Judge-y
Do you watch Netflix? Have you ever binged a show and gotten the “Are you still watching this” question? Netflix can be so judge-y. So can we. I was on my weekly Tuesday walk when a neighbor drove by me. I waved. She didn’t take …
Recent Posts
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Who Is God?
I Am Yaweh (Self-Existent/Eternal) Adonai (Lord over all) Yahweh-Maccaddeshem (Sanctifier) Yahweh-Rohi (Shepherd) Yahweh-Shammah (Present) Yahweh-Rapha (Healer) Yahweh-Tsidkenu (Righteous) Yahweh-Jireh (Provider) Yahweh-Nissi (Our Banner/Covering) Yahweh-Shalom (Peace-Maker) Yahweh-Sabbaoth (Lord of Hosts) Yahweh-Ghmolah (Recompense) Elohim (Creator) El-Elyon (Most High) El-Gibhor (Mighty) El-Olam (Everlasting) El-Roi (Strong one/Sees all) El-Shaddai-Rohi …
Image vs. Character
Like most moms, I am in my car driving a lot. What is it about motherhood resembling an Uber driver? What I’ve noticed more frequently in my carpool adventures are an abundance of Teslas and Maseratis. I don’t know what’s changed to make those two cars the car of the year around these parts, but it seems every time I am on the road I spot one of these bad boys. Now, I am all for a fancy car. I used to drive the most beautiful semi-fancy car pre-kids. Today I drive the typical mom vehicle: an SUV. It’s almost like a uniform for moms, the SUV. I must admit that when I see these vehicles on the road, the thought of “image” comes to mind. A Tesla and a Maserati all come with an image. Just like the SUV being a piece of the mom uniform, those cars come with a fancy connotation.
Image.
We live in a culture of image. Thanks to social media, image has become ever present and at the forefront of all of our beings. Even before social media existed, image was a thing. You knew where someone came from just by the way they looked. I know when I fly into my old stomping grounds (Orange County, Ca), I am going to see a certain type of people. And when I fly back to Texas, the people will change to match the image of the area.
Image.
It’s important to us. Image gets us in the door for an interview. Image can even land us that job or that deal. Image matters when you are in high school trying to fit in and when you are an adult trying to make mom friends after having a baby. Image is important to all of us whether we readily admit it or not. I wonder, however, if image has taken the place of character.
“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
I’m going to admit something to you. I care what you think of my home. When you walk through my front door, I care about the thoughts that are flowing through your head. I care whether you like it or not; whether you think it’s pretty and well decorated. I care about the image of my home. Probably a little too much, if I’m being honest. That care got me thinking: Do I care more about the image of my home or the character? Because if I care more about the character of my home than I care more about you. When my focus shifts from image to character then my focus shifts off of me and onto you and your well-being while you are here. Does my home feel welcoming, inviting, and nurturing? Do you feel rested and accepted when you step through the thresh hold? Do you feel loved?
Image vs. Character.
It matters.
Genesis 1 tells us where our image comes from. God, in the beginning of time, created you and I. And He created us in His image. If we believe this, then our image is taken care of. We should never have to worry about our image again if we believe we are created in God’s image. But we do. Why is that?
We’ve lost sight of what needs filling and what does not. Our image does not need a boost. If it did, then God would need a boost and I think He is doing just fine on His own. Our image is secure in the most beautifully exquisite image out there: the image of God. Therefore, we don’t ever have to strive for a certain image. Our image is secure in the One who made the heavens.
So, what does that mean? It means we can stop all the striving and climbing to achieve a certain image and start focusing on our character instead. And honestly, that sounds a lot less stressful to me. Just like when I can exhale a bit as my focus shifts from the image of my home to the character of my home, so I can do the same when I shift my focus off of my image and onto my character.
When I focus on my character, who I want to be, I lose my self-centered ways and can see life outside myself. I can love more, bigger, louder, and better. I can open my grasp and reach for people I didn’t even see before. I become a welcome place to land instead of a hard place to fall.
Character.
It matters.
In a world that has lost its focus and is wrapped up in image, be the one who stands out because you know where your image lies. Character stands when image falls. Character invites when image slams the door closed. You don’t ever have to chase a certain image. Your image is already secure.
You are made in the image of God.
Your image secure.
Now, focus on your character.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: You Have What It Takes
You ARE valued. You ARE valuable. You ARE worthy. You ARE highly favored. You ARE loved. We need YOU. My youngest was taking a bath in my bath tub while I was getting ready for bed. We were chit-chatting about things when he noticed a …
Ego
I am walking away from something.
Something good.
A place where I am thriving.
I am growing.
Being challenged.
But…
It is time to walk away.
If I could use a crying emoji, I would. I felt a prompting in my spirit about a year ago letting me know that I needed to start preparing myself to walk away. At first, I was good with this request. It felt right; like it was time. As time passed, I started clenching my fists and stomping my feet. I didn’t want to go.
