My Monday Mutter: Don't accessorise, humanise!

accessory

noun

noun: accessory; plural noun: accessories; noun: accessary; plural noun: accessaries

a thing which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive.

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Humans are interesting, irritating and difficult to understand sometimes. I know I have said this before but I really wish I could see what others are thinking and why they treat people the way they do. This week-end, once again, I was socialising and watching people's behaviour. Yip, I'm still that weirdo!

It really amazed me how someone can mistreat another in front of others. Why do people allow themselves to be treated as an accessory? Are they so desperate to be with someone that they will allow themselves to be treated so or are they blind to the other person's behaviour?


Personally, I don't get it. On my planet, when two people are together, whether it's a friendship or relationship, they should give each other equal attention. Listen to each other and respect each other. I mean, why keep them around if you don't care for them as much they care for you?

(Writing this.....I've just realised I might have behaved this way and might have just lost a friend because of this - Oh flip! - see we all learn from our mistakes!)

It reminded me that giving is more important than receiving and the more you give, the more you will receive. We all want to be noticed, admired and listened to but we can't expect it especially if the other person is truly self-centred and treats you as an accessory. Are you someone's "thing" to make them seem more "useful or attractive"?

Mid-blog, I also wondered what the definition of the word "accessory" is and so I googled it. After reading it, it made the person's behaviour seem a little bit clearer to me. I started thinking...maybe this person needs another person as an accessory because they don't have a good self image! So, they need someone else to make them look better! And the light bulb switches on in my little head!

Yes, add an accessory like a piece of jewellery, a handbag or a scarf to add a little sparkle to your step or some colour to your outfit but not a person.


I wish this person would stop treating others like a handbag, a glass of wine or a nice meal. In other words, only good enough when he/she is in the mood for the other person and/or needs them for something. I wish this person would feel better about himself/herself because deep down, I'm sure there is God's goodness in them.We all need to realise too, that the way we treat others is the way they will treat us too. Hmmm...lastly, I wonder if he/she realise he/she was created in God's perfect, loving, beautiful image.

In closing....... 

Be liked by others by the way you share your heart and soul....and your actions and words.

Don't be someones accessory, be someones partner!

 

My Jesus is gangster good

My Jesus is gangster good

He walked in sandals around any hood

My Jesus didn't need bling to be seen

He loved the dirty, clean and mean

My Jesus spoke with love and grace

He didn't use drugs and alcohol to get you to see his face

My Jesus didn't carry a gun or dagger

He walked tall with honest swagger

My Jesus sat and ate with anyone

He didn't need to know where you've been or what you've done

Why do you feel the need to join a gang to be "hood"?

Why do you want to shed blood to be "good"?

Why do you hurt and harm to be "seen"?
Why do you want colours to "look mean"?

If Jesus didn't need to be a real gangster to be "phat"

Why can't you change to be all "that"?

If Jesus didn't need to be a real gangster to be "the man"

Why can't you quit and let Him be your plan?

My Jesus is gangster good

Allow Him into your heart and hood.

 

 

The God Series

At some point in our life, we have been glued to the t.v. screen watching our favourite series. And oh, how we stress if we've missed an episode! We sit for at least an hour watching how people manipulate each other, love each other and we hate it when an episode ends on a such a cliffhanger that you are not sure how you are going to wait until next week for the conclusion. It sounds familiar, doesn't it?

But sit back and look around. Do you see what I see? You and I are in a series. We are in the most awesome, exciting, heart-wrenching series you can ever see. We are all in "The God Series", and you and I are playing major roles.

The God Series is the life we are living. God is our director, telling us what to do, where to go, how to feel and what to say and if we make a mistake..it's okay as He gives us many takes to keep trying to get better.

Yes, sure, we don't get the script beforehand but that is what makes it so exciting, every scene is new, unknown,intense. Every episode is a journey, an adventure.

The God Series has seasons of dance and laughter, seasons of love and hate, seasons of life and death and season for all occasions. In this series, everyone has a role to play. Everyone has a line, a scene, a motive. So, what's so unique of this series?

The uniqueness is there is only one person behind the scenes directing, writing, producing, editing and sharing it with the world. There are no pressures of lighting, cameras, microphones and groups of people wandering around aimlessly. God is our all in one film maker!

We don't have to act to get famous or rich. We don't have to study for hours trying to imagine how we should feel, what we should do or how to be. We were born with all these things in the God Series. The God Series is a great combination of script and reality. We were born famous in God's eyes, filled with His riches on earth and we walk the script He wrote before we knew it.

What more would you want in a t.v. series?!

In the end, we are left with the gift of looking back at how the God series played out and how important our role was. We shared weddings and funerals, births and adoptions, love and laughter, wrinkles and grey hairs. We shared real, true life. And some of the advantages of this series are we don't need to pay a t.v. license to watch it, we don't need to have cable t.v. to join in with others and we don't need to sit for hours catching up.

All we need is to embrace the episode God created for us, enjoy the season He is busy working in and love the fact that we are in the most important series we will ever know....The God Series.

 

My Judging Jabber

When did we become so judgemental? When did we start thinking freedom of speech meant the freedom to judge others?

In today's world, it seems we spend our time trying to be better than others by bringing them down and saying whatever we want whenever we want without thinking about how it might affect others beforehand. Are we so insecure as individuals that we feel the need to better our egos by destroying another person's ego?

