Tag: Focus Friday

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Reunions

I attended my 35 year high school class reunion last Saturday evening.

I had never been back to any of my other class reunions. We’ve always lived too far away to make the trip back to Michigan when they happened.

But this time, it worked. I was in Michigan to attend the Breathe Christian Writers Conference (also a reunion, of sorts, as I reconnected with the writer friends I’ve made over the years) and my class reunion was at a restaurant right down the street from my conference, starting right after the conference ended. Perfect!

I have to admit, I got a little nervous before that night.

Would I revert back to the way-too-quiet, insecure teenager I was back then? Would my classmates be interested in who I was now, or would they only remember the awkward, skinny kid I was back then? (And would they comment on how I was no longer skinny?) 🙂

I shouldn’t have worried.

As soon as I got there, I met up with two good friends. It felt comfortable to walk into the reunion with someone by my side. We ate a delicious meal together and caught up on each other’s lives.

Some people (like us) sat in one spot most of the night. Others worked the room and visited as many people as they could. We got up and took a group picture (not the best lighting, but we tried) and then got some pictures of smaller groups of friends with our 1984 State Basketball Finalist Banner in the background.

There was quite a bit of whispering and pointing. You could see it going on all around the room. Who’s that? Oh! Now I recognize them!

There were a few people I had absolutely no recollection of. We must have run in different circles and seldom crossed paths. There were some that I knew, but didn’t get a chance to talk to, and there were others that I probably hadn’t connected with in high school, but we had a good conversation on Saturday night. I pushed myself and moved around to visit with some former classmates, especially some who attended East Elementary School with me.

We all paused by the display of the classmates we’ve lost over the years. We found out about some people who couldn’t make it to the reunion, but the committee knew where they were now. We asked about others and had to be content to not know where they are.

We ate cake.

I was surprised at how comfortable it felt to be with all of these people I’ve hardly seen in 35 years. Before I went, I thought maybe I’d stay til 9/9:30 and then head for my sister’s house for the night. But no, I hardly wanted to leave after 11 when I caught a ride back to my car with the two friends I had arrived with.

It felt good just to be in the same room with these people I had shared life with so long ago. So many memories came flooding back: classes and teachers and walks home from school and football and basketball games and slumber parties and movies at Studio 28. I wished I could sit down with each person and find out what they had been doing since high school. I caught bits and pieces, of course. I heard about families and jobs and saw pictures of cute grandkids, but I wanted to know more. What dreams had they chased (and caught)? What disappointments and trials had they endured?

But there wasn’t time for that on Saturday. It was just four hours of sharing the same space, peering into each other’s faces to see the younger version hiding somewhere, and remembering where we had all come from so many years ago.

I loved it, and it got me thinking about other reunions. Some will happen here on earth (with family or classmates or work friends) and some will be out of this world.

If we believe in and accept Jesus as our Savior, someday we’ll enjoy a heavenly reunion, one where we’ll recognize each and every face and we’ll have an eternity to sit down and tell each other our life stories.

I know I’m going to love that, too.

“People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast [A reunion!] in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:29 NIV – brackets mine)

 Have you ever attended one of your class reunions? How did you feel when you were there? How can focusing on God help you to look forward to the awesome reunion believers will have in heaven someday?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on What’s Behind You

Have you ever looked across the room to see someone smiling and waving at you, but you had no idea who they were?

You tentatively raise your hand to wave, but then you realize they’re actually waving at someone behind you. Oops. You drop your hand and try to act cool, hoping they didn’t see you.

Once Gary and I went back to one of our previous churches for an anniversary celebration. There was a get-together at the community center. We mingled and reconnected. Then, I saw an old friend. She got this big huge smile on her face and looked at me like “There you are! I haven’t seen you for such a long time!” Her arms opened for a hug. I smiled and walked over, got my hug, and talked to her for a minute. Then I realized she was actually after a hug from a man standing a little behind me who had been ill and was finally feeling well enough to get out and see people. How embarrassing!

Things like that have happened to me often enough that I usually assume someone is not waving at me. I tend to look over my shoulder to see who they’re actually trying to greet.

