#thelighterside

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Laughter Is The Best Medicine Book

Johnson Smith 100th Anniversary

I recall a moment, at the beginning of my Freshman Year in college, when I was certain that my world was going to collapse in around me: I got a C- on an exam.

Never in my life had I identified so deeply with the whimsical, passion-filled red headed Anne Shirley (that’s with an “e”).

"I'm in the depths of despair... Did you ever try to imagine that you were in the depths of despair, Marilla?"

“No.  Because that would be to turn your back on God.

This familiar dialogue came to mind as I laid in my dorm room bed after the exam finished.  My hair was in an unkempt messy bun on top of my head, I had covered my face with a blanket, and nothing sounded better than just giving up and dwelling in my depths of despair.  I closed my room off from the light and just sat there... in the darkness of my dorm, with a blanket over my head.

Yes - enjoy that mental picture.

...but then it occurred to me what I was doing, and one single word came to mind: perspective.

So - I sat up (granted - a few hours later) pulled the blanket from on top of my head and opened the window.  It was then... that the still small voice of God came from the stillness and said...

“You are rediculous.  There is much taking place in this world, so much tragedy, and yet, so much joy and victory.  Now get out of bed, and allow my eyes to become yours."

Have you ever heard God laugh at you? ...because I did in that moment, and it was a humbling experience. 

So perhaps the take away is simple, rather general and maybe even a little silly: but don’t pull the blankets over your head.  There are so many tragedies taking place around the world, poverty, sickness, and death, that your hiccup doesn’t need to be one of the them... I am trying to remember this.  Perspective - the end of the world doesn’t need to come from an exam grade, a hurting relationship, or being late to work.

Enough.

It is forceful, causes you to pause and listen. It is whispered by His still small voice. It is a word filled with grace. It is accepts you as you are. It is strong. It satisfies. It fulfills.  It is soft.

Say the word out loud.  It holds a certain authority, yes?  I love how this word can be used as pronoun, adverb and exclamation.  Let this word sink in.

It demands your attention. ”Enough!” Jesus exclaims to your soul.  Stop.  It is a pleading, demanding, and strong word.  It causes you to pause... and listen.

It evokes rest. Now breathe.  Stop trying to do better, to do more, to be more accomplished, to be smarter, prettier, wiser, richer... stop.  Be enough.

It defines you.  "I am not enough.” You are enough.  That is who you are, enough.  It has been the love of Christ that made your imperfections enough. That is the gospel.  That is Christianity. The world declares that you need to do to be. Jesus says... stop, rest, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:9).  That is all that you have to do.  Now stop fighting what has already been won.

Note: I had taken a short hiatus from social media.  Only about a week's time... but enough to shake up my day to day experience with social media and here were my reflections.

I am back - 

It was only a short little break, but it was quite valuable to me. I wasn't off completely to be honest, but it was substantially less than normal. I realized a lot about how social media has shaped how my brain works.... for the good, and well, not so good. For the "not so good".... my mind works in ways of photo captions and possible impressions. While watching a sunset, I found myself automatically taking at least a handful of pictures, editing them, and about to post them... but by the time that I was finished with that process, the sun had set, and the sky was turning from brilliant orange to a deep, purple darkness. I had missed the moment that I was saying that I experienced. But I had a lovely filter, and a nice quote to post.