Good News Ain’t Easy

“The good news is better than that.” - Love Wins – Rob Bell, p. 181

There’s something about that thought that stuck out enough to me to mark it down as a draft, a potential post, on this blog. Nine months later, and maybe I’ve found the right timing, the right opportunity to bring something to bear. Because I think we get so much wrong, that when we eventually think we might have it right – well, we might still be completely wrong.

Good news is better than that.

When your life is a metaphorically constant banging of your head against the wall, simply stopping the rapid back and forth motion against the hard hurtful object is enough to bring peace. But it’s not real peace as much as it’s the stoppage of pain. Real peace takes work. Real peace is valuable and lasts longer, runs deeper. Real peace is communal and relational. Real peace is different than just stopping the banging.

What’s easy seems to be the right way. Having things work out the way we expected can be misconstrued as the right way. Small blessings can be blown out of proportion. Listening to the folks giving us kudos but not paying as much attention to the people with dissenting views can give us a false positive on what’s the right way. And whether this is playing out in a positive or a negative bent, this is not a good thing.

Back to the statement above, that “the good news is better than that” – how many times have we settled in on “the good news” and closed ourselves off from what, in fact, might be better? I think: too often; too readily; too dogmatically. We might be doing good things, but we’re closing ourselves off from better choices. Or worse, we’re self-destructive and there’s no way on earth for us to see what’s going on because there’s no way on earth we would pay attention outside our circle of enabling friends…

So after beating around the bush, let me be as blunt and still as vague as I can be: The good news is better than that. But, you won’t open your eyes to what that good news might really be. In the process of making choices, in thinking things are getting better, you are setting yourself up to fail – and this time, it is hurting those you love the most. With that in mind, your stance on “doing the right thing” is shattered on the hearts of people who hold you most dear. They will forgive – but you will not know how much because you’ve closed that door, because you’ve turned that corner. If this were really good news, your actions and choices would be better than that. But it’s not, and they’re not, and well, I’m pissed.

And God is given either the credit or the blame. In reality, you’re not listening to Him enough to do either. And the good news is still way better than that.

 

“More of a hugger…”

Um, George…?

 

Christmas Present

Decorating the tree brings a all kinds of memories of Christmas Past. Then until the presents are out in the open, there’s the anticipation of Christmas Future. In the middle of that, Christmas Present is the right now that maybe we lose sight of too often.

This morning, one child is sound asleep while the other is sleeping on a terrible painful ear infection. Our Christmas Present included a late night urgent care run and pharmacy conversation. Mama bear has been taking care of baby boy. Shopping is just about done, just a few more stops and some wrapping today. One family event down, a couple more tomorrow to go. Right now, there’s some hustle and bustle in our world but, honestly, it’s just life moving on.

I’m not a fan of sentimentality. Remembering and learning from the past is good, and looking forward expectantly is good. But there’s something about being in the moment, trying to be aware of what’s going on right now – that’s where I think we can listen and see the real magic of the season…

… and I think that magic is in the midst of relationships; in the waves of pain from earaches; in the smiles of kids watching Rudolph on TV and Linus reciting the scriptures; in the tastes and smells of sugar cookies and egg nog lattes; in the warmth of South Carolina “winter”…

There’s so much to look at, to talk with, to see together this year. I’m glad we’re not missing Christmas Present right now because right now is the most wonderful time of the year.

Merry Christmas.

 

Who Are You?

No, really – who are you? If you could do me a favor: leave me a comment with who you are, where you are, how you saw this (social media? rss? random link? email?), and how/if we know each other in real life (IRL).

I’ve been at this for almost ten years in one way/shape/form, and I’m curious who’s coming through on this site and my social media repository.

Thanks for stopping by, however you got here. And thanks for your continued support.

 

Happens to me, too, Wally – to me, too

 

Sometimes I’m Barbara Billingsley…

 

Thank You.

Thank you…

… for listening to me rant, try to get my point across, serve my own ego online or IRL.

… for giving me good examples of how to be a decent human being.

… for loving me in spite of all the unlovable bits.

… for laughing at my bad jokes (I knew the good ones were funny, but these… sheesh).

… for feeling the freedom to be yourself around me.

… for being there when I needed to _____.

… for letting me be there for you there when you needed to _____.

… for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness together.

… for letting me post something so vague, yet so heartfelt on this Thanksgiving Day.

If there’s any question – yes, thank you for all of the above and more.

 

Grateful much…?

As I get older, I hope I am more grateful. Hope – because in reality I know I take much of this life’s blessing for granted. Even in this short workweek, I’m thankful for my family and all we’ve been able to enjoy; for my job and the challenges that keep it fun; for opportunities to build on the past and learn going forward.

But then I also want to take a nap, to be selfish with my coffee, to find the remote and surf the channels for a few good days. Is that so wrong?

Maybe. Being grateful is one of those character traits, I think, that must be fed, that must be exercised and worked out from within. I can’t make someone say, “thank you” – you can try with your toddlers, but if they don’t get that gratitude is more than the words, then you’ll have a selfish teenager on your hands.

Not that we’ve got selfish teenagers. Somewhere along the line, we did it right. Or they did. Or something beyond us did (my vote is actually on that one), because they’re good kids who have their moments but by-and-large are grateful and caring.

When we start with Thanksgiving, and we start with family, it’s cool that we get to see firsthand how being grateful pays off with the folks who know you the best day in and day out.

 

Rebel Against Indifference

My own copied in response to yesterday’s “stick shift” post:

I ran across a T-shirt with the words “Rebel against your own indifference” and I immediately fell in love with it. In a world that can overwhelm us with so much bad news, it can be exhausting. Indifference may follow.

via 12 Most Beneficial Reasons to Resist Indifference |.

 

Life as a Stick Shift…

It feels like I’m constantly needing to shift into the I-don’t-give-a-damn gear! I’m finding that living my life often involves risking the approval and acceptance of others, choosing a path that challenges “the way it’s supposed to be,” or just facing the plain and simple fear of screwing up. Oh, how I wish I could do life without dealing with any of that! It would be great if I could live life AND everyone be happy with me, live life AND fall into line, live life AND be guaranteed that everything I fear could happen won’t happen. Sign me up!

But it doesn’t seem to be that way. My life is like driving a stick in Chicago bumper-to-bumper traffic. You can’t just coast along; there’s a lot of shifting going on.

via Jim Palmer » Blog Archive » The I-Don’t-Give-A-Damn-Gear.