That’s what happened last night when I went to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan for an author event prior to the Breathe Christian Writers Conference I’m attending this weekend. After I parked, I noticed two women almost at the front doors. One of them raised her arm and pointed in my direction for a second. I squinted and tried to figure out if it was someone I knew. I didn’t think so. So, I glanced back over my shoulder to see who they may be greeting instead.

Imagine my shock when I saw a big old raccoon waddling across the parking lot. He really wasn’t very far from me at all! I walked faster and pulled out my camera to document the attack. Just kidding. He actually went behind some cars and I had to wait til he came back out of hiding before I could get the picture in this week’s graphic.

It got me thinking about what’s behind us and how people point it out.

Of course, when people see someone they know behind us, they’re going to wave at them and smile. We can’t fault them for that and be upset because we thought they were waving at us.

On the other hand, I was almost miffed because those two ladies just pointed vaguely at the raccoon behind me instead of yelling, “Run! There’s a rabid raccoon right behind you!” (He probably wasn’t rabid, but it was a little freaky to see one out at that time of day.)

I started thinking about how God sees us.

He’s always looking right at us, with arms wide open and a look on His face that says He’s thrilled to see us. We never have to worry that He’s actually looking at someone else.

If there is danger behind us, He will consistently point it out. Not a casual, quick gesture that leaves us wondering what He’s pointing at, but a clear, urgent message to warn us (whether we heed that warning or not).

We don’t have to be confused or afraid of what’s behind us, so I guess this week’s title should actually be “Let’s Not Focus on What’s Behind Us.”

Let’s focus on what’s before us, keeping the LORD always in our view. Let’s go where He wants us to go, do what He wants us to do, and trust Him in the midst of whatever happens to us. (Even rabid raccoon attacks.)

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:6-7 NIV)

Do you ever get stressed out about what’s behind you? How can focusing on God help you to look ahead and trust Him instead?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Doing Life Together

A few weeks ago, I attended a Beth Moore simulcast at one of the churches in our town. It was such a wonderful event.

Beth opened up the Bible and shared so much from it with the thousands of women attending the live event and watching the simulcast around the world. She wove in stories from her own life and the lives of others to help apply the principles we were looking at in the Bible.

I think I’m still processing all that I learned that day, but I wanted to take a few minutes to share one point that really hit me hard.

Share your space.

That’s it. Share your space. It can look different for every single woman on the planet, but it is so important.

In today’s society, it seems like we try to do things alone way too much. It certainly is easier sometimes, but we’re missing out when we don’t do life together.

Beth talked many times about how important it is to pass on our faith to the next generation. Depression and anxiety in teen girls has risen greatly in the past ten years. They need to see older women relying on God’s strength and living by God’s promises.

That’s a hard one for me, because I have dealt with depression and anxiety often over the years. But God is doing great things in my life. I’m learning to have better mental heath as I cling to God’s promises instead of all the lies I used to tell myself. (I think that’s a topic for a future Focus Friday.)

Share your space.

Maybe that looks like teaching a Sunday School class. Maybe you invite a group of younger women (or any women) over to cook together, or do a craft together, or do a Bible study together, or just sit and talk together. Maybe your family invites another family over for a meal. The possibilities are endless, we just have to do something.

We might think we’re just doing it for the other person, but the amazing thing is that we will find ourselves benefiting just as much (or maybe even more!).

We will put more time into preparing for these times when we do life together, and we’ll grow in all sorts of ways as a result.

Are you interested in doing life together? Share your space.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 NIV)

Do you find it hard or easy to share your space? How can focusing on God help you to be more willing to put the time and effort into doing life together?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Fellowship Anxiety

Do you ever feel uncomfortable during fellowship time after church? I sometimes do.

I look around the room at all of these people – people I’ve grown to know and love over this past year – and I get a bit anxious. Who do I talk to? If I go up and start talking with that group of people over there, will that other group of people think I’m snubbing them? If I stand alone, will everyone pity me? If I go up and join a group that’s already talking, will they have to change what they’re talking about to include me?

It’s silly, but it happens. And I’m guessing it’s not just me.

Sure, there are extroverts that thrive on connecting with as many people as they can talk to on a Sunday morning.

But then there are the introverts. We thrive on time alone, even if we enjoy talking with others sometimes. So some Sundays will be fine and we’ll chat with quite a few people during fellowship time. And there will be some Sundays when we look around and decide to head for the door.

