Mom is having surgery in 3 weeks ... so we spent (literally) all day at Baptist Hospital on Tuesday for pre-op admission, tests, and a 3 1/2 hour class on how to care for yourself after surgery (she's having total joint replacement in both knees) on February 8th ... and then to some friends for dinner in Hendersonville that evening ... then yesterday 2 doc appointments for me ... busy to say the least ...
I had two meetings this morning at school ... one with the teacher to discuss a project for the class and one with the Year Book lady ... so after leaving school I ran to Cracker Barrel to see if they had a "conductor's hat" (they used to carry them) ... they don't anymore ... need one for the "project" at school ... anyhoo ... I have another place ... it's just across town and was trying to save the trip (and gas!) Can you believe the gas prices? And they are expected to go up to almost $4 per gallon! WHAT?!?!?!? Crazy ... anyhoo...
So ... after waiting for a bit at Cracker Barrel for them to check the back and also on the computer ... I decided to eat breakfast! Yep ... just me ... all by myself ...
Actually ... for a change ... it was nice! I could actually sit in a room full of people and not have to say a word to anyone (except the waitress, if I wanted good service) =0)
I am a people person and love to be with people ... and going out to eat, well ... you just have to have someone to go with right?!
But today ... it was so nice ... to sit and look at a new recipe book I picked up in the store before I sat down (Gooseberry ladies - collecting them - found a new one) (giggle to self with delight) ... and not have to speak to anyone or carry on a conversation ...
Ever have one of those days? Where you really enjoy the companionship of another person but you really - honestly - don't feel like talking?! Well ... today was like that ... I didn't mind that there were tons of people sitting all around me, enjoying the start of their day, ignoring me, and allowing me to just sit ... ponder ... think ... man, it's amazing what you can get accomplished in this situation! I sat there thinking of tons of ideas for different things I'm wanting to do ...
Can you imagine sitting in a blank, empty room trying to be creative ... with nothing whatsoever to "spark" something to mind? I don't function like that ... so for me to get out and about - it helps me to be creative ...
hmmm ... maybe I should do this more often ...
Anyhoo ... I didn't mind being kind to the waitress ... actually because there was no one else with me for me to devote all my time too, I was able to have more direct eye contact with the waitress and thank her sincerely each time she visited my table (I do this anyway) but sometimes I think the waitress or waiter probably feels "thankless" for a hard job done to serve all those tables ... anyooo ... wading out to deep thoughts now ...
so anyhoo ... not that I'm not kind ... but sometimes when you just "don't feel like it", it may come across to others as "not being very nice" ... sometimes I have to (as my Pastor says) "put on kindness" ... and I have done this many times too ... not that I'm "faking my kindness" ... but that I'm just "choosing" to be polite when I really feel like pulling a blanket over my head when having to go out in public and not speaking to anyone ... (this happens at church too - believe it or not) ... sometimes you just have to "put it on" ... again, not faking it ... just choosing to be polite when you really don't feel like it ... I don't feel my best a lot of the time -but I choose to be happy ... not all the time mind you, sometimes you get to that point - where it just seems to all be caving in at once on you ...
Perception is amazing to me ... if we REALLY knew what people were personally facing every time we ran into them we might walk away from them with a different attitude than the one we conjured up because of "not really knowing"! We as humans (and we are all human believe it or not) CAN'T be 100% all of the time ... so on those days that we're not 100% and we are at say 70% we have to conjure up some 30% of "putting on" somewhere ... whether it be kindness, patience, LONG-suffering, love, joy, etc ... until we can get back to our 100%!
Whew ... anyhoo ... perception ... there are days when I feel like I did a pretty good job of just getting my clothes on and physically getting to church ... when I really didn't feel like seeing anyone ... you know ... those days when you really want to go to church but if you could just go and sit in a closed-in box and not have to speak to anyone?! Yep ... we've all been there ... BUT ... how much better we feel when we make the effort to go and "put on 30%" if we have to and ends up ... someone takes some time to come up and shake your hand, speak with you ... whisper that they've been thinking about you and praying for you ... WOW ... now you're feeling better and suddenly the 30% of "faking" has dropped to about 15% ... anyhoo ... get the picture?
We're not always going to be at our optimum at ALL times ... but just "making the effort" somehow makes it better!
We're talking about "connecting" at church ... it's our theme for this year that was introduced to the leadership this last weekend at a retreat and will be introduced to the entire church this month ...
In this thinking ... I've been thinking of ways to "personally" connect with people this year in my own life ... not just at church ...
At church you can be superficial ... and it's actually okay ... "Hi - how are you? - Been thinking about you! - How's the family?" ... etc ... and then walk out the door and head back to your "own space" ...
but when you take the time to invite someone into your own personal space - your home for example ... or even just out to eat ... you are asking that person to "come into your life on a more personal level, not so superficial anymore" ... which in turns tells them you are "wanting to connect with them" ... show them you truly care, beyond a handshake at church or at the grocery store, etc ...
We can have all the "religion" our hearts can hold, but if you don't "care about others" and "take the time for others" are we really showing them our "religion", showing them a "loving, caring God"?
Hmmm ... makes one stop and ponder ... are we really truly commissioned?
So ... yep ... being alone in a room full of people was exactly what I needed to think of some creative ways to "connect" with others in my own personal life.
Came up with a few ... and I'm excited to start implementing them.
I started a thing at church a few years ago called "The Connection" ... where ladies were invited (stay at home mothers, or even ones that just took a lunch break to join) met once a month for a time of prayer, testimony and just connecting with one another ...
I've really been thinking about it the last few months and would like to start it back ... BUT on a more personal level ... starting it in my home and then maybe having it in someone else's home the next month, etc. ... just a way to "connect".
Anyhoo ... deep thoughts on a Thursday morning ...
In hopes that my thoughts may spark some of your own ... happy day ... tammy
1 comment:
Great thoughts. I am bad about just saying, "hey!" to people and not really getting to know them. Like I just saw someone last night and then I remembered today that she just found out her Dad is dying with cancer. I am so bad about stuff like that! But then when I'm sick, I expect people to notice. I am really working on that. I didn't realize you didn't feel good a lot. Doesn't surprise me with your diabetes. I don't feel good a lot either and lately it's been getting me down a little. I'd love to hear more about how you stay so positive.
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