by | Life Application
“You can be anything you want to be.” Those are the words spoken to us from childhood.
Men and women stand in the audition room on American Idol, belting out a tune that may kill the neighbor’s dog six states away, believing they really can sing. Why? Because their parents told them they could.
Mom heard little Sarah sing at the age of three and clapped at the solo concerts. Who wouldn’t? Every three-year old is the best singer in the world.
But when you’re 22 and you’re still singing in the same pitch you were at three, there’s a problem.
My guess? You weren’t meant to be a singer. Ever.
Jon Acuff writes in Start,
You can’t be “anything you want,” but you can be something even better: the best version of you.
Yes! This makes so much sense. We aren’t all singers, writers, musicians, doctors, you get the point. I work with an IT guy and I’m pretty sure the size of his brain would give me a headache if we were to trade places.
Guess what? I’m so okay with not knowing why this cord doesn’t allow that hard drive to process the dishwasher’s defibulator when the qpx crosses the fiver. (Confused yet?)
Trying to be good at everything will leave us good at nothing.
I may not be an IT tech and I can’t sing either, but there are several things I can be the best version of me at. I’m a speaker, a writer, a leader. I’m good at those things. Why? Because God designed me to love them. He continues to teach me how to be better. And I continue to want to be better because He has put those gifts in me.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4
Are you doing what you love? Are you pursuing a passion that wakes you up everyday? Are you striving to be the best version of you?
If not, it’s time to S.T.A.R.T.
![How to Tame a Deaf Dog]()
by | Life Application
I wanted a dog. It had been several years since I’d had one and frankly, I was tired of living in my apartment by myself. So, I woke up one morning and declared, “I want a dog!”
Within two days, a friend, who volunteers at the local humane society, called to say she had the perfect dog waiting for me. A few hours later, I headed up there to meet the sweet creature to see if we were a match. I took her for a walk, rubbed her ears, and even got a gentle kiss from her.
Then I left.
I didn’t want to make any rash decisions. Afterall, owning a dog is a big investment for me right now. Could I afford her? Did I have the time for her? Would I be a good doggy mom?
Four days later I brought her home. Dog food – check. Treats – check. Name tag – check. Something besides the television to talk to – check.
When I got home from work the next day, I couldn’t find her. I yelled for her, looked under the bed, checked the shower. Nothing. Then I found her bunched up on a pile of my little cousins stuff animals next to the couch. There she was, sleeping soundly. I said her name repeatedly, but nothing. It wasn’t until I reached out to pet her, that her startled eyes met mine and she was awake and ready to play.
Do I have a deaf dog?
Sure enough. After a few “tests,” I had reached my conclusion. My dog couldn’t hear a lick as they say in the redneck language I grew up with.
I must be honest and say having a deaf dog was certainly not in my plans. I wanted a companion I could talk to. I wanted to be greeted everyday when the keys rattled in the front door. I wanted to make up pet words that only she understood. Pardon the pun.
It turns out you can’t always get what you want, but you always get what you need. (Tweetable, no?)
I needed Shatzi. Though I’m still in the beginning stages of learning why, it makes sense. God is calling me into an area of my life where compassion and patience will be tested like never before. Why not use a deaf dog to start the process?
I’m learning to communicate differently. Though she can’t hear me, I still talk to her. Though she can’t hear the keys rattle, when she sees me coming, she runs towards me, tail wagging. And I still have the comfort in knowing she’s sitting right beside me on the couch as I write this, as content as can be.
I’m reminded that everything isn’t about me.
I’m learning a deeper love. I’m learning patience (sometimes more than I want to). I’m learning about loyalty.
They say dogs are a man’s best friend and I would have to agree with that. She can’t hear a word I’m saying, yet she trusts me enough to let me bend down, kiss her face and utter words from my lips she will never hear. I think we’re a great fit.
Name a time in your life God gave you what you needed instead of what you wanted. Answer in the comments below…
![How to Tame a Deaf Dog]()
by | Guest Posts, Life Application
Men. I’m 29 years old and sometimes the word still triggers me. In a moment, pain will stir in my heart and I’m reminded I still have healing to do.
I know all men are not created equal, but most of my life was spent believing that.
The first sexual contact I experienced was at the age of four, by a man. Then another. Then another.
I was convinced that the one man I desperately wanted to love me, my own father, chose alcohol over me.
He beat my mother. He beat my step-mother. I learned to mix his first drink at six years old. His friends, all men, were the same. They always smelled of whiskey or beer and I’m sure they only owned one shirt.
Not only was I struggling with my own view of men from an early age, but my mother was doing the same. Through her own disdain and fear of men, she was teaching me that men were evil. So far she had proved her theory to be true, so it was easy to believe.
I lost my virginity at a young age, assuming it was the thing to do. Isn’t that what so many of us believe?
Today I’m guest posting for my friend Jennifer over at Prayerfully Speaking.
