Woe to you when all men speak well of you.
Luke 6:26
My husband gets embarrassed to even say the words. They feel unnatural and silly falling from his lips. But because of his great love for me, he tosses a mumbled request out the window...
"Uh can I get a venti caramel (what's the word again...oh yea) frappuccino. Uh, she wants it light, fat free, sugar free and all that stuff." He quickly punctuates the order with his low-maintenance drink, "Oh, and a tall coffee, bold and black."
The over-priced, specialty coffee shop brew doesn't hold the same allure for my husband as it does for me. He grinds the same beans, runs them through a similar coffee pot and each morning produces a near identical cup for pennies. I, however, can not get equivalent satisfaction at home. My pantry isn't stocked with flavorful syrup. My counter isn't adorned with a high-end blender. What I drink at home is a shadow of what I purchase for a price.
I argue with the girls on the way to church but pin a fake smile on just in time for the doors.
I teach a lesson on respecting your husband but make mine feel disrespected in the process with a story I share.
I purchase a spotless reputation but it's at a price. My real at-home brew doesn't come close to the high-dollar one I purchase with false perception. Yesterday we talked about praying bold brew. Today I want us to consider living bold brew. We can't just order a gratitude filled, grumble free life at a drive-thru window. We have to cultivate it one morning, one word, one choice at a time.
It may require organizing Saturday night to let Sunday morning breathe.
It might demand sacrificing a great story no matter how funny the punch line.
It will mean dressing up the cup of my heart with additives like morning whispers with God and afternoon thoughts of His wisdom.
Then maybe the next time someone notices our coffee shop faith, we can proudly tell them it was home brewed.
Do you ever feel yourself pulled to pretend in public? What's one change you could make today to align your home self with the public one?
Love this Shannon... and my hubby and I order almost exactly the same thing as you and yours. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny. We like y'all already!
DeleteGreat analogy lovely sister! Cultivating daily... along with you. We're bringing our Savior glory through our learning and embracing His grace. ~ Blessings out to you, Amy :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy. I so appreciate all the tweet love today!
DeleteHi Shannon,
ReplyDeleteVery good post, and it was a great analogy.
I don't know if putting a smile on your face is really phony or just who you really are. I heard a great teaching on that once. The guy said maybe you are in a bad mood or just down yourself and you see someone who is really distressed and depressed and you think I really need to go over there and talk to them, but I don't FEEL like it cause I am not feeling very spiritual right now, but you force yourself to go over to that person and talk and pray with them, now were you being a hypocrit or just being who you really are........God's servant!
I remember one time that my Aunt called who is a prebeliever and
I was having a really down day, but she was in the middle of a move and was all by her lonesome and having a terrible time, the Lord told me to pray for her, and I didn't want to because of how I was feeling, but I felt so prompted by the spirit of God I finally said well, let me pray for you, and to me it seemed like the lamest prayer ever...............and she thanked me and got off the phone, and amazingly I felt lifted, then a few days later my Mom called and told me that my Aunt had called her and told her about my praying for her and that everything I had prayed for her had happened.............whoa........that set me back on my heels.
It's His works anyway, we are just the vessel,imperfect vessels at that.
Anyway, something to think about! Have a great evening hon,
Blessings Sweetie,
Nellie
Great thoughts!
DeleteI like this Shannon! This part really speaks to me today... We can't just order a gratitude filled, grumble free life at a drive-thru window. We have to cultivate it one morning, one word, one choice at a time. How true these words are!
ReplyDeleteBlessings...Chelle
Chelle! How are you? Don't you love it when God soaks some words into our hearts? :)
DeleteI love how the analogy takes off from a cup of coffee. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I love how God uses simple things to teach us big lessons. :)
DeleteI love the post too. Of course we want to be all that we present ourselves to be in public, and realizing that we are not always really is the first step to working on that home brew.
ReplyDeleteSo right you are, Rosey. :)
DeleteGreat post...I often feel like I have to pretend, especially when I'm talking to the parents of my students. I have to be the happy, upbeat teacher when sometimes I just feel like crying.
ReplyDeleteHeather, teachers have such a hard job. I so admire all you do and know it makes such a difference!
Deletegreat post
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pamela. You are so sweet. :)
DeleteAs you know, I was a mess yesterday... and still am today. I can't shake the emotions. Then, I got a hair cut. And the kids were there. When she asked, "How are you?" I was actually honest! I'm a mess -- a horrible mom today, yesterday and (sadly) tomorrow. I'm mad at the world. I know I'm grieving over my son leaving, but I just can't shake the emotions. I think I took her by surprise -- but she looks up to me as a mom who does it all well. I certainly can't perpetuate that lie. I fail too. And maybe, being honest like a strong cup of coffee, she will realize that parenting and bad days sometimes happen. If they didn't, we wouldn't need Jesus. XO my friend.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that true? Where would we be without His grace and mercy?
DeleteAwesome post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pamela. Your visit is a heavenly treat! :)
DeleteLoved this reminder to live a consistent life... in private and in public. Integrity is doing things even when no one else sees it. There are times my public person isn't the same as my private person. I think staying connected is key, but I also think being willing to share authentically (not feeling like you have to be "perfect") is also important. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteYes, sharing authentically from our hearts breaks down those barriers and smashes those false perceptions. Love it!
DeleteThe idea of being authentic and consistent in public and private has been much on my heart for years now. I lived too many years wearing a great big mask, trying to hide some things that were seriously wrong inside. I thank God that He set me free from those things that I had been hiding, and taught me that the people who matter most will love me more when I am being genuine. Of course, this doesn't mean we should hang every bit of our dirty laundry out every day for all to see. Better yet...do the laundry. :)
ReplyDeletelol, that laundry gets us every time doesn't it? :) Love the victory you are feeling! God's healing power is awesome, huh?
DeleteShannon, You are an amazing, gifted, creative writer. You were certainly meant to write - keep up the great work!! Blessings to you and THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteAshley, your kind encouragement is a sweet drop in the cup of my heart today. Thank you so much.
DeleteI find that I'm more authentic on my blog than I am in real life situations. I think it's common (as women) to put on the face of perfection when around other women. Why is that? Why do we feel the need to impress another woman? As if our identity is determined by how other women view us? I say us...but maybe it's just me. Lol! There's something intimidating about being face to face with someone. Having to face their facial expressions and wonder "are they judging me?" Where as blogging is not face to face, but rather more heart to heart. I'll never know what others truly think (online), unless they're bold enough to write it in their comments. So it seems less threatening.
ReplyDeleteRosann, you're right the computer screen can embolden us. What we need is a double dose of His courage so we can carry that same authenticity out from behind it. :)
DeleteFirst, let me say, I have a few recipes that would rival Starsucks even for a frapuccino so I am going to send them your way. Second, what a great analogy on the little ways we contradict ourselves, the little hypocritical ways we live a less than authentic life and even more fabulous, the corrections you give! Awesome Shannon. THIS is why I keep coming back!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I'm so excited. Thank you in advance for the recipes!
DeleteGreat post and so true. I think we all put on different faces for different situations. Interesting to think about.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, so thankful for VB and the authenticity we share there.
Delete