10 Reasons I’m A Bigger Klutz Than You

May 20, 2011 in Uncategorized with 6 Comments

I tweeted yesterday.  You know, on Twitter.  And although it was pretty clever, I hated that I decided to let the whole Twitter-verse, oh, and Facebook, know that I was a klutz.  The following is the tweet:  ”If you’re looking for someone to make a faceplant look as graceful as possible, I’m your girl…” So you can guess that it was pretty easy to come up with today’s topic for the 10 Things post.  Enjoy!!

1.  The above-mentioned fall was pretty epic.  I was replacing a sign…on a hill…in ground that had been under water for a few weeks.  I honestly have no idea how it happened.  Before I knew it I was on my knees and then very slowly falling forward until I hit the ground.  My feet were at the top of the hill and my face was almost in the standing water in the ditch at the bottom of the hill.  No one was around, and the only thing I have to remember it by are the grass stains on my favorite pants.

2. I’m always finding bruises on my body that I have no idea where they came from.  The most recent was on the side of my knee.  I’m sure I walked into something, but it happens so frequently, I can’t remember what I did that time.

3. I frequently trip.  Over nothing.  I can fall flat on my face or just stumble a little and it will be my own goofiness that has caused it and nothing else.  It’s a gift.  What can I say.

4. My friends know that if we’re walking side-by-side, at some point I’m going to run into them.  Be aware if we ever go on a walk.  Just sayin’.

5. I have a scar on my chin.  It’s hard to see, but I can point it out to you sometime.  I was chasing my brother when we were younger, got my foot caught on something and my chin hit the corner of a wooden toy box.  (it started pretty early for me…probably even pre-walking days)

6. I’ve got a scar on my right shin right in the middle.  It’s like a little dent.  One day at basketball practice in high school we were jumping on and off wooden boxes to help with endurance and strength and probably whatever other superpowers it was supposed to give us.  Let’s just say I’m not a great jumper and I probably should have gotten stitches.

7.  I’ve got a scar on my left shin right in the middle.  Three minutes after the above episode I missed again.  I don’t think they use those boxes anymore.

8.  It’s happened several times where I’ve just reached into the oven to pull out the pan of whatever I’m making…without a potholder.  I’m not sure if it counts as being a klutz or just stupid, but I’m writing the blog, so my blog.  My rules.  Deal with it.

9. Let’s just say that you probably definitely do not want me to ever carry anything glass, antique or full of a liquid.  The worst is a glass antique full of hot coffee.  Worst.  Combination.  Ever.

10.  I can understand someone else shutting a door on your hand or something if they’re not paying attention.  But me, shutting a car door on my own hand?  Um, yeah.  Totally smashed my thumb.  We thought for sure every bone in it had to be crushed.  Three hours later I was playing basketball.

What about you?  Do you ever have klutzy moments?

Burn Baby Burn

May 18, 2011 in Uncategorized with 2 Comments

So I’ve been trying to get up in the mornings and make myself breakfast before Iget ready for work.  And for the last two weeks I’ve actually been to work on time more than I’ve been late, so it’s probably worth it if only for that bonus.  But in order to be able to get it all done in time I have to have a few things prepared.  I’ve got a bunch bell pepers chopped up along with some fresh cilantro and garlic.  I’ve also been frying bacon ahead of time and adding it to my meals as I decide to do so.  So all that leaves me to do in the morning is crack the eggs add some milk and scramble it all up together in a pan and add a little cheese.  All I can say is Yum-O. (Yes.  That is a Rachel Ray reference.  She’s like my hero.)

On my last trip to the grocery store I decided to add some fresh jalapeños to the mix.  So as I was preparing all my veggies and getting the ready I started cutting the jalapeños.  By 9:30 that evening I was all done cutting up my veggies and was cleaning up and getting ready for bed.  By 10:00 p.m. I thought my hand was going to burn off.

It was on fire.

So I texted my friend.  She told me to soak my hand in milk, and that should take off the sting unless I was really sensitive to it.  After 15 minutes in milk my hand had quit hurting.  It was numb.  Once it thawed, it was back on fire.  So then I did what everyone else would have done.  I Googled remedies.  Over the course of the next three hours I mixed sugar, water and olive oil with no relief.  I mixed water and either baking powder or baking soda and made a paste.  Nothing.  I sliced open a lime and rubbed it all over my hand.  This was actually the first thing that gave me even a little bit of relief, but it didn’t last long.  I even soaked my hand in rubbing alcohol for about 15 minutes.  Nothing but a cold hand that was somehow still on fire…and this one was the one that was the sure-fire one to work on most of the sites that I looked at.