Click here to read the rest of the post.
by | Life Application
I’ve been chewing on these words for the last couple of days:
I want to live a life that takes time to notice things that other people are overlooking. One that slows down to sit and soak up the beauty. One that creates space for the “wow” moments. – Jeff Goins, The In-Between
Where are you in the season of your life? Are you too busy?
I fight busyness a lot and over the last few months I’ve realized it’s been winning. I don’t like it. It doesn’t allow margin in my life. It doesn’t fit with my life plan. My one word for 2013 is “intentional,” and busyness gets in the way of that.
I’m not a fan of waiting, especially when it comes to fixing things. If someone has a problem, myself included, I want to find the solution as soon as possible. This isn’t always a bad thing, but sometimes I can be so intent on making things happen that I miss the message of the trial.
Being in a hurry all the time is stealing life from me and I only get to live once.
I’m realizing some days I need to put the iPhone down, stop capturing moments for the Instagram world, and actually absorb them for myself.
Last week I visited a friend on a farm in Louisiana. I knew the moment I hit the dirt road that I was in for a treat. I was surrounded by stillness, pear trees, and a three-legged cat. Life wasn’t busy.
Live a life that takes time to notice things that other people are overlooking.
My friend Jennifer and I took a morning walk along the 120-acre farm. Grasshoppers seemed to follow. The view of the dirt road took me back to days of living in my hometown.
The friendship that has been flourishing for the last five years is in a different place – a good, better place. How do I know? Because I took the time to notice.
Slow down and soak up the beauty.
I don’t do this often enough, but I want to. One morning on the farm, I sat outside on the front porch and listened. There wasn’t the sound of a cell phone, no one chatting on Skype, and Facebook managed to survive without me.
I sat. I soaked. I smiled. In this midst of doing nothing but sitting in a chair, I felt accomplished. Accomplished because at that very moment I was soaking up the beauty, not focusing on the expectations I put on myself.
Create space for the “wow” moments.
I’m not sure I know what this looks like yet, but I look forward to finding out. I don’t think a “wow” moment has to have fireworks and a front page story on the newspaper. These moments can be simple, yet profound.
I remember a time four years ago when I didn’t have the money for gas, much less a Starbucks coffee. I told God I would love a coffee. It was child-like faith. When I got to my friend Jammie’s office, her boss pulled out his wallet, asked her to grab him a Starbucks, and get one for her friend, too. (That was me.)
That was a “wow” moment. I savored every moment of that coffee. I was 25 years old and crying my eyes out with joy over a coffee. Why? Because God provided something that seems so small, yet it was huge to me. Wow is a great way to sum it up!
I’m transitioning out of the busyness in my life, so that I may enjoy the in-between. I’m realizing there is too much on my plate and I’m putting the art of delegation into practice so that I may have more “wow” moments, no matter how big or small.
Jeff Goins talks about these “wow” moments in his new book, The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing. It doesn’t release until next week, but you can pre-order it. You won’t regret it.
May we learn to live in the in-between together and create space in our lives for those “wow” moments.
What do you need to get rid of in your life to create more space? Leave a comment below…
by | Life Application
I met Sandy in 2006. He was a tall man, full of life. His smile brightened the room and his gentle voice made me feel safe. I can’t remember a time I left a visit with Sandy and didn’t desire a closer relationship with God. Grace dripped from his words. Safety overflowed in his hugs. Mercy was his twin.
He was “Jesus with skin on,” as they say.
The same doctor diagnosed Sandy and my dad with the same type of cancer in the same week.
Two men I loved, one my father, the other like a father to me, had very different outcomes. My dad gave up his fight six months later, giving into his addiction, but Sandy held on. He fought to keep his life like no one I’ve ever seen.
He was just a selfless man, always looking for the best in others.
To read more about Sandy’s life and how his life impacted me, read the rest of my article at Prodigal Magazine.
by | Life Application
I’m a huge Robert Irvine fan. He’s a great chef and if you watch him enough times, you’ll realize he truly is a great leader.
When I found this Portobello salad recipe I knew I wanted to try it, so I invited my friend Jammie over for dinner to be the guinea pig. I passed the test with flying colors. She loved it.
We used it as a meal and she came up with the idea to toss some sesame sticks on the top, but you could even use it as a side dish.
If you’re avoiding gluten, I used a natural soy sauce alternative, thanks to my friend Dawn, and it was delicious.
Enjoy.
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Portobello Mushroom Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Devo Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos All Purpose Seasoning
- 4 portobello mushrooms, cleaned, gills removed, quartered, and cut into slices 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 cup baby spinach (packed), soaked to remove grit, well rinsed and dried in a salad spinner or with paper towels
- 2 large ripe fresh tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
Directions:
- Heat balsamic and soy sauce or liquid aminos in a skillet and allow mushrooms to poach while the sauce reduces. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a mixing bowl toss with onion, spinach and tomatoes.
- Serve chilled, family style, garnishing with fresh dill.
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I’m always up for trying new recipes. Share your recommended recipes below…
