Wishing, Hoping, Thinking, Praying

Sometimes I ask God for "extreme" things.

Like for my radio station to not go out when I reach the town square.

Or for a more efficient way to organize my clothes and shoes.

Or for a workout that melts away the weight instantly.

Or for a way to wake up refreshed every single morning without the aid of coffee.

Or for grace and poise to come naturally to me.

Or for the chance to go to Italy (and possibly stay forever).

Or for Him to make me a person with excellent people skills instead of this awkward, fidgety girl.

Or for a way to make new episodes of I Love Lucy with Lucy and Desi.

Or for a non-stop flow of pure literary magic to pour from my heart.

Or for millions of orphans to find their own loving forever family.

Or for an opportunity to fight alongside Sam and Dean in an epic adventure of the supernatural.


Okay, so maybe I'm kidding with that last one - but how cool would that be? (Sometimes I think I'm the only person who knows what I'm talking about.)

 

 

Looking at that list, I see now that most of them are wishes.

There is a fine line between a wish and a prayer.

The difference is.... your attitude.

 

Before your head explodes with rage because I didn't say God, let me explain.

 

Wish - to desire; long; yearn

Prayer - a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession.

 

 

 

We can wish for everything, but unless we have our own personal smurf-ized Robin Williams or a flittering source of pixie dust, it's not going to do us much good.

 

We can wish on stars, eyelashes, dandelions, wishbones, and birthday candles - but who exactly is supposed to make that wish come true? Fate?

Wishing is innocent. I want to make it clear that I'm not against wishing. If I'm stargazing, I may find myself wishing on a star (it's not hard to get lost in the vastness of life while looking at the stars). I always make a wish on my birthday cake. And if you know me in virtually any capacity, you know I'm a sucker for a wishing dandelion. Of course, as I've gotten older, I'm come to realize that I have to put effort into make my wishes come true. And that usually means accepting the fact that I can't do it on my own.

Which leads me to prayer.

 

Prayer forces me to humble myself in the midst of selfishness. It is a step of faith, not fate. It is that same faith that allowed

 

Peter to walk on water

 

and Daniel to survive the lion's den,

 

and Joshua to knock down the walls of Jericho.

 

Prayer forces me to rely on someone other than myself. It forces me to believe that it will happen because I serve an almighty God, and through Him, all things are possible. When I hit my lowest point and wished I was dead, God waited patiently for me to realize my wish wasn't the same as the prayer from my heart. When the world crashes in around me, I don't wish for it to get better. I pray for God to teach me what He wants me to learn. It's the attitude of humility and reverence and honesty and acceptance of God's will that separates the wish from the prayer.

 

I started writing with a purpose and I'm not sure I fulfilled that purpose (I guess I also wish that I was able to communicate my thoughts effectively!), but the bottom line is wishes come true, but prayers get answered. 





"But I've found that, ultimately, if you pour your heart into what you believe in - even if it makes you vulnerable - amazing things can and will happen."
~Emma Watson~

 

 

I've decided to make this my priority in 2014.

So yeah... God should have fun with this.

According to Who?: Learning to See Through the Right Eyes

Women Who Are Hot and Women Who Are Beautiful
(^This article is an absolute gem.^)

 

The struggle to find inner peace with oneself is constant. It is daily, hourly, even every moment for some. The desire to be perfect, or somebody else's idea of perfect becomes an obsession. Negative thoughts, degrading comments, and objectifying slowly tear you down until you're lost with no hope in sight.

 

Maybe it's a few extra pounds or the fact that when you look in the mirror you only see your freckles. Maybe your hair is dark and curly when all you want is straight, blond hair. Your legs are too short, your toenails grow funny, and your voice sounds like you have a cold all the time.

 

Maybe it's not a physical insecurity, but a mental an emotional insecurity. Maybe you've been bullied, told you weren't going places. Maybe you were told your dreams were too big, meant for someone else. Maybe you've spent too many years hearing you could be better.

 

Maybe it's through comparison with cover girls and prom queens that leaves tears on your pillow from crying yourself to sleep.

 

Maybe you cant let go.

 

These are all lies. Lies that, for some reason or another, we believe so much that we end up hating ourselves.

 

Listen to me very carefully: Just because she's beautiful it doesn't mean you aren't.

 

We have a strong force driving us to believe we are less than adequate if our façade isn't seemingly perfect. We often forget there is a stronger force trying to tell us that we are enough. We are loved for who we are. We are loved no matter what season we are in. We are loved despite negative things from our past. We are loved because we are worth loving.

When my nephew was born, I learned a new kind of love. It sounds cliché, but it's true. This little man doesn't care if you have an ugly tooth or a bad hair day. His face lights up when he sees you. He doesn't know anything about you except that you love him, and he loves you right back.

 

All of those mistakes you've made, all of those hours you spent perfecting yourself - they don't matter. All of that time you spent hating yourself could have been spent learning to love even then most difficult parts of who you are.
 

I honestly wish I could see what other people see when they look at me. The way my parents and sisters see success when I've been unemployed or lost about what career path I should pursue. The way my family's help was an investment instead of a handout. When a child in the class I teach looks at me and says "Wow, you're pretty" as my stomach growls because I skipped breakfast when my pants wouldn't button.

 

Then there are times I don't wish I could see myself as others do. For the past few years, I have been the recipient of seemingly endless sympathies because my younger sisters were married and I was alone. I calmly replied to everyone with a smile and something along the lines of "I'm happy for them. I'm not ready to settle down." They'd smile half-heartedly while their minds raced with possible reasons why I wouldn't want to be a wife and mother yet. Isn't that what every girl dreams of? I'm sure there are a lot of speculations about my life as a single woman. They think I'm living a life that's somewhat unfulfilled because I'm "missing out". Apparently I'm not "living for anyone" so I'm lonely.