Finally in a last-ditch effort I used the last thing that I had on hand that the websites had mentioned.  I poured some laundry detergent on my hand and just lathered it all up.  Now, I don’t know how or why it worked.  All I know is that it did.  And by 1:00 a.m. I was so very thankful.

The whole thing just kind of pisses me off.  I knew…I mean, I really did know that I should have worn gloves or something to protect my hands.  I just had no idea how rough the consequences would be.  Seriously.  When will I ever learn?  Will I ever learn?

There are things that I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I should be doing that I don’t do.  There are things that are questionable whether or not I should be doing them that I either do or don’t do.  And then it goes south.  And then I’m left searching frantically for an explanation or trying to avoid consequences.  When if I would have just protected myself in the first place, it wouldn’t have even been an issue.  Know what I mean?

If I’d worn gloves, I would have gotten more sleep and had more milk in the house instead of having to go to the store tomorrow to buy another carton.

If I’m in the Word daily, I’ve got my defenses built up.  I’m going to know which direction God wants me to be traveling because I’m reading His words to me.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow Your righteous laws. ~ Psalm 119:105-106

Everything we need to protect ourselves is right there.  I just need to dig in more and start looking to be proactive instead of searching for damage control.

Do you ever have this same problem?

I Think I Need To Be Committed

May 16, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

I was talking with a friend the other day about the goings on of life.  The subject that a guy whose book we love was getting married that weekend came up.  She mentioned that another guy whose blog she read had recently started dating someone.  And then she stated something that got me thinking.  It was something like that these two guys were her role models in the single life.  And they were the two that she thought were “committed to the single” life now happily a couple.  Keep in mind, this wasn’t said in bitterness or depression.  This was just an observation on our parts.  Two guys that we really respected were now part of a happy couple.

Anyway, that comment got me thinking about about my life…but not related to the actual content.  That’s kinda how I work.  How does this relate to me?  Am I committed to the single life?  Am I called to be?  If I’m not committed to the single life, am I a lonely and bitter person?  (I’m not.  Just ask me.)  So what if it’s not even about being single?  Am I committed to anything?  Or do I have some seriously major commitment issues?

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and HE will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:5&6

“Free me from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge.  Into Your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of Truth.” Psalm 31-4-5

I don’t know.  Maybe I’m the only one who is thinking this way, but it looks like that God calls us to be committed to Him…a lot.  I did a quick search for the word “commit” and a ton of entries came up.  He doesn’t say, Julie, I need you to commit to real estate for me.  Or, Julie, I need you to commit yourself to your friends and family.  He asks us that we commit whatever we do to Him, and our plans will succeed.

I’m committed to a lot of things.  There’s even a few things that I’m 100% sold-out only-gonna-give-it-up-when-I’m-dead committed to.

Is Jesus one of them?

Is living a life worthy of His praise what I’ve sold-out committed to?

I’d say sometimes yes, and sometimes no, but that really let’s you see all of my deep dark commitment issues.  I can’t even commit to non-commitment.

Here’s another one:   Is His best for us the only life we should be committed to instead of our own lives?

Does that even make sense?

What do you think?

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” – Proverbs 16:3

10 Reasons You Should Maybe Throw Your Single Friends A Shower

May 13, 2011 in Uncategorized with 9 Comments

***First of all, if you’ve emailed me at the address listed on the contact page, it didn’t to through.  I’m sorry!  It should be fixed now, though, so email away!!  Now, back to your regularly scheduled post.

I was cooking the other night and realized that I didn’t have several of the usual essentials around the house, and then I realized that the way that most people fill up their homes with all the essentials is by getting married and having a shower.  Anyway, I thought that this would be a fun subject to do a 10 things with. So I decided to write a post from the humorous single friend (me…yes I think I’m humorous) perspective on why you should or should not have a shower for your single friends.  Enjoy!

