Archive for July, 2009
07-31-2009
A Cinderella Story : Reckless Self-Abandon, ‘even when the shoe (or flip flop) doesn’t fit
A Cinderella Story Reckless Self-Abandon, ‘even when the shoe (or flip flop) doesn’t fit’ Many of us have been inspired by Random Acts of Kindness or ARC: Acts of Random Caring. The times someone pays for a stranger’s toll who is in the line behind them in traffic (prior to the days of toll-tags), or lets someone go in front of them at the grocery store, or even cut in front of them while trying to merge into one lane on a busy highway are only a few such examples. There are varying degrees of such acts but one common denominator is the selfless motive of the heart. These big hearts are often demonstrated to us in little bodies. Vegas Summer- you know the song… Hot, Hot, Hot! There are only a few ways to escape the 111 degree heat, thus I promised my own four kids, and several of their friends, that I would take them to the neighborhood pool. It seemed like it took forever just to get eight kids out the door with sunscreen, beach towels, goggles, styrofoam noodles, water bottles, and floaties for the little ones. After Jac took his shoes off a million times I wanted to duct tape them to his feet. Alas, we were finally en route, walking the 100 yards to the pool, when I heard a whince. Looking down, regretting having forgone my duct tape idea, I saw that Jac (typical of a
Not wanting to alarm the group of young’ns as to my pain (or really not to appear wimpy); I proceeded toward the pool as if I was only playfully imitating a popcorn kernel on a hot stove. The children giggled and Brooke said, “Mommy you are so silly!” Yet, there was one set of intuitive eyes in the crowd who wasn’t buying it for one second ~ four year old Tony. He watched me with a knowing cognition that communicated proficiently that I was in no way deluding him. Instantaneously, he took off his miniature sized flip flops, threw them towards my feet and jetted off in a sprint reminiscent of Dash from the Incredibles. As he raced toward the grassy area by the pool I hollered (
As I humbly reflected upon his actions, I realized that Tony (St. Anthony to me), did not pause for one second to see how he would be affected, rather he saw a need and did what he thought would meet that need for another. There is a time, in most adult lives, when we acquiesce to selfless abandon that sacrifices our own needs in order to help another. We all too often succumb to a fearful world-view ensnared with disquietude. We don’t answer the door when a stranger knocks; we don’t let our kids ride their bike in our own neighborhood; we quit stopping to help a stranded person having car trouble. That’s when God uses his little saints, so pure in heart to remind us of our calling. Unlike Prince Charming, this member of a royal priesthood did not return what first belonged to someone else, he offered up that which was his- two times over! We are all called to serve, to live as neighbors willing to sacrifice our own needs for those of another, to humbly surrender our own agendas, schedules or busy-ness in response to God’s invitation to love in the present moment. We are challenged to do so fearlessly, with reckless, relentless self-abandon. The metaphorical slipper, or in this case flip flop, might not have fit, yet the heart of the young prince (prophet) revealed the kind of footsteps I want to follow in. He who is the Prince of Peace, The King of Kings, who wore not a crown of jewels but instead a crown of thorns. Sometimes the littlest feet are the hardest footsteps to fill, let those be the shoes I strive to emulate today.
Personal Note: I can’t thank you enough for your many expressions of encouragement during my newsletter hiatus. Although it appears I have taken a sabbatical, transversely I have been working to complete my masters in Theology (which I hope to conclude this Fall). With that said, I apologize for my lack of correspondence and am hoping you subscribe to the ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ ideology ~ forever we are joined in heart and prayer! All God’s Blessings and Love,Tammy
Spiritual Fitness Calendar Updates: (I hope to see you at one of the upcoming events!) September 24-27: Imago Dei International Conference : Life in the Desert, Thirsting for Oasis www.CALGMConference.org
October 24-25:
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