 

Can I just say one thing? I may not be living for a man or a child, but I am living for God and myself. I am finding out who I am with the knowledge that it doesn't come from loving someone, but loving yourself. I'm learning to see myself through God's eyes.

 

A scene I'll never forget from Bruce Almighty was towards the end of the movie. Bruce has been hit by a truck and is in Heaven talking to God about Grace. God asks him what he cares about most. "Grace," he whispers. When asked if he wants her back, Bruce says no. "I want her to meet someone who will see her always as I do now - through Your eyes." (click here for clip)
 

Learn to do that. Learn to see yourself how your parents see you, how your family sees you. Learn to see yourself through the eyes of your Creator. Learn to see just what an amazing person you are. God doesn't make mistakes. You are who you are for a reason. He made you on purpose. Why would you question that? Why would you doubt Him? God has given us all gifts, and sometimes those gifts include an appreciation for gifts others have. I am not artistic in any way that doesn't involve a coloring book and crayons, but I appreciate the artists who are confident in their gifts to share them with the world. I can't sing a note if my life depended on it, but I certainly appreciate the songs people sing. It's a cycle. Your gift, though it may seem miniscule compared to somebody else's, can be an inspiration to others. If you can't acknowledge your gifts, how can you share them?

 

So, when you're having a bad day, remember - "Know who you are, and know it's enough."

 

 

So, he's a bit of a fixer upper?... That's a minor thing

"The best Disney film since 'The Lion King'!"

I will not deny its charm or the way it made you feel like you were watching a Disney movie from the 20th century.

I will not deny that I proudly rank it up there with Beauty and the Beast and Tangled.

I will not deny that the star-studded cast, all of which have been on Broadway at some point, performed just as perfectly as I could have hoped.

I will not deny the overall adoration I have for a movie who traded a damsel in distress plot for a lesson in family.

I will, however, deny any allegations that Frozen, specifically, encourages relationships based on anything but mutual feelings of love and respect.

Recently, I read a post that reprimanded Frozen for the song "Fixer Upper".  Kristoff's family (...of trolls) breaks out in song upon meeting Anna for the first time. They point out little quirks, such as the way he walk, talks, and talks to his pet reindeer. They're hook is "The way to fix up this fixer upper is to fix him up with you!" In this post, the author went on about how you cannot change a person. You cannot give in to pressure when it comes to dating someone for the sole purpose of "saving him" or changing his ways. A dire need to teach young girls about the dangers of dating "troubled souls" was expressed in, what I consider, a HUGE stretch. For crying out loud, she's trusting a guy who voices his reindeer in conversation to take her on a journey to save a life. Disney movies have been using this theme for the past 80+ years. While I agree that dating the wrong person for the wrong reasons is something every person should be made aware of, there is no such thing as a stable person. Have you ever considered that maybe you could be that person that someone wants to "rescue"? Also, I'd like you to consider the source. The trolls basically raised Kristoff. It wasn't one of Anna's sorority sisters holding out hope for the couple. Anyway....

Let's break down some of the lyrics and compare them to the movie.

"You'll never meet a fellow who's as sensitive and sweet. So he's a bit of a fixer upper? So he's got a few flaws?"

We know that Kristoff is a sweet guy. Stubborn, and lacking in people skills, sure. But, if you didn't notice, he kind of decided to help Anna find her sister even though he didn't know her. He gave her solid advice about men. And, he may have saved her life a few times. No big deal. And when she told him to leave, and he wanted to (boy, did he want to!) he didn't. And who rushed Anna back to the castle when she was dying and in need of her "true loves's kiss"? That's what I thought.

"Are you holding back your fondness due to... the way he covers up that he's the honest goods?"

God forbid we meet a man who's humble. Nope, wouldn't want that.

"His isolation is confirmation of his desperation for human hugs."

If you don't know, Kristoff doesn't mention a family of any kind, except for the trolls. We have no knowledge of his birth parents. He has been alone, well... alone with a reindeer since he was a young boy. Raised by trolls, he has no concept of how to react or relate with people. He does his job and keeps to himself, but we all know that a reindeer can't give you the same things a person can.

"We're not saying you can change him 'cause people don't really change. We're only saying that love's a force that's powerful and strange. People make bad choices if they're mad or scared or stressed, but throw a little love their way and you'll bring out their best."

I shouldn't have to explain that one. Come on, folks. And finally...

"Everyone's a bit of a fixer upper - that's what it's all about. Father! Sister! Brother! We need each other to raise us up and round us out."

Seriously, guys... true love, as the movie points out, isn't necessarily a romantic love. Pure, unadulterated, unconditional love. The kind of love that God shows to us. Do you understand what I'm saying? While we cannot offer someone salvation, we can certainly show them the love that Christ shows.

I'd also like to add that it's not Disney's responsibility to teach girls (and boys!) about the rights and wrongs of dating. That's your job! Since when is a movie supposed to do your job as responsible adult? If they can't determine the difference between a fairy tale romance versus one in reality, they are not mature enough for a relationship in the first place. Disney is a source of entertainment. One of the purest forms of entertainment in this day and age. The fact that this song is causing a tizzy among people is absurd. Have you forgotten that Snow White lived with seven men? Or that Aurora was technically dead until someone kissed her? Or that the love of Cinderella's life had to go all over town putting a shoe on every woman's foot to find his true love because apparently he didn't know what she looked like?

Where are the tirades about the many evils of them?

Oh, that's right... we weren't so sensitive back then, huh? When we looked at these movies as feel-good stories with catchy songs. If only we could somehow get back to that... teaching our children the hard life lessons and letting the movies be there for a rainy day.

But, hey... I'm only 23. What do I know?