"Deep" 36"x36"mixed media on canvas by RT
Thanksgiving* What Matters?
First published Crosstalkers’ Blog
The other day, Rodger and I were blessed to meet some new friends. These folks had no idea who we were, and could have easily dismissed us or cut our visit short. Instead we were blessed to spend hours getting to know each other. Sharing stories, being encouraged, and valuing one another.
I think you might agree that making friends is time well spent…
Keeping friends
Restoring friendships
Being a friend….
These are all extremely valuable, but how often am I guilty of being dismissive, too busy, self-import (yikes) or hardened. I let familiarity be an excuse for being careless with people. When things are unfamiliar or extraordinary they may get a top billing for my attention. But what about the things that are not so new?
Is last night’s sunset the same as tonight’s? I can say quickly, “of course not!” AND not even realise that in answering decisively I have dismissed another sunset. What if it was the same? What if one day I woke up and the sunset was always the same, or there were only three varieties of bushes, 100 kinds of people….
So ok, that might be bad…and I would probably actually pay attention to the fact that something was wrong.
Paul says in Philippians 4:8 says: …Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
He must have understood that these attitudes didn’t come naturally. So he reminds us all to spend time, (meditate it you will) on what is good. Get closer, go deeper know beauty on a different level. But what about the hard stuff? The disappointments, the trials, the stuff that is not right?
I was reminded that Thomas wanted to dismiss the resurrected Jesus. Deny that there was hope and that the savior was indeed risen from the dead. What did Jesus do? He asked Thomas to put his fingers in the holes of his hands. I don’t know if Thomas stepped closer, but I’m sure he listened to Jesus’s voice and recognized his Lord. His hope was restored.
So it is with relationships. Their can be a lot of disappointment, confusion and struggle involved in relationship. They are not always new and exciting. They may seem too risky.
Am I willing to let people get close enough to examine my wounds, am I willing enough to get closer to those who have open wounds? Because when I do….
There is healing and hope as God’s light shines in the darkness (2 Corinthians 4: 1-15)
What do you think? If this post got you thinking please remember to share it.
2011 by RAMONA TAYLOR is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
It is taken from her work on “Crosstalkers’ Blog“ Also published on Success and Failure.Net *Chuck Larson presents a Native American perspective of Thanksgiving
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Posted in: friendship, thoughts
Posted on October 25, 2011
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