I have never found people or friends worth much effort. This is new for me, as I like to just walk away and start over. The best I can describe, is what I find worth fighting for, I make the effort to confront, communicate and fix. I am not sure where it comes from to be honest. Now, sometimes my bluntness and directness almost scares me. I use to be a ignore it, don’t confront it, sweep it under the rug person. Something isn’t right, I am going to say it and move on. I have learned the art of direct communication, like nobodies business. When being honest is the only way to fix it I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit it You want to know whats going through my head? Its…….and I unleash a grabbled bunch of words that may or may not make sense.Īnd when it’s out of control I say it’s under control When I sit silently on the phone I get a “whats going through you head” or “I wish I knew what to say to you.” These are authentic phrases that I will respond to. I am lucky to have a few people in my life, that when they ask, they are asking because they already know I am not fine. But I also know the inquirer really does not want to know the real answer. When I am asked ‘how are you’…I do not answer anymore, because I won’t lie and say I am fine. Suddenly, what was important the day ‘before’ is meaningless now. What would happen in a conversation, when asked how are you, you told the truth? I smile as I type this, because my truth filter is pretty thin, and I have weeded out many people in my life with it. These lyrics I am sure hit home for anyone, but me….my family…”We keep our messes and our wounds and our secrets safe with us behind closed doors.” Apparently, we are not the only ones. Matthew West can put words down and strike a point…for me, leaves me inspired. I stumbled on this live version of the song, on YouTube. So keep your messes and your wounds and your secrets safe with you behind closed doors Lie number two: Everybody’s life is perfect except yours Well, it’s good news, that is, if we’re actually willing to step into the mess and kneel before the newborn king in the manger.Lie number one: You’re supposed to have it all togetherĪnd when they ask how you’re doing, just smile and tell them, “Never better” The good news of the Christmas story is that God meets us first in the manure, not in the mansion. Whether we see ourselves as marginalized, privileged, or somewhere in between, we all live with brokenness. When banquets or other important functions came around, it would be the landowner sitting around the table boasting about his massive flocks that he rarely if ever sees while the uninvited shepherds are literally stuck out in the cold making sure their bosses assets don’t freeze. After all, they worked hard and sacrificed a great deal to protect the sheep under their care, even if the sheep most likely belonged to some landowner who would collect the lion’s share of the wealth or profit from their labor. I imagine, however, that they may have been proud people like us who didn’t see themselves as particularly needy. In some ways this can make it difficult for us to identify with them because we rarely see ourselves as outcasts living on the margins. We tend to portray the shepherds as lowly, needy outcasts on the margins of their society. "I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine, oh, I'm fine, hey, I'm fine"Īnd when it's out of control I say it's under control As Matthew West writes in his latest song, “Truth Be Told,” we say, “Lord, bless the one who needs a touch from you the most and bless the one who has the tremendous problem of thinking they have no problems at all.” It’s funny how we sing about God knowing our need and our weakness while we ourselves are often the first to say we don’t need anything and are the last to admit our weakness. We sing a lot this time of year about worshipping and bowing before Christ our King, but the more surprising question of Christmas is, where are we to find this king and to whom is the invitation to honor him sent? In the Emmaus and Pilgrimage community we often say a prayer that goes something like this. Behold your King and before him lowly bend! O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” …to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
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