1.  We’re always borrowing your stuff.
“Um, hey, can I use your iron?”
“Uh, okay.  Why?”
“Well, I don’t have one.”
(I believe we’ve covered this topic before on why I suck at adulthood)

2.   Seriously, we go to all these showers just giving away blenders and crock pots and dish towels.  We need to see some sort of return on our investments here.

3.  I don’t have a toaster.  Who doesn’t have a toaster?  Of course, I also don’t keep bread around the house ’cause it goes bad too quickly.  I don’t eat bagels or frozen waffles anymore, I don’t have room, and I don’t really like toast, but honestly, that’s just not the point.  Really.  Who doesn’t have a toaster?

4.  I also don’t have cookie sheets, mixing bowls, pizza pans or an iron.  Then again, the only things I really need want of those are the cookie sheets and mixing bowls.  I did just go out and buy a can opener, though.  Buy as you need.  That’s my motto.  Why have cabinets full of stuff you don’t use?

5.  We have watched your children for you while you go out on dates.  I don’t need to explain further.

6. We are always looking for an excuse to hang out and eat cake and punch.  Why not throw a shower?

7.  ”Hey, what are you up to tonight?”
“Well, my husband and I were going out for dinner tonight.  What are you doing?”
“Well, since you’re busy and everyone else is busy, I’ll probably stay home and watch a sappy chick flick and eat cookie dough and cry my eyes out.”
(Because who wants to be any different than a cliche)

8.  We’re too broke to buy stuff for our house because we’ve spent all our money on your showers.

9.  Have I mentioned there is nothing better than shower cake?  Oh, and punch?  Just sayin’.

10.  Because, really, what’s better than someone throwing a shower for you because you’re single.  They should make a card for it.  ”I’m sorry your over 30, single and maybe just enough pathetic that you hang around married people and their kids all the time.  Here’s a toaster.”

Okay.  Maybe that last one isn’t in support of the whole idea.  And maybe you shouldn’t have a shower for your single friends, but your friends whether single or married need to be celebrated.  Celebrate, love and encourage each other (not just because we’re single) but because we love.  And if you do decide to start doing this and giving your friends gifts, don’t call it a shower…how does a birthday party sound?

Any more reasons you can think of that you should or should not throw your single friends a shower?

A Shopping Bag Full of My Life…

May 11, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

This is a post from my friend Dena.  I’m so thankful that I found this post as I was trying to write something tonight.  You’ll be thankful, too.  Dena’s fantastic, and so is her writing.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!!

I’m sitting here in the dark right now, grateful for a fully-charged laptop battery and a backlit keyboard. Earlier, I was extremely grateful for a pitch-black basement, full of camel-back crickets that I couldn’t see in the dark…even menacing crickets don’t seem too scary when the tornado sirens are going off and the wind sounds like it’s going to rip the roof off the house.

I have my storm-preparedness routine pretty much down to a science…I’m getting to be a pro at it after so many Illinois springtime tornado scares. I move through the house on auto-pilot now. Change my clothes. Extra pair of jeans, shirt, underwear, socks. Large bottle of water. Granola/protein bars. Camera bags. Laptop. External hard drive. Battery chargers. The cat.

And my “tornado box”. All that is precious and irreplaceable goes in my little Tupperware box…the chipped, yellow glass “hen-on-nest” box where my Gram used to keep her wedding ring when she gardening or doing the dishes. A chicken made from a pecan shell…open the “wings” and a tiny paper Mexican mariachi band plays in a cacophony of glitter and color. The small plastic horse that my Grandad kept on the bookcase. A Murano lead crystal paperweight, “swimming” with tiny millefiori fish among the reeds. A now-broken thermometer that used to set on my grandparents’ desk.

My house is FULL of “stuff”. And all that’s important to me can be contained in a shopping bag. A Tupperware box inside a shopping bag, to be exact. None of my “treasures”, except maybe the paperweight, are worth anything. Except to me. Even my computer and camera equipment, valuable as they are to me, are replaceable. That little box, though…its contents are priceless. That’s a box full of memories…a lifetime of them.

After the storm tonight, I checked with friends to make sure they were ok. Everyone survived. Lots of limbs down, a shed blown away…damage, to be sure, but no one got hurt. My life is FULL of “stuff”. But all that’s important to me are the people. If they’re ok, it’s all going to be ok. We can all replace our trees and sheds and gardens and lawn furniture. We can sit in the dark for as long as it takes. It’s all replaceable. My friends, though…they are priceless.