I would have moments of relief knowing I was removing one plate from the air. And then, I would receive a message or note encouraging me in this area and I desperately wanted God to change His mind and let me stay.
Can you relate?
God has you in something good. You absolutely know it is from Him. His hand is all over it and you. You feel fulfilled and your ego is booming in a good way. This good thing has led to other good opportunities. You know it has helped you launch other endeavors. You don’t have anything lined up to take its place. But, you know it is time to go.
Man, that’s hard.
My ego is pulling me to stay. If I am being honest, I like what this good thing gives me. It fills a void in me; a space that needs to be filled deep inside me. The connections I made have propelled me into other great things. Ugh. My ego doesn’t want me to walk away.
This battle between my ego and my soul is something fierce. I never realized how much control my ego had over me. I have a choice to make: succumb to my ego or follow the promptings of the Spirit.
Thankfully, I have the where-with-all and tribe that won’t let me get wrapped up in my (selfish) ego. I know enough about God to know that even if I super-glued my feet in this space, He would remove me anyway. I am leaving a good thing with nothing to take its place. Nothing. That is a scary place to reside. Yet, I am at peace. I know that even if God does not replace my good thing with something better, even with something at all, I did the right thing. I obeyed. And sometimes, most of the time, our BIGGEST blessings come from obedience rather than anything else.
I am taking this step away from something good towards the unknown with confidence. I will not let my ego overcome and overwhelm my obedience to God. I don’t know where I’m going or where I am headed, but I hold to this, “… the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.” Philippians 1:6.
Love and Blessing,
Meg
The Preteen Years
FLASHBACK FRIDAY… Since we talked about faith and kids on Facebook this week, (watch here https://www.facebook.com/themessymingling/ ) I thought it would be fun to do a flashback post when I wrote about my feelings on our oldest entering middle school. My hope is that this post help …
Let Them GO
I bawled my eyes out pulling away after dropping my babies off at sleep-away camp. I couldn’t wait to get to FaceTime my oldest while he was on his missions trip. The fish died and I couldn’t resurrect him. On the first day of school. …
A Piece of Me
Raw.
Real.
Vulnerable.
I use these three words a lot. I like to think that they describe me. I want others to feel like that can be raw, real, and vulnerable without backlash. My desire is for all of us to be real: real with ourselves and real with others.
I was struggling a couple weeks ago. I felt like I was drowning; like no matter what I did, I could not catch up or catch my breath. I text some girlfriends describing my fate hoping for I don’t know what in response. I guess I wanted them to feel sorry for me. I also wanted them to help me and tell me it was going to be okay. They didn’t feel sorry for me, but they did let me know it was all going to be alright. However, in order to get to “alright” I was going to have to make some changes.
I don’t mind constructive criticism. It doesn’t hurt my feelings when you tell me I need to change in some way. I do, however, need time to process what you throw at me. I am human and don’t like to hear that I may have some imperfections. I also know that when the people I love see something in me that isn’t healthy, that is doing me a disservice, I better listen because they are probably right.
I wanted to keep on doing it my way only I wanted to get some relief at the same time. My friends saw that this wasn’t possible and spoke their truths into my life. Blah. I hate when they are right. I fought back a little bit (Okay. Fine. I fought back a lot.). But, I listened. And I processed.
They came over the next day to swim and let the kids play. We chatted some more about my issues and I allowed myself to enjoy the day. After they left, I felt about three million pounds lighter. Something about your friends speaking those truths that relieves so much pressure. The next day, my life went so much smoother. I couldn’t believe it. My day wasn’t perfect. None of our days are. But, I felt less tense and that was a success to me.
What I learned through our conversation was that while there were things I needed to change and they were right about that, there was a piece of me I couldn’t deny. They could tell me all day long to stop doing this or that, but, to a certain extent, that is who I am and who I am created to be.
I needed to hear their truths. I needed to make some changes. I also need to reconcile that there is a piece of me that won’t and shouldn’t change. God instilled that characteristic deep within. It’s something to be celebrated and used in a positive way (& for His glory). It is not something to be ashamed of or to run away from. This piece of me is something to use for the betterment of myself and those around me.
So, while I took into account everything they had to tell me, I also relaxed knowing that I was created this way for a purpose. I was just using it wrong.
Sometimes, when we try to change too much we fail because we were never meant to change that piece of ourselves. We were meant to walk into that characteristic with boldness and use it for His glory.
Always work to better yourself. There is always room for improvement. Your friends are most likely right. But, don’t forget to hold onto that piece of you, that being deep within that you cannot shake. Hold onto that piece of you. He created it within you. It has purpose and meaning; a necessity for your life and the lives of yours around you.
Love & Blessings,
Meg
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Walls
Flashback Friday Walls What is holding you up? Where does your foundation lie? I was sitting on my bed admiring the TV that hung on the wall. I have wanted our TVs hung since we moved into this house. I have three boys and visions …