Blindsided by THAT Question

Depending on your perspective, something that is either amusing or hurtful happened to me today.  I was shopping and chatting with the woman behind the counter. I happened to mention my six children to the her and the next thing I knew, she blindsided me with, “Are you expecting another little one?”

Uh, no.  Big time NO. (In fact, the last “little one” I gave birth to is almost a decade old.)

A year ago,  I probably would have gone home, put on sweats, and soothed myself with cookies.  But, today, I’m happy to say that I’m settling down in the amused camp.  Yes, you can be sure I have been pulling my gut in a little more today, but I’m finding that I’m chuckling about it.

So, what has changed over the last year that has enabled me to withstand humility’s sting?  I got OFF track.  Since that last “little one” that I mentioned above was born, I have struggled to get on top of my health.  I had reached a point where I felt like I was on this downhill track and I couldn’t get off.  I wrote about it in one of my past posts, called The Long Journey to Health, if you are interested in reading more about how I began to make a change for the better. Currently, I’m not where I want to be, but I’m getting there.   Progress… the process, is powerful.  Where I used to feel insecure and hopeless, I now feel secure and hopeful.

Freedom and relief are the fruit of diligent effort in the process, not in the arrival.

And what is arrival, anyway?  Does it mean that you look like you did when you were twenty?  Does it mean no one ever asks you if you are pregnant, when you aren’t?? Does it mean reaching a goal weight or fitting in to a certain size of clothing?

No.  “Arrival” is submitting to the process.  Let’s face it: no matter what we do, we are all getting older, more wrinkly, and saggier… we can’t place our hope or identity in our bodies, or what other people say or think about our bodies.  Peace comes from making the next right choice and choosing to settle my identity into pleasing the Lord.  I’ve finally submitted myself to a pattern of more healthy choices, and I know the mental and emotional freedom that I have because of that is indeed pleasing to Him.

So… because I am in the process, making progress, I’m okay.  Apparently, I can be blindsided and still find myself standing up straight.  Thank you, Jesus!

Is there a process you need to submit yourself to?  Just one day at a time, find yourself right where you need to be… walking in the freedom and peace that come from just doing what you are called to do today, moment by moment.

Or, what if you are like I was for so long?  Not sure how to get off that crazy negative track.  Not sure about the process the Lord wants to take you though.  Pray, friend!  God doesn’t want you to walk in confusion and defeat. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”  Then, when the Lord speaks, grab a buddy and start walking it out.

Join me in saying, “I’m not where I want to be, but I’m not where I used to be!”