Maybe just talking about it here will make it a bit easier.

After all, even Paul felt anxiety: “Besides everything else, I have a daily burden because of my anxiety about all the churches. ” (2 Corinthians 11:28 International Standard Version)

We can cut ourselves some slack and realize there will be times when we feel anxious.

We can show others lots of grace when we see them heading for the door instead of staying to talk during fellowship time. Some weeks, they just might not be able to handle the uncertainty of being in the crowd.

So, should we do away with fellowship time after church? Should we all just head for the comforts of home and bypass the possibly awkward interactions with others?

I think not, because there are many good things that happen during fellowship time.

Visitors are greeted (hopefully!) and introduced to people during this time.

Children play with their friends right by the oldest members of the church, and they are blessed just by seeing each other in this special place.

Often, hugs or tears are shared as people talk about something they’re going through, and they are encouraged and strengthened as they realize someone cares.

If you sometimes feel a bit anxious during fellowship time, here are a few things you can try:

Look around and find someone who is standing alone. They may be feeling a little of the anxiety you’re experiencing and will welcome having someone to talk to.

Try to develop a “There you are!” attitude, instead of a “Here I am!” mindset. “Here I am!” begs for people to notice us. We get upset and offended when they don’t go out of their way to connect with us. A “There you are!” attitude looks for someone who needs some love, encouragement, and connection.

Pray for the people you see all around you. Maybe you won’t even mind standing alone if you can learn to just enjoy watching others interacting while you silently pray for them by name.

Remember that everyone feels a little social anxiety at times. Take a deep breath, smile, and start talking to someone. You just might feel your anxiety disappear as you get to know your fellow church members better.

(And if none of those ideas work, you can always just head for the door and see if next week feels better!)

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)

Do you ever feel anxious during fellowship time at church? How can focusing on God help you to see the great benefits of spending time with other believers after the worship service?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Wasting Bacon

I had a little “oops” with some bacon this week. Five strips wouldn’t fit on the main sheet pan I was using, so I put them on another pan and set them on the rack below the other pan and set the timer for 20 minutes.

I got busy with something else, and when I went to take it out, I could see smoke coming out of the vent. I knew I was in trouble. Sure enough, the charred remains greeted me when I opened the oven door.

Luckily, the other pan looked nicely done and it tasted delicious.

But I sure hated wasting that precious bacon.

Bacon’s not cheap, you know. Someone had given us some nice tomatoes, and we already had part of a head of lettuce, so we just had to splurge so we could make BLTs.

A little more thought could have prevented my bacon disaster. Of course, putting them closer to the heat source in the oven would get them done faster. I should have thought of that. I could have moved the rack higher, or watched the bacon to make sure it didn’t burn.

This was just a cooking mistake. No big deal, right? At least the rest of the bacon survived.

I’m afraid there may be other areas of my life where I’m not careful and I “waste the bacon,” so to speak.

Time is precious, but I sometimes squander it with thoughtless activities that don’t do me or anyone else any good.

Words are precious, but I sometimes burn someone with a thoughtless comment (usually my poor husband).

Money is precious, but I sometimes spend it on frivolous things I don’t need (not too often, but when I do I have that feeling of regret, like seeing that burned bacon coming out of the oven).

Thoughts are precious, but I sometimes allow my mind to wander and fixate on negative things that lead to all sorts of bad feelings (and sometimes, actions).

Just a little wisdom and care will help us not to “waste the bacon.”

We can plan our days so we aren’t wasting precious time.

We can pray and think before we speak so we don’t burn anyone with our precious words.

We can stop and consider our purchases so we don’t waste our precious money.

We can take our thoughts captive and make sure they’re good for us so we use our precious thoughts well.

And we can keep an eye on whatever is in the oven so we don’t waste our precious bacon.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ” (Ephesians 5:15-17 NIV)

Have you ever wasted bacon (or anything else) because you weren’t careful? How can focusing on God help you to have those times of waste happen less frequently?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Cheering For the Right Team

It’s football season. We aren’t big into sports, but we went to the Homecoming game tonight.

After we chose our seats, we realized just how close we were to the fans of the opposing team. They were in the next section over, and it was even closer for us because we sat in the top row with the stairs in front of us.

It was pretty uncomfortable, really.

