Week 12: What do your words say about you?
So this week has been busy. Life happens. I had put on Facebook about our washer going out. Actually the cold water was not going through the water inlet valve. After some basic troubleshooting it was obvious that dirt had gotten past the filter into the solenoid. So basically I was going to have to replace the inlet valve. I spent a couple of hours researching and ended up finding the right part. I really do have my Dad to thank for my troubleshooting genes. It was finding the problem and solution. Patience is the key. But by 8pm I had the part and a video on how to replace it, which, when Wednesday came around I was able to do. This was the offending part:
However, better to spend $41.00 and use a screwdriver and channel locks to fix than pay more for something I could do myself. Of course I gave Ginger the option of a new washer, but ours works wonderfully now! I had one person say I had a lot of grit for doing that. I have just learned that even though the unknown can be terrifying at times, I have learned to face the unknown, not procrastinate, and just get the job done.
So we had quite a wonderful discussion at community group this week and thought I would just give some highlights and thoughts. It had to do with being a believer and what we post on social media. I have friends who use social media to it's fullest. I also know people who stay as far away from it as possible. I have a presence on social media just to give my artwork a presence. I would not say I am on social media a lot though. The one exception is Flickr and my blog. My blog is a place where I share with family and friends how Ginger and I are doing in life. I show my pictures and give the stories behind them. I put the pictures on Flickr as a centralized place that people can go see my work. My blog is my safe place and even though it is out for everyone to read, my primary target is friends and family. It is the place that I can share my thoughts inside instead of bottling them up, because as an introvert I have a tendency to do that. However, it has evolved in time. I do rant and vent at times but I try to turn it to what I am being taught through it, what God is teaching me. I talk about Ginger and I's struggle with mental disorders to help others who may be fighting the same battle.
But too often people, believers and those not alike, like to use social media to tear down others, lash out, and, well, hurt people or places. So it is the believers I am talking to now. If you engage in this type of activity, how are you different than the world? I mean, don't get me wrong. If your wronged and you want to post about it, do so. But at the same time, I challenge you, don't stop there. What is God teaching you in that moment? What are you learning? Can you help others through that pain? We all go through trials.
But then there are those who put on a front. Everything is perfect. You know, the perfect life, the perfect kids, the perfect marriage, the perfect dog and cat? Look, I am married to my soul mate. We have a fairy tale marriage. We love each other with an amazing love that only God could have given us. But we work hard at our marriage. Ginger has bipolar and I have depression. We both deal with anxiety. But we communicate. We forgive. We don't hold grudges. We don't raise our voice. We don't name call. There have been tears as we have walked through storms. And yet there has been lots of laughter and love. And I wouldn't trade a second of it. And anyone that has read my blog or seen our posts know we are transparent. We may not be perfect but we are perfect for each other.
Social media is a wonderful place to reach out to others and help. It is a great place to show the world that as believers we as well struggle but we have a hope. And even when life is unfair to us, we still have that hope. And don't we? One day we will be in heaven before our Creator. One day there will be no sickness or sorrow. Yes, we suffer now but it is but for a short season. But Paul, you may say you do not know what I have been through. I can counter that with you do not know what I have been through. Go back through this blog to the early years, or meet me for coffee, or email me and sit with me and you may find that I know much more about sorrow than you may think.
And I am not perfect. I have ranted. I have lashed out. I have wanted those that have hurt me to feel hurt as well. But in the long run it only hurts me. But as I mature and grow in Christ I realize something. When I became a believer, I gave my life to God. I gave up control. Now my flesh still tries to take back control, but my life is not my own. When I take control, I take my life in my own hands. And that took me to some very dark places that I felt I was alone in. But I wasn't. God was there, waiting for me to give Him back control. He did not promise I would not go through storms or trials, but He said He would be with me and it would work toward good. And you know what? Since I have done that, every trial, every storm has resulted in something good. Just my experience.
Last thought. I try to model my blog after the Psalms. David had some great highs and great lows. And in the Psalms he expressed his feelings. Sometimes it was anger, or sadness, or happiness, or thankfulness. Regardless, he always came back to the same conclusion, God is God and is the Creator and we are the creation. In the end he remembered his place. Yes, we are the creation, but take heart, the Creator, who created us knows us better than we know ourselves. Who better to give control or our lives too.