I’m fascinated and maybe a little angry when I realize that I can shove everything critically important to me down inside a (large) shopping bag. That probably means I should quit worrying so much about the rest of my “stuff” and concentrate instead on building deeper relationships with all the people I contacted tonight. Hmm… The less I have, the more time I have to focus on people. Sounds a little like the way Jesus lived, doesn’t it?

Take It Slow, My Friend

May 9, 2011 in Uncategorized with 10 Comments

There are days that go by so fast I barely have time to blink.  Today, however, was not one of those days.  In fact, today crept by so slow that (insert random joke about turtles or snails here that I’m too tired to think up…this one’s on you).

First of all, I got to work on time today.  I need to start making a habit of that.  I’ll let you know how tomorrow goes.  But those 5 extra minutes at work could have thrown off my day.  Who knows.

Secondly, I had almost forgotten that this was the week I was going to go to Catalyst Dallas to go to the conference, see my friend and finally meet the lovely and talented blogger, Bianca Juarez.  I did say almost.  I was actually doing quite well, and fully pleased with my decision to pay off bills…that is until I got this email from B:

“Hey Julie!
If you’re still interested in meeting for coffee, I’ll be gathering up a small group of girls at Lone Star Coffee Bar in Dallas (about two miles from where Catalyst will be held). I’m excited to chat and meet in real life :) ”

Sadness abounded after reading that.  I had to send her back an email thanking her for the invite, but that me and Dave Ramsey had to decline.  We had shouted it out all up in my head, but he inevitably won.  And as much as I hate to admit it, he should have.

Man, I am so tired.  I’m tired of paying off bills that should have been paid off years ago.  I’m tired of paying off bills that never should have been bills in the first place.  I’m tired of the lessons I’ll learn from not going to Catalyst Dallas.  Tonight I’m just battle weary and kind of having a little pity party.

I read a blog (go figure) by a guy named Michael Hyatt. He is the former CEO of Thomas Nelson publishers.  Good stuff.  When I read his post this morning, I hadn’t read my email yet.  However, tonight as I read it, it’s encouraging.  As much as I hate to admit it, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.  Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” ~ Nehemiah 6:3

And then as I open up my Jesus Calling devotional on my phone this evening I read this:  ”Don’t be so hard on yourself.  I can bring good even out of your mistakes.  Your finite mind tends to look backward longing to undo decisions you have come to regret.  This is a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration.  Instead of floundering in the past, release your mistakes to Me.  Look to Me in trust, anticipating that My infinite creativity can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.”

I love how she said that.  ”can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.”  Sometimes I think, I’m so ready for that.  I forget that right here and right now that as Michael mentioned in his post, there is growth.  ”It is God’s work nonetheless, whether he did it in one second or in eighty years.”

I’m hopeful that soon I’ll be out from under this burden.  Actually, I know that very soon I will be.  And I look forward to the day when I get to post on here about this whole journey.  But tonight it’s harder than it should be, even in the midst of all hope.  Hope doesn’t make things easier to deal with.  It just makes us stronger to walk through.

Word To Your Mutha’

May 8, 2011 in Uncategorized with 2 Comments

Today is the day we set aside to celebrate our mothers.  I’ve got a pretty stinking awesome one, a couple of pretty cool grandmothers and several pretty cool aunts.  I’m very lucky, and I 100% realize this.  This is why I’m posting these two videos from one of my favorite comedians as a shout out to all you muthas.

Seriously, though, I hope you’re blessed beyond imagination.  For those of you waiting for that day, I pray peace and love and God’s favor upon you.  Love you all!!!

10 Reasons I Suck At Being An Adult

May 6, 2011 in Uncategorized with 4 Comments

If you’ve been reading the last few posts, you’ll remember I’ve decided to make Friday a weekly theme.  I’m going to call them the “10 Things” posts.  That is until I can only think of 8 one week, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get there.  So here it goes.  I just decided to get right to it and air all my dirty laundry so you really know who you’re dealing with.

Here goes.

1.  Speaking of dirty laundry.  I hate it.  I don’t sort colors.  I wash everything on warm unless it’s new, I don’t own and iron and there’s no way I’ll ever use bleach again.  Give me Downy Wrinkle Releaser or a wet towel and my dryer any day of the week to get my “ironing” done and I’m a happy camper.

