A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. – Eleanor Roosevelt
2008 was a crazy year for me. A year that “turned up the heat” in my life. I’m six weeks into 2009, and have spent a bit of time reflecting on the past year.
If there’s anything I learned, it’s how incredibly strong and incredibly weak I am capable of being – both at the same time.
Looking back, I’m getting to know myself in a different way. I’m remembering and realizing things about myself that I wasn’t aware of before. And I’ve come to learn “who” I am in situations that I never expected to face. In some ways, I didn’t know I had it in me. In other ways, I thought I’d do better…
I’ve surprised myself, in good and bad ways.
Hi. My name is Mandy, and I’m still learning who I am… especially when life heats up.
What do you do when those moments strike? Those moments when you find yourself in hot water? Boiling in life? When the heat is turned up?
I am in one of those seasons right now….It has been encouraging and disappointing at the same time, but I am going to come out of this season stronger. Right now I am just trusting God, and trying to be obedient to what I know He wants me to do while waiting to see where He leads me next.
08 was difficult for me as well. personally and in ministry. i found that i ran to Jesus. i knew that i wouldn’t survive spiritually if i didn’t. it hasn’t been my response in the past, but this time it was and i am thankful because i know it is the only reason i made it through. 09 is so much better. i hope it is better for you too…
Depends….
honestly depends on my heart.
Sometimes I fail at this big time and need alot of grace.
But other times I am amazed HOW much God has changed me and dramatically altered my attitude.
I’m definately a tea bag Eleanor!!
Yep, I’m there, and i’d say i withdraw, reserve as much energy as possible for coping and staying sane. Im starting to think that last one is over-rated:)
hugs~
yeah, i’ll let you know in about two months how i handle it.
Become an ostrich and bury my head in the sand… honestly. Then I shake myself, scream, cry, pray, and lean on the promises of God, talk to friends and family and GET OVER IT!
Mandy, I love this post. It’s very transparent and I definitely resonate with what you wrote.
I love reading your blog!
Jordan: girl I can relate… LOVE the “get over it” idea!
Becky: HI!!!!!
Angela: I spoke to an old mentor today – she reassured me that God builds compassion in us by allowing us to go through difficult things… Then we are better equipped to minister to others.
Hi, My name is Debra, and I am still learning who I am…
Hi, my name is Nor. And I am still teaching a strange new world who I am…
I withdraw. I drive. I scream. I “sing” at the top of my lungs.
Then I come back and lean on the people who love me.
Marisa: I used to do SO many of those things. Especially the driving. And the withdrawing. My friends started calling it “caving” – that I’m having “cave time” alone. But, better to think that I was emotionally caving in on myself. I think that definition would be more accurate.
Honestly? I just keep walking. There is a degree of needing to keep things on an even keel in order to maintain any sort of physical stability, so now whether something is big or small it all gets the same reaction from me: just keep walking ahead. God will figure out what to do with the pieces that are left by the side of the road while I’m still walking.
YES. That is exactly what it is.
Sometimes I yell random profanities when Im super angry. It ends up making me laugh. But Im sure God doesnt find it funny. : )
Im working on thinking and praying before I respond instead of losing it and then picking up the pieces.
Just like Gitz said, put one foot in front of the other and keep walking.
Of course I do keep one eye open to make sure I am not walking off the deep end.
If we choose to experience life that means sometimes getting into hot water. It can’t be avoided.
With faith comes perseverance. Without faith it can be too easy to just give up.
Natural tendency : withdraw, look inward
Learned response : keep going, look upward
I cry.
Then I pray.
I pray and freak out and pray and freak out and pray and freak out…oh and I am doing laundry that whole time because we don’t have a dryer so we constantly have to have laundry going because it has to go on the line outside so laundry, freak out, pray, pray, laundry, pray, freak out, laundry, freak out, pray….ect. ect.
initially…i go numb. especially if its scolding hot. things i cant wrap my head around.
i think being faced with life changing decisions have been some of the most stressful (hot) situations we’ve been in.
health issues = what can you really do about that.
financial = in this day…i just throw my hands up and budget the snot out of us.
but decisions that involve the well being of others = siiiiigh…. thats hard. and so i pray. and then i pray some more. then i bounce things off others. i may even cry, usually out of frustration of not knowing the answer. then i recognize, at some point, how small my faith is. grrrr.
ok. on to a happy post now.
i loved journeying with you through last year.
and what do i do when those moments strike? i’ve been in one of those “moments” for a long time now… i withdraw. i cry. i cling. i try to hear.