Perspective really is a finicky thing. We can be going along in life thinking we have it all together and boom, some little thing, maybe a big thing, comes along and the world just seems to turn upside down. Or maybe your unhappy and you wish for change in your life and so you start pushing the ones closest to you to change, but it doesn’t get any better in fact sometimes it gets worse. How about that thing you always wanted to do but you never tried because there was no way you were smart enough?
Funny thing perspective…
I remember one time, Tim and I had been married awhile and things were not really going as well as I had dreamed my family life would. We were short on cash, the kids took a lot of time and energy, the house well…sometimes it was tidy, sometimes. But “that Tim he sure is stubborn, if HE would only listen to me”. So I set out to change HIM! I bought a good book, The Power of a Praying Wife” by Stormie Omartian, and I was all set to fix Tim and my life. It was a great plan till I got to the first chapter of the book and “God’s favourite prayer”, I found myself angry! Who did Stormie think she was? “Change ME Lord!” Huh I didn’t need that! Perspective. Turns out I may have been a little ruff around the edges after all, because when I started to change myself, life started sorting itself out, our relationship has developed to another level. One I could not see from my original perspective.
Our perspective can lie to us. A task or a dream can look overwhelming large, difficult or even impossible to us. We can be paralyzed or hindered by how we perceive ourselves and our ability. Even when the evidence to the contrary is right in front of us. There are many things I want to strive towards and yet my fear glasses hold me in place. This blog for instance is one. From my perspective this is terrifying to put my thoughts in writing and release it!
Perspective can be fluid or evolving maybe, it grows bigger through time and experience. As we move through life, life comes into view from different angles, our perspective changes.
So what changed my perspective enough to try to take up this challenge in my life now. To plunge in with both feet. A few things.
I have been experimenting in capturing moments. When something happens that isn’t planned or not necessarily how I want it. I first acknowledge the occurrence, I look to see if there was a catalyst that could have been removed to avoid whatever the result was, so that I don’t repeat it. Then I look for solutions, then I let it go. I control my perspective.
I have been asking myself the question, why do I think this way, why am I afraid, etc. Is there something that I have grasped in my mind, some experience that has me believing I can’t do something? If so is it the truth or is it a whisper of a self limiting lie? Push through!
The last reason that I decided to jump in now with both feet and just go for it is my friend Christine (and Tim R. my mentor not Tim my husband). My friend Christine is in the final stages of cancer right now. I continue to pray for the miracle that I want. Christine gave me a gift. She opened her heart to me and gave me love. She asked for prayer, that gave me purpose. She encouraged me and was grateful that Tim R. and I had started challenging each other to get out of our slumps and grow in God. She was happy just to have a short chat and I learned that friendship can be beautiful in it’s simplicity. Life is short on this earth. Yet I know, and Christine and Tim know, that no matter what the end is, Christine will get her miracle, whether it is the one that I am hoping for, or if it is the miracle that takes her home. This post I dedicate to you Christine. Thank you my beautiful friend!
Life ebbs and flows over your perspective every moment of everyday. We need to carefully choose how we perceive and what control we give our perceptions. Are your perceptions showing you possibilities or are they building walls in your way? Maybe we just need to look at it from another angle!
Beautiful Remade 