The “do-it-yourself” life — the life where you are in charge of figuring it out, of making it count, of cleaning up the mess that it is — that life is not becoming on any of us. It’s just slavery, slavery to fear: fear that we won’t figure it out, make it count, clean it up, … Continue reading
Hello. My name is Michelle and I’m addicted to fixing everyone. That is how the greeting goes for this new support group I’m starting called Fixaholics Anonymous. We’re a group of people who believe that we’re in charge of fixing everything for everyone. Some people would say we have a “messiah complex” except that’s a … Continue reading
Yesterday I was on my way to pick up kids and stopped to fill the tank up with gas. I was driving by where the homeless guys ask for money and here’s what went down inside: Oh, yeah! Homeless people. I forgot about that. Haven’t made much progress there. I guess avoiding this intersection is … Continue reading
I get easily overwhelmed. I just started admitting this to people and when I do, they usually double check that they heard me right. I’ve gotten really good at looking like I have it all together. And that I’m super chill while I get it together. I am so good at giving this impression that … Continue reading
Here is what I know now about fear that I did not know a week ago: 1. Wanting is scary. Do it anyway. Wanting is scary because it is risky. We have to open up our soul and see who we really are. Our souls are wild animals and if we wake them up, we … Continue reading
Loss is the other side of having. I forget it is not a one-sided coin. And when I do, when loss shows up, I get a little indignant, like who invited you to my party? Spring is starting to show up here in cultivated areas, where we plant a crocus or flowering tree to prove … Continue reading
That’s what I saw this morning in my reading: “Everything belongs to you — ” 1 Corinthians 3.21, 22 (NLT) I couldn’t move past that phrase. What did it mean? And what did it mean for me? For today? I just kept meditating on it, repeating it, letting it fill me up because when you … Continue reading
Obedience and availability are the same thing. Availability means we’ve brought out heart to the party, which is all God was ever after in the first place. —– I was half way onto this concept yesterday morning, when I was reading about the calling of the first disciples. God so does not even care about … Continue reading
I made the most delicious mistake yesterday. That sort of thing happens — more the mistake than the deliciousness — when I cobble recipes together, especially if I do it when I am hungry and making dinner at the same time. By this point, the “20% mental capacity remaining” notification has long since been dismissed … Continue reading
There’s all these stories about Jesus casting out demons and they have always seemed a little irrelevant to my life. It’s just not an everyday issue for me. Until one day when it struck me that Jesus seemed to make a point of asking demons what their name was. I mean, what? Is it Meet-n-Greet time … Continue reading
be aliver 