Days 264 - 270 Thinkin' Outside of the Box!

"All the absurd little meetings, decisions, and skirmishes
that go to make up our days. It all adds up to very little and yet
it all adds up to very much. Our days are full of nonsense, and yet
not, because it is precisely into the nonsense of our days that
God speaks to us words of great significance. "
Frederick Buechner

More and more it seems as if my days are becoming unbalanced as more and more meetings are being scheduled at whim all labeled "Mandatory" while the important work that needs to be done is pushed to the side. The resulting conclusion at the end of it all is the addition of one more spreadsheet and one more weekly meeting to discuss what the spreadsheet is determining about productivity in a certain area. Forgive me if I sound somewhat cynical, but how can there be productivity if we are not doing the work we need to do in order to produce, because we are forced to attend meetings all the time - conundrum, catch 22? Whatever...it does not work. Does that make sense?

Still, because I do not want to appear negative, I continue to play the game, and actually, I play the game cheerfully, shaking my head at the redundancy and the conundrums, finding a way to muddle through and come out on top. I have learned the secret of perseverance...it is called "thinking outside of the box." If I have a skill to offer to the working class it is this one.

Growing up with limited income my mama taught me to "make do" with what was available to me at the time. So this skill is one I have tried to instill in my own children, and all the people God has graciously put in my path on my long, surprising, adventurous life of encountering the unexpected.

As a child growing up we dream of the future life will hold, and we make plans. Sadly, dreams are dashed and reality turns a different page in our lives. Still, although my life has taken many twists and turns, it has offered me many opportunities to "make do" and to "think outside of the box."

I thank God for these gifts.

I have learned by accident along the way that teaching someone has to be creative and unique for each learner no matter the field of study. Over the years I have come to realize from a series of accidents and surgeries the challenges one can overcome given a strong will and determination to not succumb to the word "impossible." When I was in the sixth grade my teacher took me aside and asked me a question, "You're not as smart as your brother, are you?" This has stayed with me my entire life. For awhile I figured "why bother" if I'll never amount to anything. But when some dear friends died and rocked my world I came to understand that the only one I was hurting by "not trying" was myself. So I buckled down, and I graduated with honors. 

It wasn't until later in life did I come to realize why learning was more difficult for me, and that there are different ways to learn, plus not all teachers are created equal. The answer had little to do with my capability for learning, as I am very intelligent and quick to grasp, but my style of learning is more hands on than in listening and reading. Plus the fact that as a child I had a head injury which rattled my brains a bit. Add to that the autoimmune disorders I have learned had much to do with the headaches I suffered from early childhood up to adulthood and even into the present day. Many factors since childhood have factored into the equation such as additional injuries to my brain. Not that it really matters that much as I have learned to overcome by "making do" and by learning to see myself as who I am - a person capable of doing just about anything I want to do and do it well. I honestly feel that anyone can overcome given the right understanding and acceptance of who they are and who they are to become. God can do all things in and through us if we only believe and not doubt. I, for one, am stubborn enough to take Him at His word, regardless of what life tries to throw our ways, or to any degree of injury. Others believe the same, because others have overcome to a larger degree than I after sustaining severe injuries or illnesses. My life's work is in trying to make the skeptics understand the importance of never saying never.

As I am writing, my vision is failing, my head is hurting, and my body is wracked in pain. My "new eyes" aren't working so well this morning, so if there are spelling errors, please forgive me. I am having a difficult time focusing, but at least I can think past the blurry eyes and the throbbing head.

No impossibilities for me today! Time is precious.

 "God wants you to fly. He want you to fly free of

yesterday's guilt. He wants you to fly free of today's fears.

He wants you to fly free of tomorrow's grave. Sin, fear and

death. These are the prayers He will answer. That is the fruit

He will grant. This is what He longs to do; He longs to set you

free so you can fly...fly home."

And the Angels Were Silent

Max Lucado

Last night I was watching an older movie, and one of the songs in the soundtrack is one of my all time favorites, Ain't No Mountain High Enough.  

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are, no matter how far
Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry
On that you can depend and never worry

No wind, no rain
(No wind, no rain)
Nor winter's cold
Can stop me, babe, baby
(Oh, babe, baby) 

If you're my goal

Oh, no wind, no rain
(No wind, no rain)
Can stop me, babe
If you wanna go

I know, I know you must follow the sun
Wherever it leads
But remember
If you should fall short of your desires
Remember life holds for you one guarantee
You'll always have me

And if you should miss my love
One of these old days
If you should ever miss the arms
That used to hold you so close, or the lips
That used to touch you so tenderly
Just remember what I told you
The day I set you free

Ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wild enough
To keep me from you

Ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
(Say it again)
Ain't no river wild enough
To keep me from you

Ain't no mountain high enough
Nothing can keep me
To keep me from you

Ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
(One more time)
Ain't no river wild enough
(Say it again)
To keep me from you

Ain't no mountain high enough
Nothing can keep me
To keep me from getting to you babe

Hearing that song brought back many memories of that part of my life. Messy, at best. I am a hopeless romantic, not in the sense of relationship, but in living the life I was meant to live. But then I see "romance" in ways other people find senseless. I see differently than most do, so opinions don't really bother me. It used to, but no more. I am learning to be myself in all situations, and that's not a bad thing. It is liberating to be happy in your own skin, especially since God created me to be me! Just as He created you to be you! We are each unique, with our own gifts and callings, and we make up a world of people who offer themselves into the mix. I think God is rather creative, don't you?

He thought outside the box! Imagine the possibilities!