Hello! You know it's been along hard week. I am no rocket scientist! (like my son heehee) but I do my job, and I like to think I do a good job at it!
However sometimes, it can be a bit overwhelming.....OH come on, let's get REAL here! Okay! Okay! It is a very stressful job almost every day I am there!
Praise the Lord I am working during these tough economic times when there are so many that are not!
I really am thankful...:)
However, there is this one call in particular that got to me this week. I am still thinking about it.
First, why do people have to be soooo evil? I know....I know. I am not really asking you for the answer. I am just shaking my head in words. Even after all that I know and understand about human nature I find it so terribly disturbing and heart breaking when I come across some one as hurtful as this woman was.
"I" am not hurt. She was just so intentionally hurtful. I could very well have been devastated had I been someone else. Instead, I shook it off....(HARD as it was)...an said a prayer for her....several actually; and have been thinking about her since.
You see this woman actually took a good 15 minutes or so and many choice words; words I would never repeat, and began to literally curse me....going on to say she hoped I would get married and have kids and that me and my family; that all sorts of horrible things would happen to each of us. (she went on in detail) All of this while I was helping her on the phone. I unable to disconnect per company policy. I had to sit and take it.
I took a minute after this call and said a prayer.
Honestly, how does HE do it? Jesus.
He hears everything we say to Him....even if He did say anything back to us in retaliation .....most of us wouldn't hear Him.......but truth is. Jesus doesn't say anything back. He didn't here-then.........and doesn't now when we talk to him now.
HOW?....I wish I knew the secret. I wish I had the same ability. The Word of God tells me I do.....but some how I keep messing up....Oh I have my good days and my not so good days....and as life goes on and I grow in Grace my good days thankfully seem to out number the not so good days.
I want to be able to love all the time like Jesus....but HOW?
How?
How do you do it?
Love all the time?
Never receiving in return and then,
You, love again.
The same ones all over again;
Even, after they’ve crucified you?
How?
Oh Lord, I try; I really do.
I try so hard to love like you;
Then, when I am hurt so badly all over again;
I try to love but instead I find I cannot love like you;
Instead, I cry.
How?
Like driving nails;
Words like nails pierce my hands.
Watching the blood drip from my wounds,
I stand.
I want to forgive but I can’t.
I think of you;
How, you forgave me.
Still I try; instead I cry;
How?
Like a razor sharp sword;
I feel the intentions of another’s heart tear mine apart.
I faint in despair, knowing I need to get up.
Crying out to you for help;
Knowing, you have been here before me.
I know I must get up; but how?
How?
Lord, help me.
Please help me.
You lived the life betrayal told.
You died the death all life beholds.
You loved and loved still more,
Like, no other who has ever lived before.
How?
How do I love and love again?
How do I forgive and let the hurt take its mend?
When all my eyes clearly see is the bitter end before me?
Lord you know.
You walked the road to Calvary.
How?
You are the master at loving the unlovable;
Be the master of my heart.
Don’t let the life from me depart without first showing me the key.
I don’t know where I first heard it or IF I first heard it or if I just said it one day myself.
Can we just take a moment to think about that catchy little phrase?
Let’s start with the word diversity.
What comes to mind when you hear the word diversity?
Race…Creed…Religion?
How about division?
What comes to mind when you take a moment to think on that word?
Pretty much the same thing?
Race….Creed…Religion?
It’s quite possible as I am finding as I intermingle with many people from all walks of life, religious and non religious alike, that this seems to be the case.
There seems to be a very fine line between the meaning of diversity and the meaning of division. As seen in the definitions below. In fact if you do you own search you will find some even use the word diversity to define division.
Webster’s definition:
Diversity: the condition of being diverse: variety: especially: the inclusion of diverse people (as people of different races or cultures)
Division: a dividing or being divided; separation.
WHAT am I getting at here?
Well it seems to me, (my humble opinion) far too many of us get caught up in the “differences” we all have in life letting them be turned into “divisions”.