Would God want us to do this? When He gave us free will, is this what He expects from us? I don't think so.

God says we should treat our neighbour as we wish to be treated and to love our family as well as our enemies. This means that we don't necessarily have to like the person but we do have to express Godly love towards them whether we want to or not. God encourages us to respect each other regardless of sins, personality, habits, etc.

No one on earth as the right to judge. Yes, we are allowed an opinion but the question is,  do we ask the person if they want our opinion and then respond accordingly or do we not even bother having manners to ask, and just blurt whatever we wish.

The only person who has the right to judge is God and even then, our opinion doesn't matter because God knows and sees all and when He judges He does knowing the WHOLE person and not snippets like we do.

When are we going to start seeing a person's heart before seeing the rest of the person?
It is interesting how we can forget the judgements we had once we get to really know the person behind them. If only, we could see the person before seeing the judgements.

I know it's not easy but don't stop trying. 

Don't judge other people, or you will be judged. 

You will be judged in the same way that you judge others,

and the amount you give to others will be given to you. 

Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, 

but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye?

Matthew 7: 1-3 

Letter to a Little Girl

Dear Little Girl,

I didn't know you and had never met you before but last week, you came into my life. I was honoured with the request by someone who did know you to write a poem for you and your family at your funeral. All I knew about you was that you were 8 years old and died from heart failure, and that you were always smiling.

As I sat on my bed, my mind went blank as I thought, how was I going to write a meaningful poem about someone I didn't know. And then, I remembered God created you and took you so I turned to Him. I laid my pen down and asked God to give me the words to honour you but give your family some comfort with your passing.

I heard that they all loved the poem and thought it was beautiful. As you looked down and listened with God, I pray you too felt their love for you.

And so, I realised I didn't need to know you to write for you because God knew you, loved you, created you and clearly needed you more in His house than here on earth.

Maybe one day we will meet and I hope you don't mind but I am sharing your poem with the world today.

Thank you Lord for giving me words that brought comfort to others. 

Here it goes....

Don’t cry too long for me

The sun won’t shine for me again,

Nor will I feel the drops of rain

But please don’t be sad and cry too long for me

My heart is finally healed and I am where I was created to be.

God has welcomed me into His place

God has kept me a Holy space

My heart now warms the clouds in the sky

And my smile spreads as the breeze blows by

Thank you for all you have done

Look for me in the sun

But please don’t be sad and cry too long for me

My heart is finally healed and I am where I was created to be.

The death of one that belongs to the Lord

is precious in his sight.

Psalm 116:15

 

More Slo-Mo, less Catch up

Life has caught up with me and I thought I had written at least one blog this month but as I realised I hadn't. Have you ever had moments where you feel like you are playing "catch up" because you have been so busy and/or focused on other things. Luckily for me, I've been doing things that I am passionate about which means a happier me.

I wonder if God ever plays catch up with us when directing us on the path He has laid out for us. I get an image of me racing along at a "fast-ish" jog on a path and behind is this aged yet vibrant man trying to catch up with me. I wonder what He would say if He does? Maybe something like..."Hey, slow down, take note, enjoy"
Would I stop? Would I listen? or think Weirdo and increase my speed (if I can!).

Every year at Easter, we are reminded to focus on the Passion of Christ. The sacrifice that was made for us. Easter week-end also tends to get very busy and filled with family gatherings, shopping and  a little bit like the Christmas rush.

This week-end, I urge you to stop being like a "DSTV Explora" playing catch up and be more like the "Slo-Mo" button and slow down, take note and enjoy the time for reflection on God's gift to us, creating lasting memories with family and friends.

Lastly, I wish you all a great Easter. May God keep you safe if you are traveling and most of all, God bless you all this "slow" week-end.

                                                    

Between Sundays

I have just finished reading "Between Sundays" by Karen Kingsbury and it really got me pondering on how important between Sundays are. I recommend everyone grab a copy and read this novel.

Each Sunday we sit in church, singing, nodding and smiling at everything our priest says and reads, acknowledging what God expects from us but how serious do we take it? Do we consciously make the effort to try or do we often use the excuse "I don't think this week's message was meant for me".

What happens after Sunday? This novel is about teaching a famous football player about the importance of having God in his life but also how important between Sundays are.

As believers, we think we are doing our best to be more like Jesus in the way we conduct ourselves, treat others and our general being but how important is it to us? Are we keeping it front of mind at all times? I don't think so.

Bottom line, as in the novel, the saying goes: What you do between Sundays is more important!

In other words, yes, it's great that we praise and visit with God every Sunday, learning and listening but it's what we do when we are not in church that really counts. It is how we conduct ourselves outside in front of others. That's what God really wants! He wants us to show others how great He truly is.

What's the point of smiling, singing and nodding on Sunday if we don't keep it going from Monday to Saturday as well? How do we expect others to believe in our God, find comfort in knowing Him if we aren't expressing our saving grace through our words, our actions, our morals and values.

Never forget that the smallest act could mean everything to someone. God didn't make us all preachers but He did give us what we need to make a difference in any size.

So, I urge you this Sunday, when you sit and pray in church to ask God to help you be more like Jesus where it counts.....BETWEEN SUNDAYS.