Tuesday, February 27, 2007

....And at the end of the day.....



(picture from Surf Camp)





Lent has begun. This year, I did not give up white flour (egads, that sucked) – I have decided to spend forty days in reflection. I am journaling daily, and doing much soul searching – trying to focus on areas in my life that I need to stitch, patch, exercise, etc. And listening for His voice. Often, I talk too much (surprise, surprise). Other times, I tend to inject my will over His will. Today’s reflection was, “Today, I will listen for your voice, and I will not harden my heart.”

Have you ever really thought about your heart? Tiny, vulnerable organ that you must have to live. No kidney – no death. Kidney missing? No problem, still alive. No brain, still alive. But heart stops? Dead. Dead, dead, dead.

Look where it’s located! – encased within a bone envelope. A skeleton frame, reminiscent of the briars around Sleeping Beauty’s tower, keeps it from being crushed or damaged.

And yet, look at the heart(felt) adjectives we use: heartless, cold-hearted, tender-hearted, and broken-hearted. And isn’t that how it feels? Broken.

But it’s not really broken, is it? Because, if it was,I’d be dead. And, if I’m not dead, it can’t be broken….

And so….at the end of the day……I’ve just got to step out. Be willing to be vulnerable, and trust that I will not be hurt.

6 comments:

Mustang said...

APJ...

"Courage is the best gift of all: courage stands before everything. It is what preserves our liberty, safety, life, our homes and parents, our country and children. Courage comprises all things: a person with courage has every blessing." Platus, Amphito. Third century B.C.

Go one, just do it...

Mustang

Anonymous said...

Hurting is part of life. The thing is not to be afraid of hurting. It is, after all, the touchstone to spirituality....

Semi-Gloss Lacquer said...

personally?
I love the imagery of the post and the first comment...

-kinda like Mary going to the tomb, in the dark, pre-dawn, finding it empty and open, and asking Jesus,(who she thought was the gardener,)'where'd they take him? I'll go get him and bring him back...
--(Mary carrying the body of Jesus would have been like you carrying Mustang...heck, ME carrying Mustang.)
-I just how, at the other side of the brokenness and sincerity, and the honest seeking, there was real hope, truth, and very very deep promises fulfilled.

(Here's to: 'Fierce wimmins o' de Bible: 2007 West Coast Edition.')

Katie :) said...

Be prepared for the worst, and hopefully the situation(s) will never even come close to it!
You have to be ready to hurt at times, but know that no matter what- you can and will recover from ANYTHING that is placed in front of you.
Never doubt your strength- that is something that was not accidentally "given" to you- it is you. Embrace it and never give up!
Lub ya sweets!

lime said...

i like your proposal of ADDING a good thing during lent rather than denying somethign that may or may not be meaningful. and if you're spending 40 days in refelction this is quite a start. thanks for sharing, i needed this.

KFarmer said...

What a wonderful idea! I dont think it would hurt any of us to slow down and take a listen :)

Wishing you all the best in your quest-