My Frustration with Clothes Hangers

         

Have you ever had to fight with those metal or plastic clothes hangers? I have many times and it drives me crazy. Often, I get so frustrated that my husband comes to my (their) rescue and untangles them before I just throw them in the trash and start over. This happened to me this morning when I was hanging some laundry. I reached up to grab a hanger and the whole bunch fell into a tangled mess. The harder I tried to untangle them the more of a mess they became. What a nightmare I created!

Well, as I fought with the blasted hangers, a blog formed in my mind. Here it is…

These hangers reminded me a lot of people. Think about it. We are kind of like these hangers. We often allow ourselves to get into a tangled mess with each other. Something small is said that hurts us, or perhaps it is a big hurt, deep and real, and before long, we are at each other’s throats. Sometimes, we just withdraw our love or presence from each other. We call that the “cold shoulder treatment”. We stop going to family functions, miss church more often, stop calling and sending cards, or ignore one another as much as possible. Before we know it, there is a tall brick wall erected between us and those we care about. It often creates more pain than the original offense.

If we were honest with one another, we have probably all done this to one degree or another. It makes me so sad. It seems to allow Satan to have his way. It opens the door for more hurt and pain and often closes the door on God’s precious plan for our relationships. We have a theme at our church that says, “Together We Point to Christ.” I love this, it is so true. When we are united, whether in our blood family or our church family, we open the door for God to work so much more easily. His work will be accomplished regardless of our behavior, but think about what we are missing when we allow hurt or differences to divide us. People are watching and what they see is not pretty. Satan loves this I bet.

Why do we allow this to happen? It causes so much damage. It pushes people away. It hinders good things. When I fight with the tangled hangers, I often just want to give up and throw the twisted mess away, rather than practice the patience of gently and methodically untangling them. However,  in my relationships, I really want to invest the time, love, grace, and forgiveness that will mend the hurt places and preserve the relationship.

I realize this is not always easy and that it takes both party’s willingness to make it happen, but restoration is worth it. Thankfully, I do not have to rely on my own strength to do this. I have the Holy Spirit living in me to help me to restore broken relationships. If I ask Him, He will guide me in what to say and how to say it so that I and all of my huge warts do not get in the way. (yes, I admit…I am full of imperfections!)

God is so faithful to help us when we ask Him for help. Is there a tangled relationship in your life right now? Have you stopped going to church or to family events to avoid the pain of it? Are you letting your pride stand in the way of complete restoration? Please step aside and let God heal. Please take the time to make things right. Life is so short. No one knows how much time they have on this earth. Please invest in your marriage, or in the life of a hurting child, sibling or friend. It will be worth it. Not easy, but worth it.

"If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." Romans 12:18

God bless and thanks for reading!  

Compelled

It’s been a long time, a really long time since I put words to paper and posted on this blog. A dear, sweet friend gave me a note recently reminding me that writing is important to me and encouraged me to do it again. It’s hard though, really hard. It’s hard because I wonder what impact my simple words will have – a good impact, a bad one, or possibly an offensive one? I pray that what I write here will encourage and spur each of you on towards love and kindness. Anything I write is from my heart. It’s from the deep desire that God has put in me to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and the hope that He brings. That is all - nothing more and nothing less. It is not meant to anger anyone, to fuel political views or to cause division. Only love. Only Good News. Only encouragement.

I am a simple lady who loves Jesus, hungers for more of God’s Word in my life, who loves people, loves encouraging others and loves sharing words that just might grab someone’s heart and lead them to the only One who can change their hearts and lives forever. And boy, do I need heart changes!

Recently, we have been watching a video series and reading a book at church called Counter Culture, by David Platt. It is rocking my world. Or at least I sure hope it is. We are talking about really tough subjects like abortion, sex trafficking, wealth/poverty and other similar and challenging conversations. Last night, we talked about abortion. I left feeling a bit sick to my stomach. Not because I hate anyone, or because I am judging anyone (who am I to judge?), but because I am so deeply saddened by what I heard and saw about the number of unborn babies who die every year due to abortion. It breaks my heart to watch the news, to see posts on social media and to hear people talk about their own heart wrenching stories.

I am discovering that we all have very strong opinions about these issues and it seems that they are dividing us more and more as a nation and even in the Church. That also makes me sad because these are not political issues, nor issues that should divide us, but issues that should bring us together, issues that should compel us to work together to change things. This is my deep prayer – that we would come together and make a lasting change, regardless of our political views or personal opinions. No more babies dying because of choice or inconvenience. No more sex trafficking of young people to fulfill the sinful desires of lust. No more hungry children or homeless families. No more broken families. No more. No. more.

I know this all sounds so negative and depressing. It is depressing. But, we need to talk about it and do something. We can each stand up for these precious lives. We can volunteer at a local pregnancy care organization, collect food for the hungry, write our representatives about laws that go against the very fiber of God’s Word and we can pray. Pray for these dear babies, children, women and men - and then put hands and feet to our prayers. I’m not sure yet how this is going to look in my own life, but I do know one thing - I will no longer sit on my hands and wonder how one person can make a difference. I will do something. I will pray and I will act. Together we can change the world. Together we can save lives. Together we point to Christ.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:35-40