Baa
I post this picture as a reminder, words can be weapons, or they can be encouragement, the choice is yours. These are things I have been called, but as you scroll down it changes from destructive to encouraging. Just some food for thought.
However, better to spend $41.00 and use a screwdriver and channel locks to fix than pay more for something I could do myself. Of course I gave Ginger the option of a new washer, but ours works wonderfully now! I had one person say I had a lot of grit for doing that. I have just learned that even though the unknown can be terrifying at times, I have learned to face the unknown, not procrastinate, and just get the job done.
So we had quite a wonderful discussion at community group this week and thought I would just give some highlights and thoughts. It had to do with being a believer and what we post on social media. I have friends who use social media to it's fullest. I also know people who stay as far away from it as possible. I have a presence on social media just to give my artwork a presence. I would not say I am on social media a lot though. The one exception is Flickr and my blog. My blog is a place where I share with family and friends how Ginger and I are doing in life. I show my pictures and give the stories behind them. I put the pictures on Flickr as a centralized place that people can go see my work. My blog is my safe place and even though it is out for everyone to read, my primary target is friends and family. It is the place that I can share my thoughts inside instead of bottling them up, because as an introvert I have a tendency to do that. However, it has evolved in time. I do rant and vent at times but I try to turn it to what I am being taught through it, what God is teaching me. I talk about Ginger and I's struggle with mental disorders to help others who may be fighting the same battle.
But too often people, believers and those not alike, like to use social media to tear down others, lash out, and, well, hurt people or places. So it is the believers I am talking to now. If you engage in this type of activity, how are you different than the world? I mean, don't get me wrong. If your wronged and you want to post about it, do so. But at the same time, I challenge you, don't stop there. What is God teaching you in that moment? What are you learning? Can you help others through that pain? We all go through trials.
But then there are those who put on a front. Everything is perfect. You know, the perfect life, the perfect kids, the perfect marriage, the perfect dog and cat? Look, I am married to my soul mate. We have a fairy tale marriage. We love each other with an amazing love that only God could have given us. But we work hard at our marriage. Ginger has bipolar and I have depression. We both deal with anxiety. But we communicate. We forgive. We don't hold grudges. We don't raise our voice. We don't name call. There have been tears as we have walked through storms. And yet there has been lots of laughter and love. And I wouldn't trade a second of it. And anyone that has read my blog or seen our posts know we are transparent. We may not be perfect but we are perfect for each other.
Social media is a wonderful place to reach out to others and help. It is a great place to show the world that as believers we as well struggle but we have a hope. And even when life is unfair to us, we still have that hope. And don't we? One day we will be in heaven before our Creator. One day there will be no sickness or sorrow. Yes, we suffer now but it is but for a short season. But Paul, you may say you do not know what I have been through. I can counter that with you do not know what I have been through. Go back through this blog to the early years, or meet me for coffee, or email me and sit with me and you may find that I know much more about sorrow than you may think.
And I am not perfect. I have ranted. I have lashed out. I have wanted those that have hurt me to feel hurt as well. But in the long run it only hurts me. But as I mature and grow in Christ I realize something. When I became a believer, I gave my life to God. I gave up control. Now my flesh still tries to take back control, but my life is not my own. When I take control, I take my life in my own hands. And that took me to some very dark places that I felt I was alone in. But I wasn't. God was there, waiting for me to give Him back control. He did not promise I would not go through storms or trials, but He said He would be with me and it would work toward good. And you know what? Since I have done that, every trial, every storm has resulted in something good. Just my experience.
Last thought. I try to model my blog after the Psalms. David had some great highs and great lows. And in the Psalms he expressed his feelings. Sometimes it was anger, or sadness, or happiness, or thankfulness. Regardless, he always came back to the same conclusion, God is God and is the Creator and we are the creation. In the end he remembered his place. Yes, we are the creation, but take heart, the Creator, who created us knows us better than we know ourselves. Who better to give control or our lives too.
Baa
I post this picture as a reminder, words can be weapons, or they can be encouragement, the choice is yours. These are things I have been called, but as you scroll down it changes from destructive to encouraging. Just some food for thought.
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