In a reporting class, I took in college, if a student’s article had any factual errors, the instructor automatically took 50 points off their grade. It didn’t matter how insignificant the mistake was it resulted in an inevitable failure on the assignment. Fact checking was more important than your lead, punctuation, or your inverted pyramid. The paramount significance of accuracy in news reporting was underscored.
While the search for truth was drilled into me, when I examine the stories of my own mind, I question why they contain so many inaccuracies. If I were to grade myself most days, I would be in negative numbers for the stories I create about how others feel, the significance of an encounter, and the value of my contributions in various circumstances.
Too often the truth of who I am gets clouded by feelings. For most of my life, I considered my feelings and the feelings of others to be more important than anything else. It’s easy to believe that there’s nothing wrong with this way of thinking, even that it’s a noble pursuit. Perhaps if we could trust the accuracy of our feelings, this would be true. But feelings are often to blame for facts being distorted into fiction.
Read the rest of this week's post: mercymatters.net/2018/12/04/liar-liar-pants-on-fire-
deciphering-truth/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Happy First Day of Advent! This is so funny and the very last line made me teary because it's so true and sweet and joyful!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=suowe2czxcA&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1frixpx6li_zkS51iBO4Cntf_oZjXcEFX...What happens when you ask a bunch of kids to tell the story of Christmas? Enjoy this story of Bethle-ha-ha-ham and the magical star that appeared. ... See MoreSee Less
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This is the boy who made me a mama. Nothing transforms a woman like motherhood. It teaches us to endure beyond what we think is possible, wise, or just. It stretches us to the edge of sleeplessness, worry, and flat out aggravation. It rearranges priorities and for a good while household furnishings too.
But my heavens, does it teach us love! I can think of no better example of Christ’s love than the love we pour out for our children. A love that is both sacrificial and joyful. A love that is both boundless and bound for all time. A love that is forgiving and yet requires no apologies. A love with no conditions, no caveats, and no end.
It is the love that comes from God because it is the life that comes from God. What an incredible blessing. What an incredible God.
Happy 17th Birthday to the boy who made me a mama and all praise to the God who allowed me this glimpse of a heaven. ... See MoreSee Less
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Just days ago, I spent the day giving thanks. It wasn’t a restful day, but it was full of food, family, and a dance party with my nieces where I got to be the star Rockette.
Then, in a flick of a leg, it ended — the spirited kicks, the gratitude, and that content feeling that I had everything I need. I know that’s not why they call it Black Friday but it seems apt that all the products they try to sell can make us feel as dark and empty as a turkey with no stuffing.
How strange it is to go from counted blessings to conspicuous consumption in just a day. Stranger still, that it’s done in the name of Christ. After all, he never owned much during his time on earth. Jesus was concerned with miracles, not the material. He shared compassion not coupons. He wasn’t about making the deal. He was the real deal. That’s why we celebrate the gift of his birth.
But popping out of a day of thanks like a rogue jack-in-the-box, we are bombarded with glossy ads, lowest prices of the season, rebates, cyber sales, steals and deals, and all the promising thrills the hustle and bustle buys.
It’s exhausting and expensive and it’s what I do. The season of Advent hasn’t even started and I already feel more harried than merry. Even when I am not looking for anything in particular to buy, I am afraid not to look, because what if I miss out on something? As such, I have diagnosed myself with FOMO (fear of missing out). I’m thinking this is a legitimate diagnosis since there is an acronym for it.
As it goes, I fear that if I don’t click on the link or the email or the buy button, then I am going to miss out on some “deal of a lifetime.” My life will spiral out of control if I spend two more measly dollars than necessary to buy something. My children won’t go to college. We will be financially ruined. The Elf on the Shelf will mock me. My nieces will find another star Rockette.
So, it spirals.
And as ridiculous as it clearly sounds, there is a place for FOMO in our daily lives and especially in this season of preparation celebrating the birth of Christ. But what we should fear is not missing out on more discounted stuff to buy, rather on preparing our hearts for the savior of mankind. I mean, that’s a pretty big deal as far as deals go. What if we missed out on that? What if he came and we weren’t ready? How would we explain our distraction – that we were getting ready for his birthday in a store instead of a sanctuary?
Awkward.
And here I sit in a house with three decorated Christmas trees, with my phone pinging me that a purchase has shipped, my email alerting me to new sales that I wouldn’t want to miss, and my mailbox jammed with catalogs and coupons — and I know none of it will truly prepare me for Christmas day.
None of it has to do with the humble beginnings of a baby born in a stable or the hurtful ending of his crucifixion or the redemptive glory of his resurrection. Those are the things that will redeem us so that when Jesus comes again, we have nothing to fear – only the satisfaction of knowing that we got the real deal.
The good news is it’s not too late for us to prepare our hearts in meaningful ways for Christmas. What do you plan to do to get ready for this joyous day when hope was born? ... See MoreSee Less
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Is anyone else so overwhelmed this week that instead of focusing on their massive to-do list they feel an absurd compulsion to do something random like organize sunscreen?
It’s November and I shouldn’t even be thinking about sunscreen but I saw that my husband put the toothpaste away in the wrong place and all day I have been thinking about how if I don’t move it to the right place, I am going to not know we have it and overbuy as I have clearly done with the sunscreen.
So finally, I went to put the toothpaste boxes in their correct place so I could move on and do something useful and important and sensible. That’s when I came across massive amounts of sunscreen in this torn bag. While I don’t know why I have 50 flavors of sunscreen, I can’t stand the idea of keeping them in a torn bag when I have all these cute bags sitting empty. Anyway, the point of the story is that I have a lot to do and none of it should involve sunscreen and I can’t focus and it’s starting to feel a lot like the holidays -- except with a high SPF factor.
Please tell me that your life feels as chaotic this week! ... See MoreSee Less
