Mommy & Me

Out for her birthday lunch.

Perspective - What color are your glasses?

It’s a common cliché to say that someone views something through “rose colored glasses” which means they think it is more pleasant than it really is. Obviously we don’t all see things better than they are. Most of us probably see things worse than they are.

I think it’s kinda like this – We all wear “glasses” through which we see life. When we are born they are clear, perfect “prescription” for our lives, but as we grow and experience life they get mucked up. They get spattered with “goo” from “explosions” of good and bad experiences. Some of us wise up early on in life that you have to take off your life glasses and clean them periodically. Others learn that lesson later, or haven’t learned it yet at all. So we wonder through life with obscured, distorted vision adding to the splattering.

If we’re wise enough to realize our vision has been compromised, and remove our glasses, giving them a good cleaning, then we can reset our perspective and start fresh. Sometimes this is easier said than done. Some of the “splatters” may have been of such a toxic nature that they have left cracks and crevasses in our glasses. We either continue to try and function, having at least a portion of our vision distorted by these flaws in our glasses or we trade them in for a new pair.

We’re getting ready to start a series at church about world-view. Last night we talked for a bit about what effects a person’s world-view. We also talked about what things our world-view effects. This morning as I walked and used the stillness of the morning to reflect, I thought about this again. I was also taken back to recent events in my life and my response to them. I wondered what color glasses I am wearing? What is skewing my view of people, places and situations? My world-view, macro picture aside – What is my “life-view?” What has shaped, blurred, scarred and diluted my vision of the life I live every day?

Several weeks ago this thought first popped in to my mind as my perception of a certain individual had changed somewhat dramatically. Unfortunately in this situation it was not for the good and not at all any fault of that individual… at least not that they would have ever known to prevent. The strange thing was, when out of sight they were not out of mind, and at those moments the perception of them in my mind was quite different, and rather good. However, as soon as I had interaction with this person… perception change. It was odd, okay, it’s still odd, but it made me think.

Why these two perceptions? What was (is) reality? And even more importantly what was God’s view? Yeah, I decided it would be important to include Him in this little journey of discovery. Interestingly enough my in-person perception of this person seems to be shifting yet again.

The question is what have the experiences of my life splattered on my “life glasses” causing this skew in perception? Is it my own fears and issues? Is there a trigger that is flipped reminding me of a situation from my past? These are all things I’m searching out.

Then I wondered if my out of sight perception was not actually “my” perception, but potential that I “saw.” AKA – God’s perception. Interesting thought, right? Maybe God was trying to show me that I needed to look beyond what I could see to what could be- to what He sees – to life with clean glasses. Hmmm…

So, I’m taking off my life glasses, giving them a good cleaning, hoping I won’t find any chunks or gashes. Then I hope to have a whole new outlook on the people around me and the situations I face. I’m even hoping that I’ll be able to see/understand the glasses that others are wearing and maybe help them get theirs cleaned up as well.

What color are your glasses? Are they red, green, purple, brown, black? Do they need a good cleaning? Are you ready to see reality instead of the skewed vision behind your spattered glasses?

I want to hear from you! Give me some insight from another perspective!

You're the meaning in my life. You're the inspiration!

"Hello, my name is Kara and I am a sucker for the singing greeting cards." There I admit it. I am one of those people that Hallmark laughs at as I spend $7.00 on a greeting card. But, when you care enough to send the very best....

Last week I was in search of a Mother's Day card, and while in the card aisle at the local grocery store I was drawn, of course, to the singing ones. I picked up several that were cute, would have worked, but weren't quite right. Then I picked up one that you could record a message in, and it played You're the Inspiration by Chicago. I have a great appreciation for Chicago thanks to my Mom. It made me tear up and I knew it was the perfect card.

I was a little behind so the card didn't go out until Wednesday via UPS. Of course it then didn't arrive until today. Fortunately my Mom is easy going about that kind of stuff. Like a good daughter I called her yesterday and let her know she should be getting a package today. She called me when it came and said it made her cry. Just as I suspected. :)

I love my Mom! She's amazing! This is not the last I have to say about her!

Glass Box of Emotion

Yeah, so I have no idea what is wrong with me today, but I have been on the verge of tears all day. Truth be told I actually shed a few this morning. Nothing upsetting has happened. I got an average amount of sleep last night. There's really no reason for this. No, I'm not PMSing... there should be no abnormally raging hormones causing my current emotional state. Hence the "Glass Box of Emotion." I'm in it, and I don't know how. I can see out, but there's no door. Boo!

There are things on my mind, things I'm weighing and contemplating, but no more than normal. And none seemingly stressful enough to provoke tears.

Amanda and I were going to go for a nice long walk, but I hear thunder so ... I may have to go home and dance away my blues. With a workout video of course...