The Best Seasons of Life

Hair! Fall 2016

 

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. NLT

I do my best thinking in the shower and in the car. Of course, it happens this way because there is no way I can write down the thought because I am either wet or driving. But, every now and again the thought sticks and then gets reinforced in some way. I was mulling over the different seasons of my life the other day while in the shower, (Please don’t tell Mr. Wonderful because he keeps wondering why the hot water is running out. He he he.) While I was using up the hot water I was thinking about my life and it struck me that the most meaningful seasons were when I was connected to and trying to live with Christ.

I escaped my teen years with some pretty incredible friends but this is the only thing I can think back on with pride during those years. All I wanted was attention. I wanted to be liked. So, if I didn’t feel like I was getting enough attention I talked louder and the words that flowed from my mouth became cruder and uglier. What’s weird is when I look back on it now, is that this obnoxious me, became my new normal. I completely forgot who I was before, what I believed and how I wanted to live.

…Apart from me you can do nothing.

At 24 I had had enough of my life and moved back to the one place I knew of to get back to who I was. Oregon. Our old friends welcomed me like family and I was given the precious opportunity to once again become the girl I was before everything changed. I am still loud and chatty and in full disclosure the “s” word, flows a bit freely from my mouth at times but I no longer go to great extremes to get attention.

…Apart from me you can do nothing.

When I was 33 I was pregnant with our 1st child, I went home for a week to visit my family. A bunch of friends from high school gathered on the deck at The Hotel Del Coronado to hang out and reminisce about the good ol’ days. That day I was introduced to the wife of one of my friends. After the introductions, my friend laughed and said, “When I was explaining you to my wife I told her you were the only girl I had ever known who cussed like a sailor.” I wanted to shrivel up and die. I had forgotten that person and to think this is how I was remembered was pretty devastating.

My shower revelation happened on a Sunday morning. We went to church a few hours later and this scripture was on the big screen.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. NLT

See, when I went back to Oregon, I went back to Jesus. I went back to a place in my heart where I knew I was unconditionally loved. Do I still struggle with insecurities? Sure I do. But now I don’t look side to side for affirmation. I look up. God created me just the way I am. My actions and decisions come from a place of wanting to live a life that glorifies him and not me. I certainly don’t get it right all the time and my foot spends a heck of a lot of time in my mouth but day by day, minute by minute I am changing.

…Apart from me you can do nothing.

Have A Beautiful Day My Friends!!

 

 

 

 

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