Category Archives: movie

The sting of rejection…

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Grabbed an opportunity yesterday to see a movie I’ve heard so much about.  Have you seen it yet?  You NEED to.  My goal today is not to spoil it for you, simply to share about a subject that hits home for me.  Perhaps it will resonate with you as well.

Rejection.

It’s rough.  In fact, it can actually knock us out for the count.  For me, it was my greatest fear.  I feared other’s rejection to an extreme.  So much so that I avoided it at all costs, no matter what it called for.  Growing up, I could morph into a human chameleon in all sorts of setting.  I was an observer of humans.  I always took good notes.  Came natural to me.

In this movie, there is rejection of all different types.  Rejection amongst women, women of different races, woman of similar races, career rejection, societal rejection, and even one’s own body rejecting itself.  The systemic behavior could be traced to jealousy, anger over injustice, self-righteousness, intolerance, or even simple happenstance.  Whichever way you slice it, it cuts deep.  At times, wounds to the death.

So how do we respond in the face of rejection?  We know it happens.  We’ve seen it.  Perhaps we’ve even lived it.  It initially crushes.  And then what?  As the characters of this movie each lived it out different, you saw their ultimate humanity and inevitably, their hearts and attitudes shine through.  God asks us to love our enemies.  How do we put our flesh on that and actually live it out?

I just returned from a run.  As I ran today, I found myself processing.  I realize that in my “processing”, I have the tendency to re-hash, and in the repetitive re-hashing I can become bitter.  Perhaps if I just think about it again, a new resolution will appear, a new justification.  I crave justice.  It was no different today.  Yet today, I have the desire to release, I just wasn’t quite sure how to do that.  I’m releasing my thoughts, knowing that this relationship or circumstance will not change.  And I hear a word…

Forgive.

Wow…  It is about that.  I need to forgive.  Even if this person never asks for it.  I need to forgive.  I’m commanded to forgive.  With forgiveness, I am set free.  I want that.  Time to process some more, Lord will you show me…

A night of surprises…

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I got a text yesterday afternoon while swimming at the pool with the kiddos.  My hubbie wrote,

What do you think about going to the Shoe tonight to watch “Remember the Titans”? Proceeds go to Peletonia. Starts at 8:45.

What do I think? SWEET!  We’ve lived in Columbus for 14 years and have yet to attend a football game.  You mean we get to bring a blanket and camp out on the infield while watching a great movie under the stars?? Ummm, yes!!

And fun we had!  Bonus was wearing pajamas!

While we were waiting for the movie to start, Aaron bumped into a friend from college.  She happened to be the sister of another friend of ours, and I was so excited to see her.  You see, I knew a little about what the Lord had called her to recently (tidbits through social media), but here I had an opportunity to SEE her, and if you know me, to ASK QUESTIONS!  You see Nicolle and her husband Dave have a new addition to their family… and I was just smitten with him…

 

See what I mean!  A smile that simply melts.  He greeted me with that warm smile, a hand extended and a polite bow.  As he went off to play, I was privileged to hear a bit of his story.  He grew up in Haiti, lost his family in the earthquake, learned to survive in ways I can’t even imagine.  He has seen more in his 13 years of life than I will in 80 years, and he stands in front of me, a white woman, with a smile that just burst my heart.

The reason he was allowed to come back to the States?  Severe medical needs.  His Mom shared with me that when tested, his heart was only functioning on 20% capacity!  By medical standards this boy should not even be alive, let alone have lived for his 13 years with the myriad of other health problems never addressed in his native country.  After several surgeries, he’s doing well.  Mentally, spiritually?  The Lord, through his legal guardians, is helping him slowly re-wire.  He not only is learning a new language, culture, and education, but for the first time, is learning the true meaning of love and what is means to trust.

 

I heard myself saying to Nicolle, “What a cool responsibility the Lord has entrusted to you!” With tears in her eyes, she said, “Yes, yes it is.”

This beautiful family has founded a ministry called Eyes Wide Open International.  They are a non-profit organization that focuses on issues related to widows and orphans.  Do me a favor and check out their site when you have a chance.  They are simply servants saying yes in obedience to God, being a cause-agent for change.  They would appreciate it!

To read more about “Mack” and his journey, feel free to visit his caringbridge.org site.  After clicking ‘visit’ – enter ‘makenpierre‘

Lord, thank you for this special evening to not only hang with my family, but to meet another precious family that you created.  You perform amazing miracles everyday, and I got to witness just one this evening.  As I watched him play soccer before the event, I found myself thinking just how different life was for this child a short year ago.  You have surrounded him with love beyond his wildest dreams.  You pursued him with a never-giving up passion, your words are being written on his heart, he is your child, and he is loved.  Thank you for allowing me to be there.  May I never doubt your loving plan for me.