Sunday, June 3, 2007

watch out for the holes

we'll be traveling to the fair state of california at the end of this week. we're going back to see my nephew graduate from high school. we're planning on visiting family (they're all there) but finding some time for ourselves, too. we'll spend a lot of time on the beach, eating at our favorite restaurants, and maybe even a trip to disneyland. hopefully i'll be able to continue to blog each day.

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someone sent me this and i wanted to share it. it's a nice illustration of the christian experience. the devotion starts out talking about the holes that we find ourselves in. the issue isn't the holes themselves, but what we do when when we experience them. read this poem and reflect on it.

autobiography in five short chapters by portia nelson
(printed in healing the child within, charles whitfield)

chapter 1
I walk down the street.
there's a deep hole in the sidewalk.
i fall in.
i am lost...i am helpless;
it isn't my fault.
it takes forever to find a way out.

chapter 2
i walk down the same street.
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
i pretend i don't see it.
i fall in again.
i can't believe i am in the same place;
but it isn't my fault.
it still takes a long time to get out.

chapter 3
i walk down the same street.
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
i see it is there.
i still fall in....it's a habit.
my eyes are open.
i know where i am.
it is my fault.
i get out immediately.

chapter 4
i walk down the same street.
tis a deep hole in the sidewalk.
i walk around it.

chapter 5
i walk down a different street.

instead of blaming, instead of succumbing to habit, if we could trust the Lord to guide us to a new “walk” in life, our lives would be different. transformation occurs when we are committed to being formed into the likeness of Jesus. learning to follow Jesus is about learning to walk down streets that are different.

can anyone relate? i sure can. sometimes i just can't get past chapter 3. i think this poem has helped me though. i will be looking for different streets.

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link of the day:
http://blog.pixelbreaker.com/upload/polarclock/polarclock.html

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like the poem too. Once I'm in the holes, it's hard for me to get out. I stay in them way too long.

Anonymous said...

It reminds me of Beth Moore's book about getting out of the pit. I've been there, decorated it, and thought I really liked it there, HA! The enemy is such a liar!

I need to remember to choose a different street. Great poem!

Enjoy California! We just booked tickets to Texas tonight! Hurray!

Anonymous said...

Once again I had some catching up to do with your blogs. Just got back from OK.

I hadn't read this poem for a long time. I have the book. I find it so diffiult to react or respond differently to certain situations that trigger my emotions. I've found the only way I can do it is to ask God to help me change my will to conform to His. Still isn't easy though. Changing streets -- living the Christian life -- is definitely a process.

Yeah for Jake. Great job for him.

I like the "new look" - a lot. Keep it!

Anxious to see you.