"Just" Sayin'

My friend Joe unknowingly gave me a better title for this :)

It amazes me the times that these postings come to my mind; while I'm driving with my roof open, cleaning my house, brushing, flossing. You never know....This one has been whirring around for a while, but I really feel compelled to write about it tonight.

How often do we pray or ask or make a request while using the word "just"? For example: Just let me get through the week. Just let my kids get through this school year! Just let me pass this exam. Just let me find someone kind. Just don't let me kill him! Just.  Just. Just.

Just is such a limiting word. It wasn't that long ago that I was praying and I used the stale and highly-overused word "just". The sound of it in my mind for some reason really stung that day. I won't say what it was about, but I really had to pause and ask myself, "Is that really all you want? Just that? What if that's all you're given?" I had sort of an epiphany on that 4-letter word that day.

Just. I realize we say it all the time and it has become all too common for us to say things like, "Lord, just get me to the weekend!" (and I have NOT said that 45 times this week. Not. Me. Have not.) But I'm talking about when we seriously ask for things. Especially when we ask God for things.

I'm not God. (Pausing for whatever reaction you may have) Seriously, I wonder what reaction the creator of the universe has when we put the "just" limits on Him. Think about it. God scatters the incredibly beautiful stars. He causes the sun to rise and set daily. He breathes life into nature in such a way that we ourselves are nearly breathless and we "just" want to make a passing grade in biology?!!? Just? Just let me be on time... Just let me arrive safely... Just... What is supposed to happen after the Just???

Here's something a little closer to home.... I grew and gave birth to two amazing children whom I absolutely adore. I can not imagine my life without them. If they came to me and said, "Ya know, Mom, I just need some food and a little water to survive,...I'll figure out the rest. Oh, and I just need a blanket 'cause it's 23 degrees, that's all. Just a blanket..." I can't even fathom that situation and neither can you! Our God, our creator is so passionately in love with us that for us to want "just" must seriously be a tad of a sting to Him. Just? Really?

For a long time now I have tried to rid "just" from my vocabulary when I talk to God about what I want. He already knows what I need and want as well. Why hold back? He is the provider of all providers! I don't for one second think I deserve anything. His grace and love provide in my shortcomings. But He craves for me and you to come to Him with our wants and desires. "Just" doesn't seem to cut it when talking to the One who scattered the stars.

My challenge to you is to think of yourself as better than Just. You don't deserve Just anyone. You don't deserve Just any job. You don't deserve Just anything. Be specific. Ask God for BIG! Take the limits off your expectations of God. Not because you or I deserve His goodness, so to speak, but because that's what parents do for their children. And thank Him for being more than Just. You aren't Just anyone. He isn't Just any God. Don't settle for Just anything. I challenge you to get rid of "Just". It's just a 4-letter word anyway!

Not Just anyone,
Someone,
Becky
April 8, 2015

Stilettos, running shoes, and cowboy boots...

So we've been getting our home ready to put on the market. Easy enough, right? WRONG! It sounds easy enough until you realize you haven't thrown away anything since your kids were big enough to scribble their name with a big fat Crayola! The fun part comes when you get to the staging part. Staging? Who in the world came up with this? Well, now there are professional stagers. Yes. Really. I want that job. Seriously. Where do I sign on? Let's see... I would go to someone else's house and tell them how it would look best in order to sell quickly. Yep! I like that job idea! Sign me up!

My stager came last week. She was nice and all adorable-like as you would expect stagers to be. I imagined her house to be perfectly Southern Living photographable at all times. Nevertheless she gave me some awesome tips on staging my home that would only cost me every last bit of my energy, patience, and a few $...Oh, and all of my garage space to store everything that I own.

Staging. Cleaning. Boxing. There is a time in this process that you are absolutely ecstatic! You can't get boxes and clean out drawers and rooms fast enough. However, you should be warned this feeling begins to fade and you find "yourself" amidst everything you are staging.

As my sweet daughter Mary helped me clean out my closet we had to laugh at the variety of shoes I own. Now, I haven't had a new pair of shoes in a while (ok, I did get a new pair recently in Knoxville, but they are *awesome* and were on sale...) While in my closet packing up my winter clothes, shoes, etc I decided to do some serious donating. Then I did some serious evaluating. I realized I have leopard print pumps, black stilettos, 5" wedges (red, black,  and one pair that are red, white &blue), cowboy boots, a few pair of running shoes, flip flops, and dark blue Converse (Chucks) with no laces. I also have some awesome Ugg slippers; a gift from Mom. Love em! Some serious variety. Serious. Variety. Btw, Mary voluntarily threw a pair of clogs (complete with embroidered flowers on them, my hippie shoes) in the 'donate' box. Hmmm.

I remember when I lived in VA telling someone that clothes were like costumes, we dress how we feel. I still sort of feel that way, but it's deeper than that. Really, Beck? You're going deep? Wow, how unlike you. I know... but bear with me.

My point is this: Sometimes I feel black stiletto. I occasionally enjoy the pretty cocktail feel in a social situation. Sometimes it's a good ol' running shoe to get me moving and ease the stress of what's going on. You can't beat the cowboy boots just because they're rockin' awesome and you can get 'em dirty and I really do love to ride horses (it's been WAY too long... anyone got a horse??)  My Saturday "uniform" is a black linen shirt, blue jeans, and my chucks. Seriously.

I think there are so many facets to all of us. We have so many sides, real sides that we truly want to show and have appreciated, not staged. We want someone to love every boot, every stiletto, every flip flop, every running shoe part of who we are. We ALL want someone to appreciate all of our facets, don't we? Am I wrong here? We're staging our house. Do we stage our lives? And why? Why do we stage our lives? It sucks. It really does. I don't want to do that. I want real. I want an open closet here.

I want someone to walk into my closet, into my life, and say, "Wow! What a multi-faceted gal! I want to know her!" It's not so bad. I'm just real. I'm just boots and heels, and flip-flops... but mostly barefoot really...  Like everyone else I want to be appreciated for everything in between. I love diversity in others. I love quirks. I love seeing all facets of people. I think if we're all honest most of us appreciate the real parts of those close to us, when we get past the staging part. That is, when we realize staging is just that, staging. Not real. Staging is just to get someone to buy in. Life is too short to stage who we are. I wanna be home to those who know me. Real. Comfortable. Home.

I don't think I'm alone. No staging in life. Just real. Just able to breathe... finally. By the way the chucks didn't make the pix. They are in the wash.... :)

Boots and heels,
But mostly barefoot,
Becky