For years, I have missed out on opportunities because "comparison" crippled me. I have chosen not to do things out of fear that I wasn't good enough or that I might embarrass myself. I would think, "Someone else can do it better so why should I do it?" Before the internet, the only people we compared ourselves to were the "Jones's next door". Now we have the whole world, with their best foot forward on social media, hitting us in the face every single day! Which one of us doesn't scroll through our pictures to make sure we post our 'better side'? Guilty as charged! Which of these pictures do you think I posted? DUH! Here are a few honest thoughts that help me fight against being crippled by comparison.... 1. "You probably would not have wanted to walk in their shoes to get to where they are!" I have lived long enough to know that is does not profit your soul to be envious of another person's title, talent, or even character traits. You most likely have not seen the struggles, the heartaches, the losses, the hard work, the persistence, the tears, the travail in prayer, or anything else it took for them to daily overcome in order to get to where there are today. Just this week I was reading Psalm 21 and my thoughts were captured by verses two and three.
2. "Remember that Comparison & Envy are Close Companions!" When I start hearing the "green eyed monster" whispering in my ear, I find I have two choices - LET IT INSPIRE ME or LET IT DEFEAT ME. I have to face reality - I am either willing to do what it takes to achieve an accomplishment I see in another person, or I would rather take a different course with my life and I have to be OK with that. I can celebrate what I see in them without being envious! ....to be continued
Feel free to leave a comment on how you fight being "crippled by comparison".
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Have your cheeks ever hurt from grinning too much? Twice in my lifetime I have greeted the day with sore cheeks. The first was the morning after my wedding day. The second was the morning after I went snorkeling on a coral reef. I was laughing at God – yes – laughing at the sheer joy God must have had in creating all these amazing creatures with such incredible beauty and variety! It was almost too much to take in! My mind was blown again recently when I heard the number of galaxies in the universe surpass the number of grains of sand on the earth. If King David were living today, perhaps he would pen the words of Psalm 139 a little differently? How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand [galaxies of the universe] Just this week, the church choir I am privileged to accompany sang these words from Psalm 147 in Chris Tomlin’s song, Indescribable... Now THAT is something to grin about!!! Enjoy my video below of Cosmos set to Hubble images! Shock and Awe is one way to put it! I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard for me to process that I am actually 60 years old. Maybe because I'm the youngest in my entire extended family, or maybe because my parents both died young, I never really pictured what it might feel like to be 60! I remember when I was in my thirties having a conversation with a friend of mine who was in her sixties at the time. (Of course I thought she was old ha!) She said to me, "Oh, being in your sixties is a wonderful stage of life! You can look forward to it!" She lived to be in her nineties and though that conversation seems like just a few years ago, I am counting on her words being true!
At some point, we do stop wishing to be older. I am sure that magic number is different for everyone. I don’t remember the exact age, but I remember the EXACT MOMENT when I stopped wanting to be older. Well, you know the saying, “I wish I was as old as I was when I first thought I was old”! Never a truer saying, so that is why I am heeding my mother in law’s advice and reminding myself on this milestone birthday... “BUT YOU'RE STILL SO YOUNG!”
Peacemaker has gone through an evolution of sorts. It first started as an idea for a love song, hence the two distinct themes written like a conversation. The story in mind was a husband and wife expressing their willingness to sacrifice in order to make peace. I abandoned the idea of lyrics and finished it as an instrumental piece. It went through many versions before I finally finished it. In keeping with the original idea, I titled it “Peacemaker” because sacrifice normally IS involved in making peace. It takes open and honest communication on both sides and a willingness to give up something. I based it upon the scripture verse Romans 12:19, If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Easier said than done, I know!
This is the good news of Christmas, that God came to earth to reconcile man to Himself! He started the conversation, He took the initiative, He made the sacrifice, He paid the price, He gave... I pray you experience the peace of His love and forgiveness this year as never before! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Marlowe Carruth
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to jointly verbalize our thanks, but quite honestly, my answers are usually the same….good health and family. While those two are still at the top of my list, this year I have a very ODD THANKS at the top of my list, at least near the top – Technology!
Or how about the Christmas when microwaves were new on the horizon and I said, “Whatever you do, DON’T get me a microwave!” The instant flush of color in my husband’s face told the whole story.
With all the projects I have had going on this year though, I have gained an appreciation for the fact that we live in an AMAZING day and age!!! We can literally learn pretty much anything we want to learn on the internet! It just takes time and persistence.
I’m sure you can guess what came next…."What’s an encyclopedia?" LOL!! With all of the disasters around the world this year, I am sure most of us will be expressing thanks for the gift of life and our basic needs...food, water, shelter. I have been on enough missions trips to never take clean drinking water and a hot shower for granted! If you have any trouble finding something to be thankful for this year, take a look at this clever video that went viral....if you haven’t seen it already! May each of you have a very blessed Thanksgiving! I’m thankful for YOU! Love, Marlowe |
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