2.  I have no problem letting dishes pile up in the sink until they overflow onto the counter.  It’s just me at the house most times, and I use paper products 99% of the time, so it takes a while.  I don’t have a dishwasher, so the fact that I hate washing the dishes kind of makes it easier for me to look the other way.

3.  I say the word “suck” a lot…around kids whose parents don’t want them to say it.  I try not to, but the way I see it, if my momma has said it in the past, then there’s no way it could be a “bad word.”

4.  Money.  I’m not a great manager, although I’m a heck of a lot better at it than I used to be.  Maybe when I find my other chopstick, he’ll be a lot better at it than I am.  (Yes, you’re going to have to click the link to find out what I’m talking about.  You’ll thank me later.  Well, heck.  You’re welcome.)

5.  I can’t seem to get out of bed in the morning.  And then when I do finally get out of bed, getting to work on time is another story.  The mornings I get up at 6 and work out and run myself short on time are the days I get to work early.  The days I get up at 6 and just start getting ready are the days I’m late.  Then there are the days I don’t get up till 7:15 to be to work at 8:00.  I really have no idea how I will function if I ever have children.

6.  Sometimes my fingers type faster than my brain thinks.  My friend’s Facebook status:  ”Hmmm….hair appointment coming up….wonder what I would look like with dark hair. I’m not sure if I’m that brave.”  My comment:  ”Do it!! You go dark, I’ll go red…You first, though.”  Seriously.  Red hair?  What was I thinking?  You should have seen the comments come in after that.  I dunno, though.  Maybe it will make me feel a little more sleek.  Will probably make me feel and look like a big goober, though.  But I said it, and I think people are going to hold me to it.  Gotta keep my word.  Maybe I’ll get brave and post pics.  Probably not.

7.  I hate to clean my house.  I have to set aside one day a week to clean.  Otherwise it won’t get done.  Some days it still doesn’t get done.  I’m fixing to go room-by-room and do a deep cleaning.  I figure one of those a year will be good.  I can surface clean and hide in closets the rest of the time.

8.  I leave a lot of projects half-done.  I’ve still got a quilt I’ve embroidered for my nephew’s first birthday to finish up and give to him.  He’ll be 3 in October.

9.  If I’m in the middle of a good book or a good show on TV, you can forget having a conversation with me.  I can’t concentrate anymore with background noise.  I used to be able to have the radio on, the television and still be able to do my homework.  I need silence now.

10.  Organization.  You should see my desk at work.  And my desk at home.  And my closets.  Oh, and my drawers.  My refrigerator.  My cabinets.  My bookcase.  But that’s all right.  I compartmentalize.  My office at home is a mess?  Don’t go in there.  Easy enough.  It’s only when the piles get too tall on my kitchen table that I finally decide it’s time to clear some things out.

That’s the way my life works.  I work a lot.  I play a lot.  But when it comes time to do the not-so-fun stuff, I ignore it until I can’t any longer.  If I keep too busy and don’t give myself any rest time, my body shuts down.  It’s like it’s saying, Julie, you just can’t do this to me anymore.  So today we’re going to stay home.  You’re not going to feel great, but you’ll thank me tomorrow.

It’s in those times of rest and quiet I realize how lucky I really am to be able to work and to be able to play.  And even to be able to clean!

Do you suck at being an adult?  Why?

We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1999

May 5, 2011 in Uncategorized with 4 Comments

This is my friend Cathy and her husband Matt.
This picture was taken about a year ago, I believe, for her 30th birthday celebration at one of our favorite restaurants.

Cathy and Matt have a beautiful story.  It’s one of those stories you can listen to over and over and over again and it never gets old.  At 29 Cathy was diagnosed with cancer.  Since she was so young the doctors thought it would be best if they treated it aggressively as possible so she could have a long and full life ahead of her.  At this time Cathy and Matt were just dating, but they’d been dating for a while.  I thought he was perfect for her, and so did she.

But she was diagnosed with cancer.  If he were going to do it, this would be the time for him to run.  But he didn’t.  He stayed.  And not only did he stay, he decided to let Cathy know that he was in it for the long-haul.  So on a day she shaved her head so it wouldn’t be so traumatic when it fell out due to chemo treatments, he pulled out a ring and asked her to marry him.  ::happy tears::

Wedding plans helped pass the days of chemo treatments and the sickness.  And on the days when she didn’t have the energy to plan or even think about a wedding, he was there for her to lay her head on.  In the next few months, they’ll be celebrating their first year of marriage.  What did I tell you?  It’s a great story.

