The title of the post before this was really more for this notion - just know - we're not perfect as humans, we're trying our best with what we have. Sometimes, you have to make choices if there are people who aren't the healthiest - to let them go instead of holding you back. Does that mean you can't be their friend? Of course not - Jesus was PERFECT but that didn't mean he only hung out with perfect people, but he did spend time with those climbing the spiral towards their best self not descending further away from that self. He spent time with those that welcomed Him and those that rejected Him, He moved on seeking those with open minds and open hearts.
Anyways - I had a moment of frustration with the world - there's an organization out there called CISV which I got to be a part of - and it teaches of tolerance, love, understanding, empathetic listening, and other values. It was born from war, actually, and fosters and encourages seeing each other as ONE, as humans, as people with feelings, beliefs, ideas - and in times of divergence, CISV teaches to be respectful and honorable in those trials. Because of the frustration I had been feeling at the chaotic state of the country, the - disgust, even - of people hating on each other, pointing fingers, blaming, etc. my heart was heavy. I felt helpless and didn't know what to do. SO I started something that I had seen done before - 100 days of gratitude.
I honestly think because I had switched my focus over the past week, I had the perfect day yesterday. I got to spend the afternoon with an incredible 10 year old who taught me about grace, humility, maintaining standards, and love. Towards the beginning of our adventure together - I caught this panorama:
I don't often have many beautiful things to say about the crock-pot known on the map as Arizona - but just look - through the never ending construction - there, you see the landscape that looks like a painting my grandparents would have in their home.
The day continued with perfection - I got asked to be a witness at a baptism for one of the kiddos who has me wrapped pretty tightly around her finger 💖 She also made me a customized Pokemon!
Something fun and important to note, so that you are able to understand the fullness of how my heart completely melted - she's SUPER obsessed with Pokemon right now - and this Pokemon, she named after me. There are 3 on this earth who call me "Panda" and this, friends, is a "Pandagrove" - she (I'm guessing she) is a Panda - Mouse combination. Her ears are that of a mouse and the poof on the end of her tail is that of a cute Panda tail.
There were many moments throughout the evening that were like this. After everyone left our Independence Day celebrations, I was sharing with my mom some of my gratitude. See, there are times in the stillness where my heart breaks because I haven't been blessed to have children of my own. I often question why people who haven't lived rightly by the Lord are blessed with children, and yet I have been "overlooked" for this blessing. However, what I was telling my Mom - if I had my own little ones, I wouldn't have the 15 that I do. Yes, you read that right - I have 15 kids. I don't know that they all recognize that I call them my own, but I do. I try to spend quality time with all of them (which can be a challenge!) I listen to them, hear them, offer a safe space to talk, be silly, etc. At least, that's my goal and my hope.
I just want to be like Pollyanna. My grandparents once shared that it didn't matter what was happening in their world, they always loved hearing from me and were elevated from that - I HOPE I get to continue that. I want to be like Ammon and serve with a pure heart, to be like Pollyanna and see the silver lining in all things, to change a town - to change a life. Now, there is that one over the top of example from the Friends series who was sickeningly positive - and I say - ya know? That's ok if I get that way.
It's not that I don't get grumpy - I do. I was just grumpy earlier and felt the disgruntlement within my being of life's responsibilities that never seem to end, I was also probably hangry - but I'm not perfect.
I know I won't EVER regret giving too much, loving too much, smiling too much, being kind too much, praising too much - but I do know my heart gets sad for being grumpy too much, or ungrateful too much. Wonder Woman. Love.
Pollyanna changed a whole town through the Glad Game - can't we come to an agreement and learn that we could come together and change the world? There's a quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln in this Disney film (though I learned that the attribution was fabricated for he film) "When you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will," So - I guarantee, if we started looking for the good, like the Reverend noted, we surely will. This timeless story teaches simple truths that Wonder Woman and Pollyanna exhibit through loving their neighbor as themselves - it's truly about WWJD. Sparkle on.
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