So much of life is about the proper perspective. Last Thursday was a rough day. Friday's solution of playing games, analyzing Canterbury Tales and having Chick-fil-A for lunch helped. So did a long weekend with not much planned. And chatting tonight with another mom new to the journey of home schooling gave me the perspective shift I need heading into a short week starting tomorrow.
We both agreed that when we're in the midst of connecting a key point from history to our lives with our daughters or laughing over something together, this journey we're on is a great one. It's when we fail to meet expectations - especially our own expectations - that we lose perspective. The main reason I lose perspective? I turn my focus inward instead of seeing things in their relative importance.
When my perspective is off, I'm zeroed in on all that I did wrong, all that I should have done, all that I want to do better. Notice a key word here? I. It's all about me when my perspective is off. And this journey? It's not really all about me. Not at all.
The main reason I lose perspective is that one emotion overtakes me: shame. And shame pulls my focus so inward that I can't see anything else. I've been trying to better understand shame and its presence in my life. I have a long way to go in keeping shame in its proper place, but I think part of the key is in what I focus on. I spent some time recently reading about what God says about shame. One verse stood out to me: Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
Of course their faces aren't covered with shame - they are looking up. Just like I should be if I want to maintain a proper perspective. Just like you should be if your focus isn't making you radiant. Because that's how we're all meant to be - radiantly beautiful, reflecting our maker with joy. Let's all try to keep that in perspective.
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| Radiant Girls |
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