control ourselves. So when I saw a private message within minutes of re-posting that article, I knew just how it felt to be judged unfairly.  This is the message I received: “I think it is time for me to unfriend you. I don't think I knew who you were in the past. The blatantly unChristian things that I have read with racist overtones have truly surprised me. I will pray for you.”

For anyone who truly knows me, you know that this does not paint an accurate picture of who I am. Yeah, I’m that gal that posts all the warm fuzzy stuff on your Facebook page. The one who wants to encourage other people to live above, not beneath, their circumstances. The one who quotes Rodney King, “Why can’t we all just get along?”

Ultimately, I’m a big girl. I can take it. Now, just 12 hours later, I found another post on my page. Not an article this time, but a quote. A quote that spoke to my heart: “No matter how good a person you are there will always be someone criticizing you.” It felt like validation. Must be a God-thing.

Yeah. You know I shared that one. (You can check out my Facebook page to be sure.)

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather choose to be content than let someone else’s opinion of me dictate who I truly am.  There will always be someone criticizing you. The best we can do, you and me, is to define our purpose and live it. It won’t make us perfect but it will help us be perfectly content in our own skin.

So next time when someone tries to verbally slap you in the face, take heart. Remember who you are and Whose you are. And live life happy.

And, if it helps, remember I’ve been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.

 

Jean

Something Is At Work Here

Fate?
Coincidence?
Or maybe something more.
In my home, we use natural gas for our heating unit and water heater. So, one summer day a few weeks ago, when there was no hot water, my first thought was Oh no! Cold showers! My second thought was I hope I don't have to replace the water heater. Besides, it didn't seem like that long ago, maybe a few years, since this water heater was purchased. Surely, they last longer than that.

I called the gas company to come and check it. Now, you might have guessed that I would first check it out a bit myself. But, no. After all, that thing is down in the creepy basement and, frankly, that basement with its dark corners and crawl spaces, creeps me out. (Hence, it's 'creepy.') So, let someone who's getting paid to creep around down there check it out. (Some days I'm such a girl.)

The guy from the gas company came over and simply re-lit the pilot light. Voila! Hot water! He took a look around and couldn't figure out why the pilot light had gone out. Everything seemed to be working just fine. And this is where fate, coincidence or something more comes in.

I had followed him down to the basement. (It's never as creepy when someone else is with you and in broad daylight.) We talked about the water heater and then he voiced another concern. "I think you need to have a heating & air technician check out your furnace there." The furnace is the heating unit that I refer to as the big, green monster. It's a big green metal box-like thing that's been in the house longer than I have. So when he pointed out the soot on the side and voiced his concern, I took heed. I called Steve who regularly services it each year. And, every year, he's a little surprised that the old thing is still alive and kicking.

When he came out to check it, this is what he found, minus the technician lingo: the big, green monster had to go. Not only that, but it was emitting carbon monoxide. Steve told us that meant, if we had turned it on, sure it would have heated the house, but we might have died in our sleep. The whole family.

The thought of my family members at risk, in our home, which should be a safe haven, was sobering.

Now, I don't know why the pilot light went out on the water heater. I don't know why the man from the gas company just happened to notice the soot on the heating unit. All I know is that this series of events may have saved not just my life, but all our lives.

There's no doubt. Something is at work here.

Some people will call it fate.
Some may call it a series of coincidences.
Forever, I'll call it a God thing.

It's true: Romans 8:28 says, "All things work together for good to them that love God..." In the beginning, having cold water was a minor frustration. (At least until I stepped into the cold shower, then major frustration!) Thinking of buying a new water heater was a bit more frustrating. In the end, replacing the heating unit, despite the inconvience and financial burden, was a blessing.

In my heart, there is no doubt.
It's a God thing.

Keeping the faith,
Jean

Are You A Creature of Habit?

Yesterday, I was reminded that we are creatures of habit. What habits have you created? Do they serve you well or do you wish you’d never created them?

A few weeks ago there had been a flurry of roadwork going on in my hometown. (If you’re a Burlington resident, you know exactly what I mean)! Streets were being scraped to make way for new pavement. It was rough driving there for awhile until the new pavement was laid. Wow, what a difference it made, and I came to appreciate something I’d taken for granted all these years: good roadways.

Interestingly, at the intersection of Main and Maple, a traffic flow change had been made. For years, we had been driving up to the intersection with the right lane giving us the option of turning right or going straight; the left lane was for left turns only. Now, according to the signs and painted arrows, the right lane was for right turns only; if you wanted to go straight or turn left, you needed to be in the left lane.

So yesterday, as I stood at the corner waiting to cross, I noticed that 4 out of 6 cars drove straight through the intersection, in the wrong lane. One of them even did this as a car was driving straight through in the correct lane; fortunately, the driver, noticing his error, slowed and let the other go through before he continued down Main Street behind him. I cringed a bit inside, hoping they wouldn’t crash. As I shared this with a friend, she noted, “It’s only a matter of time before somebody crashes.”

That’s when I realized that we really are creatures of habit. No doubt these drivers, just like me, had been driving down Main Street for years in the old traffic pattern. Even with a sign several yards before the intersection that warned of the change, many (if not most) drivers were continuing to go the same route they’d been going.

Does that sound familiar? Are you a creature of habit? Have you been doing things, saying things, believing things simply because you’d done it, said it, believed it for years?

I challenge you to ask yourself, do these actions, words and beliefs serve you well? Or do you find yourself on a downward spiral, ready to ‘crash’ at any minute?

Because of a traffic pattern change, and my own tendency to swerve into the wrong lane, I’ve asked myself that same question. What am I doing, out of habit, that I should change? What am I saying that I should stop saying? What am I believing? And do those beliefs have a solid foundation or should they be changed?

Good or bad, we are creatures of habit. Let’s make sure that you—and I—follow our good habits and rid ourselves of the ones that drag us down before we find ourselves ‘crashing.’

Habitually yours,

Jean