But before that we’ve got something else to celebrate!  Also during the time of treatments Cathy finished her Master’s Degree.  For someone like me who doesn’t have an associates’ degree, a Master’s Degree is no small feat, but a Master’s Degree during cancer treatments…awesome.  But wait.  There’s more!  It’s also her birthday AND ONE YEAR CANCER FREE!!! WOOOO-HOOOO!!!  We’re totally gonna party like it’s 1999.  And by that I mean play Bocce Ball, cards and probably a few board games.  If we’re lucky, there might be some wine involved.
I love it that my friends like to celebrate.  Seriously, we celebrate everything.  The other night we celebrated my friend finally finding edible mushrooms.  We cooked them, ate them and had a blast.  We’re crazy.  We like being with each other.

And we know how important it is not only to celebrate each other, but to celebrate and encourage each other in every victory, whether large or small.  If we couldn’t celebrate with each other, we couldn’t share or hurts and fears.  A true friend walks through the joy and the pain with you, and sometimes they even carry you.  I’m so thankful to have those relationships in my life.

I stayed with Cathy and Matt a few weeks ago on my way home from a workshop.  I didn’t have a schedule to keep, so they both went ahead and left for work the next morning and just told me to lock up when I left.  When I finally got up to shower, I found a note from Cathy thanking me for visiting and telling me she loved me.  When I went to get my keys to leave, I found a note from Matt under my keys welcoming me back any time.  I walked around a little bit and found some paper and a pen and left them a note right by theirs and told them they made my life better.  Good people make life better.

Encourage each other.  Lift each other up.  Celebrate the joys and walk through the trials.  And when you’re with friends and you’re as comfortable at their house as you are at your own home, that’s the way it should feel.

A good friend is like coming home.

 

Like A Thief In The Night

May 3, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Over the last couple weeks it has rained just about every day.  I’m not kidding.  I love me a good thunderstorm every now and then, but since April 15 we’ve had almost 13 inches of rain.  I’m kind of tired of getting wet every time I go outside.  Fortunately, most of the farmers hadn’t gotten too much planted, and so they haven’t lost a lot of their crops like they have in years past.  This is good news for sure.  Because this below is a field…under lots and lots of water…and it stretches for miles.

The crazy thing is is that this is just about a mile from my house.

And people are having to evacuate their homes because it just keeps getting higher and higher.  Levees are breaking and making the water come faster and deeper.  For some people the levees are their only protection against the wall of water just waiting to come take over their home.  So they just sit.  And they pray.

But it’s in this instance like here in this town where the water has just slowly risen.  It raises a few inches every day, and in the case of the days where the rain was heavier, I’m sure it raised more.  Little by little it covers more and more ground until it finally starts slowly receding.


But yet you can still see the marks of where it’s been.

These creeks and rivers are always there.  But they can only take so much.  Then they slowly start overflowing…and causing what can be in some cases, complete devastation.

Have you ever noticed this in your own life?  Things that are there, maybe visible, maybe just under the surface, but they’re there.  You know how much you can take.  You know when you’re just about to be pushed past your limits.  And there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

What gets me is that this is such a quiet devastation…and it was less than two miles away from me.  I would have had no idea what was happening.  Thankfully, the local radio and newspaper have been covering the story and keeping us updated on river levels and if there was a need to help with the sandbagging and things like that.  But here’s what got me thinking:

How many times is someone’s life falling apart right beside me and I don’t know about it?

Is the reason I don’t know about it because I don’t know people?

If one of my friends’ lives were to flood, would I know anything about it?

Of course, if they asked me for help, I would know something about it.  And I would help them in any way that I can.  But how do we help those who don’t speak up and ask for help?  How do we help those who CAN’T speak up and ask for help?

I don’t know.

Just some questions I’ve been throwing around in my head lately.  One thing I will ask of you readers, if you need help or prayer or both, will you ask me?  If you won’t ask me, will you ask someone?

It’s so hard to be the body when we’re not communicating.  So, let’s talk.  What do you think?

How have you found ways to help someone who didn’t really ask for it?

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