I didn’t feel like I could clap wholeheartedly for our team when the other team’s supporters were sitting right next to me.

It was awkward when they were yelling, “Go! Go! Go!” and I was muttering, “Get him! Get him! Get him!”

Our cheerleaders were way down in front of our student section, and their cheerleaders were in front of the next section over from us. I couldn’t help it when my foot started tapping in rhythm with their cheers once in a while.

If I stopped paying close attention to the game, I almost started clapping when their fans did.

Our team lost, but I’m glad we went to see them play. We saw them make one sweet touchdown (the guy next to me even commented to a friend about how great our quarterback dropped it in there) and it was just good to see those kids working together and trying.

I couldn’t help but think about how we live our lives as I watched the game and pondered our poor choice of seats.

Just think about how much stronger we could be if we chose to sit right in the middle of our team’s section, surrounded by people who were wholeheartedly cheering for the same things we were. We could have our own cheerleaders right in front of us, leading us in encouraging our team. Sure, we could still see the other team and their fans, but we could feel much more secure in our support. We could clap louder, yell like crazy when our team is heading for the end zone, and high five those around us when the touchdown happens.

We have to be all in when it comes to our faith. If we claim to be Christians, there’s no sitting on the edge and expecting our faith to be strong. We’re going to be distracted by what is going on in the world. We may be tempted to tone down our enthusiasm because we’re worried about what the world will think. We might feel offended if we hear an unbeliever criticizing our beliefs or, worse yet, we might scoot over and join them in cheering for many things we previously thought were wrong.

Now, I know this is a very weak analogy. The other team and its fans are not evil, and it’s not the end of the world if our team doesn’t win a football game.

But thinking spiritually, the stakes really are much higher. There is a battle going on between good and evil in the world. We need the help, encouragement, and support of other Christians if we’re going to win the battle. We can’t stay on the edge when it comes to our faith. We have to get right in there and give it our all.

Let’s make sure we’re cheering for the right team. (Go Panthers!)

“He [Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (Colossians 1:28-29 NIV)

Are you all in, or are you “sitting on the edge” as far as your faith goes? How can focusing on God help you to always cheer for the right team?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Hoarding Hope

(I made this graphic with the idea of hoarding the bunch of flowers and only
giving out one paltry rose instead of showering others with the beautiful blooms)

“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” (Hebrews 6:17-18 NIV)

We have to take hold of the hope set before us. Have you ever thought about that?

I feel like I’ve always seen hope as something that comes and goes in my life, something I had very little control over.

Something bad happens. There goes my hope.

Something good happens. My hope comes back.

To think that we have a choice to reach out and take hold of hope is pretty amazing. Hope is set before us, but it’s up to us to take hold of it.

When we finally do take hold of it, we sometimes go overboard and hoard it. We clutch it to our chests and think we’ll lose it if we dare give any of it away.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Just look at this verse:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)

My NIV Life Application Study Bible says that being comforted can also mean receiving strength, encouragement, and hope to deal with our troubles.

I write often about mental health. When I think about all of the people out there in this great big world living with mental illness, my heart just aches. As a Christian, I have so much hope, and I want to pass it on to as many people as I can. (*I’ve listed a few resources right after this blog post.)

Perhaps you don’t deal with mental illness, but maybe there is something you’ve gone through and God has comforted you and given you hope.

You’ve lived through cancer.

You’ve experienced infertility.

You’ve suffered through the pain of divorce.

You’ve cried and prayed about a wayward child.

You’ve lost a grandparent, a parent, a child, or a friend.

Are we doing everything we can to comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have been given, or are we hoarding hope?

Look for ways to share your hope with someone who needs it. Ask God to show you someone who is going through the same thing you experienced. They need hope.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19 NIV)

Have you taken hold of the hope set before you? How can focusing on God help you to share that hope with the people who need it?

*Here are a few resources for people dealing with mental illness:

http://www.freshhope.us/ – The website of Fresh Hope. Visit their site to find a Fresh Hope support group in your area (peer-led groups for those with a diagnosis and also their loved ones), blog posts, resources for pastors, and even info about an online support group for those who don’t have a Fresh Hope group meeting in their area. Fresh Hope is one of the best things I do to make sure I’m staying healthy emotionally.

http://freshhopeformentalhealth.com/ – Fresh Hope’s podcast. Check it out to hear great advice about dealing with a mental health challenge, as well as interviews with people in the mental health field.

https://liferecoverygroups.com/ – I just discovered Life Recovery this week and it looks like a wonderful resource. There is a Bible you can work through on your own, or you can find a group to join (or start) near you.