As Christians we are commanded to love one another….as Jesus loved us.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)
Jesus says we are to love one another as He loved us….and that is unconditionally; despite our differences.
Dude! Jesus was without sin and He gave His life up for me…He took along road to Calvary filled with hatred and pain and insults and a gruesome death on the cross for me….THIS is how I am supposed to love YOU …..each and every one of you!
Paul, in his letter to the church at Corinth talks about divisions. This is no new thing.
I am posting "The Crazy Old Man"
I posted this story before, I believe it was my very first post….but I feel lead to post it again. It is about human nature....I wrote it during the riots.
It’s time to take GOD out of the BOX we have place Him in! We have all done it, placed God in some kind of box….and it is TIME to GET out of the BOX we have been hiding in OURSELVES….so that God can use us to touch the lives of so many that need His love!
We are ALL made in HIS Image! Each and EVERY ONE of US! Jesus came and died for each of us and we don’t deserve it but we have it….the LOVE of Almighty God!
So let’s begin to SHOW it!!!!
Love and hugszzzzzzzzz,
AmyColleen
The Crazy Old Man
It was a cold winter’s day in WashingtonPark. The sun was shinning bright through the scattered clouds that were blowing at a brisk pace across the bright blue sky. It was definitely a day to be bundled up. I was out for my regular morning walk. Only this time it was a little different than usual. I had bumped, literally, into the “ Crazy Old Man” from WashingtonPark.
The Crazy Old Man from WashingtonPark, known as Joe to his friends, wasn’t actually crazy he was just extremely zealous for his cause. He was 103 years old, or so he claimed to be. He stood about five feet, six inches tall. (He says he used to be almost six feet tall but shrank over the years, due to carrying the weight of his fellow man on his shoulders for so long) He had pure white, wavy hair that covered his head and white eye-brows, to match. He didn’t have any known living relatives, at least none that any of us in town knew of. He lived in a small one-room efficiency apartment downtown. He was an activist for peace and civil rights. He was one third Native American, one third Caucasian and one third African American. He may have been 103 years old but he was sharp as tack!
Joe was a very wise old man who had lived a great many years and through a great many things. Through it all, the wars, the depression, the droughts and the famines, Joe had not lost his love for life but had actually become more of an advocate for it in the end. And so it goes that he spent his days traveling from town to town trying to “rid the world” of it’s ugly prejudice’s and trying to educate people of their own bigotries. Joe was determined to try and get the world to see that, the “hatred of others was not the way to peace”, even if it was one person at a time, one wise word at a time.
So it came that it was my time with Joe and his wise words.
“Oh my goodness!” nearly falling on top of the old man. I grabbed him gently by the arm, just barley saving him falling to the ground. “I am so very sorry. I didn’t see you there. I was looking else where.”
“You young people are always in such a big hurry,” Joe shook his head. “Where are you off to in such a big hurry anyway on this beautiful crisp Sunday morning?”
“Uh-uh, I am , uh,” I stuttered a bit. Then realized the old man was right. It was Sunday morning and I had nowhere in particular to go. “I am just out for my morning walk.”
“Well then,” he continued “Since you nearly killed me going no where, why don’t you take a minute here and share the scenery with me.”
Truthfully, that is the last thing I wanted to do. But I felt guilty for almost knocking him out cold and he was all alone and ever so persistent so I gave in.
“Okay. I’ll sit with you. But just for a little while,” I started looking around.
Joe got that gleam in his eye. The gleam he always gets just before he starts his preachin’. “Whatcha’ lookin’ for?” Joe asked me.
“Can we find a spot in the sun?” I asked, rather timidly. “This wind is pretty cold.”
Joe snickered, saying something about us young fold not knowing what real cold was and we walked to the other side of the park. Found a seat in the sun and that’s when Joe shared with me these tid-bits of wisdom.
Joe said to me ~
“I have heard that birds of a feather flock together. I have searched around the world in which I lived and found it to be so.”
“I have heard that a tiger never changes it’s stripes. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.”
