Headless Love

While walking from my car, through a parking lot, to art class recently, I was having an inner dialogue with God about how hard it is for me to stay focused. My brain tends to go in about 4 different directions at any given moment, and about what you may ask? Who knows.

This day was no exception. I was explaining to God about how I wish I wasn’t like that. How I wish I had better focus, especially during times of prayer or while reading a devotional. That’s when my mind really seems to wander.

It’s one of those what-I-want-to-do, I-don’t-do and what-I-don’t-want-to-do-I-do kind of the things that the Apostle Paul speaks of in the book of Romans. It’s annoying to say the least. Anywho, as I prattled on to God about how it feels to be easily distracted, I glanced down before stepping up onto a curb and something caught my eye.

A miniature plastic doll with a purple shirt and scuff marks everywhere including its naked bum (probably due to being stepped on by oblivious passer-byers) was face down in the gutter.

Normally, I would have been an oblivious passer-byer myself and wouldn’t have even thought twice about the tiny beat up toy, but I just had to stop and pick it up when I realized the doll lost its head. That’s right, I literally found a headless doll in the gutter while talking with God about my own distracted head.

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and say to God, Yep, this is exactly how it feels sometimes.

I strolled into art class a few moments later with the headless doll in my pocket and a big smile.

I am certain God brought my attention to the pint size headless toy to remind me not to worry so much. I may be easily distracted, but He sees me, He loves me and He fully gets me, no matter where my head is at.

  

One Word…Words

Of all the words to reflect on, the word “words” is one of the most significant.

Words are powerful.  One simple spoken word can encourage, lift-up, inspire, heal and bring hope.  While one careless spoken word can quickly teardown, dishearten, wound and cause great sadness. 

Words are powerful. Not just the words we say out loud to others, but also the words we quietly, subconsciously say to ourselves. 

Lost. Dumb. Boring. Hopeless. Unworthy. Fat.  What a waste of words to consume our thoughts.

How many times have we allowed negative words to take up space in our head, in our heart?  Or is that just me?   I have allowed negative words, negative self-talk to float around my mind without even realizing it until eventually a sense of grief settles over me.  That’s when it dawns on me that I’ve been wasting time by allowing the wrong kind of words, words that serve no purpose to clutter my thoughts for far too long.

Fortunately, it only takes a moment to turn our words around. Life. Health. Whole. Joy. Smart. Beautiful. Loved.

These are the kind of powerful words worth speaking, worth meditating on, worth flooding our own minds with and worth sharing with others.