By the way…if you liked this post, I would really appreciate it if you would click one of the buttons below and share it on social media. (I just added them, so I hope they work!) It’s one way you can share your hope with others! Thanks.

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Distractions

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV)

I’m starting this week’s post with a Bible verse so we make sure we know what we’re focusing on. We’re focusing on–

SQUIRRELS!

No, that’s not our focus for today. We have to keep our eyes looking straight ahead so we can go toward the prize and not get distracted by–

SQUIRRELS!

Okay, I’ll stop that before it gets way too annoying. It’s funny when we see that happen in a cartoon, isn’t it? The cute dog gets distracted and loses all of its focus when it catches a glimpse of one of those furry animals.

It’s much less funny when it happens to us. But it does happen, doesn’t it?

We start out our day determined to complete a task, work on a goal, get something done. Then the “squirrels” show up and we go off chasing them.

I’m sure everyone has different varieties of squirrels they chase.

I get distracted by too many emails in my inbox. I signed up for something recently and got on about 20 email lists. I delete quickly, but I can’t quite unsubscribe because I’m afraid I’ll miss something wonderful.

YouTube videos grab my attention. I’m watching something I wanted to see, and then I notice other videos that look interesting lined up along the right side of the screen.

There are all sorts of distractions that tempt us to get our eyes off the prize we’re headed toward: snacks between meals, TV shows, online shopping, and getting stuck in uncertainty (A big one for me – I don’t know what to do next, so I don’t do anything at all).

Joshua Becker over at becomingminimalist.com has a great article about 9 things that can distract us and keep us from living fully. You can click over and read the whole article, but here are a few distractions that hit me hard: Thinking too much about tomorrow, pursuing perfection, ruminating on regrets, and spending too much time comparing ourselves to others.

I’m convinced that the more we resist going after the distractions around us and inside us, the happier and more fulfilled we’ll be. If you don’t believe me, just try–

SQUIRRELS!

“Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust. ” (Proverbs 4:25-27 The Message)

Are you often distracted by things going on around you or thoughts inside your head? How can focusing on God help you to ignore those distractions and move forward with Him?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Three Steps Forward

Back in 1997, Chuck Swindoll published a book called Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back. I don’t know if it’s an actual saying that people use now. When I tried to look it up, the closest I got was “One step forward, two steps back.” Now that’s a discouraging thought, trying to move ahead and ending up even further behind than when you began.

What got me thinking about all of this was my scale. I had a couple of really good weeks a while back, watching what I was eating and exercising a little bit more. The scale went down two weeks in a row and I was feeling great. I was sure that I was on my way to going down a pants size and losing the rest of the pounds I had allowed to creep on over the last few years.

Then we moved Blake to Chicago.

I skipped exercising for several days.

We ate out while we were on the road.

Klondike bars were on sale at the grocery store by Blake’s apartment, so we just had to get some and eat three in one day because there was no way to take them with us on the bus and the L when we headed back to our hotel.

When we got home and I weighed myself, I found that all of the pounds I had lost were back. Bummer.

So what I want us to focus on this week is “Three steps forward.”

For a couple of weeks I made good choices and dropped some pounds. That’s good progress.

If I focus on the “Two steps back” that happened because we traveled and I made lots of poor choices, I might decide to just give up and not worry about my weight at all. But that wouldn’t be good for my physical or emotional health.

Instead, I’m going to focus on the “Three steps forward” and remind myself that better choices and hard work produce good results. It’s inevitable. I can’t give up just because I slid back a couple of steps.

We can apply that to any area of our lives.

We learn to control our temper and don’t yell at our children for two weeks straight, then we have a bad morning and totally blow it, scaring our kids with a giant temper tantrum.

Focus on the “Three steps forward.” Apologize to your children and move ahead with the resolve to do your best and be as calm as you can be. Not perfect, but better.

We decide to get our overspending under control and refuse to shop online for a whole month, then our favorite store sends out an email with an amazing sale and a super coupon, and we order enough to get free shipping.