“I have heard that you can’t teach an old dog, new tricks. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.”
“I have heard misery loves company. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.”
I looked at Joe and waited in silence.
He looked back at me. His head hung down a bit, he turned it up toward me and then he gave me half a smile and said, “Aren’t you going to ask me what it all means?”
“Wow,” was all I could think. I didn’t even know what he meant by it. He hadn’t even finished it and some how, some way, I was wowed. I just knew whatever was coming next was going to be a gem and so I looked back at Joe and said, “Okay. What does it all mean?”
I was ready, but ready for what? I had set myself up for the most incredible morsel of wisdom and knowledge. I mean after all, this old man has been around. He has walked where so many of have never and will never walk. He has done so many things and seen so many things and learned so much in life. “Wow,” was all I could think as I waited in baited breath for his elaborate, profound answer to man-kinds behavioral patterns.
Joe continued ~
“I have heard that birds of a feather flock together. I have searched around the world in which I lived and found it to be so.” Joe looked at me, sighed then continued on to say, “Until we realize we are NOT Birds we will not over come prejudice.” “I have heard that a tiger never changes it’s stripes. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.” Again, Joe sighed, “Until we realize we are NOT Tigers we will never allow for people to change, thus the world to change.” “I have heard that you can’t teach an old dog, new tricks. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.” Shaking his head, Joe stood up and raised his voice slightly, “Until we realize we are NOT Dogs, we will not be able to teach anyone anything different than the way it is now.” Lifting both arms into the air and yelling with zeal and great emotion, tears running down his face, he continued, “Until we realize we are NOT animals but Men and Woman created in God’s image we will NEVER over come hatred and prejudice!
At this point there were others in the park and they had begun to stare. I can honestly say I did not feel embarrassed at all. The emotion that came from Joe was heart wrenching and real. Passion from a soul who has lived what he has preached. I sat and starred in utter amazement as Joe continued on. There was a sudden change in Joe’s demeanor. He hung his head low. He was silent for a moment and then continued on in a very saddened tone, “I have heard misery loves company. I have searched around the world in which I have lived and found it to be so.”
“Unfortunately, this is true no matter where I have been. Until we realize it is we who are the ones who need to change and not them. It will always be so.”
At that, Joe just walked away.
I just sat there. “Here I thought he was going to share some great new revelation on how to rid the world of prejudice or something,” I shook my head.
I went to bed last night expecting to get a good night sleep. (haha) Instead I awoke several times through out the night with prayers streaming from my heart and mouth. A certain someone on my heart. Each time I followed the unction, so strong to pray and dozed back off to sleep. I wasn't the least bit upset that I was awaken so many times during the night....instead when I got up this morning I took extra time in prayer for this precious friend and child of God. Thank the Lord for allowing me to be a part of their life.
I am hoping they are reading this.
Below I have posted a "Word in Song" the Lord Himself gave me during one of the "hardest times of my life." I didn't think I would make through those times...but I did....not without the guiding hand of Jesus though.
Here are the words and one dy when we see each other again soon I will sing it to you.
I am praying for you!
The Friend You’ve Wanted and The Friend You Need
A “New Song”
I often wonder how I might be.
The friend you've wanted and the friend you need.
How I might share your worries and your fears.
How I might wipe away your tears.
Tell me.
Where do you go, when you're feeling oh so low?
Who do you turn to, when there's no place left to go?
When the ones who you love, seem so far away,
These are the times, I long to hear you say.
***
"Where are you?Where are you, friend that I knew?
I need you.I need you to help me make it through.
Where are you?Where are you, friend that I love?
Come right now.See me through.Send your love from above."
***
You'll never know just what it means to me,
To walk and talk just you and me;
To share your joys and your miseries,
Have you forgotten, that I died for these?
So ~
Child, come to me when you're feeling oh so low.
Child, turn to me when there's no place left to go.
When the ones who you love, seem so far away,
Child, I'm right here, by your side, here to stay.