Focus on the “Three steps forward.” Unsubscribe from the store’s email list and either enjoy your purchases or maybe return some of it next time you go to the store. Not rich, but less poor.

We go to work, clean the house, and keep on top of the bills and laundry for six months straight, then we call in sick, binge-watch Netflix all day, and let everything fall to pieces around us.

Focus on the “Three steps forward.” Go back to work, do the dishes, and save Netflix for a treat on the weekend. Not a workaholic, but a hard worker who enjoys life.

Whenever we have a setback – physically, emotionally, or spiritually – we have to focus on the “Three steps forward” we’ve made, not the “Two steps back” (or more!). Only that focus will help us to press on and not give up.

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14 ESV)

Have you fallen “two steps back”? How can focusing on God help you to focus instead on the “three steps forward” you’ve made?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Crashing

Monday morning started out so nice. It was a beautiful morning, so I rode my bike down to the bakery and had coffee with two of my friends. After that I rode over to one of their houses to see her new puppy. Such a cutie!

I took the long way home and pedaled across town. I got a block from home, started to turn the corner, and CRASH!

All of a sudden I was lying on my side in the street, wondering what had happened. I gingerly got to my feet and lifted my bike from the ground. My entire right side was covered in mud and I realized that I had landed mostly on my shoulder.

I had tipped just a bit too far to the right while I turned the corner, going through some mud and water (it had rained the night before). Just like that, my bike had slid out from under me and I had landed – hard – on my right side.

When I got on the bike I found out that the chain had come off, so I got off and walked my bike slowly down the block back to our house.

I peeled off my muddy clothes and took a shower to get the gravel off my bloody hand (just a little scratch), my arm, and out of my hair. I found out I had a couple of bloody scrapes by my right knee and a bit of road rash on the back of my arm, but other than that, I was fine. It could have been so much worse.

As the day wore on, it was worse. It was surprising how I gradually got more stiff and sore as the hours went by.

And the next day proved to be even more painful. I was popping ibuprofen quite a bit, and I even had to ask Gary to get me some when I woke up at 5 a.m. on Wednesday and could hardly stand the pain. I developed a really pretty purple bruise on my right thigh (sorry, no picture, you’ll have to take my word for it).

I’ve been thinking about how much I used to take my pain-free, healthy body for granted.

Every time I try to raise my arm to do something and my shoulder protests – loudly – I realize how much I just expected that I could work and play so easily.

I think of friends who have had shoulder surgery and think about the years of pain they had to endure before they had the surgery, and the time they spent recovering.

I’ve also been thinking metaphorically about crashes and how often we don’t feel all of the pain at the time of the “crash.” It might take a little time before the shock wears off and we feel the full effects of what has happened.

After I had my bike crash, I thought I mostly hurt my shoulder, but in the days since then I have felt more pain in my entire neck. All of those muscles were jarred, and they’re all going to complain a bit until I heal.

When we have a figurative “crash” in our lives, we may think just one problem occurred: one person’s job was lost, one person’s health suffered, one person passed away, one person made a poor choice that resulted in some sort of crash.

It doesn’t take long to realize that those crashes produce all sorts of pain in other people’s lives and other areas of our own lives. We have to be aware of where we hurt and be prepared to do something about the pain if we need to.

At this point, I’m pretty sure I just have sore muscles, but if I had had excruciating pain in my arm or shoulder I would have gone to the doctor to get checked out. I need to take some medicine for the pain and make sure I’m not overdoing it with using my right side until it heals.

If we have emotional pain from sort of crash in our lives, we also have to get it treated if it’s severe or if it lingers for a long time. We need to cut ourselves some slack and take it easy while we heal from any kind of “crash” in our lives.

We may have some visible (or invisible) scars from our crash, but with some time we’ll be able to move on and continue life’s journey.

My bike seat will never be the same after my crash.

If we live life at all, we’re probably going to experience some crashes. They’re so difficult, but they also teach us. They teach us to get back up. They teach us to empathize with others. They teach us to have compassion. They teach us to slow down and then keep going.

And they teach us to make sure we’re careful and riding straight when we go through a muddy puddle on our bike.

“My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. ” (Psalm 119:28 NIV)

Have you experienced a “crash” in life lately? How can focusing on God help you to get through it and move on after you’ve healed?