The Pinterest Perplexity

Lynn Blackburn — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:30:00 +0000

It can’t just be me.

Please say it isn’t just me.

I love Pinterest! I see the those little rectangles filled with beautifully staged food, artfully arranged mantles, adorably posed children, and I think…

How hard could it be?

Well, I have some homemade hand soap that feels like snot, a goofy looking Valentine’s Day door wreath, and some apples with a caramel filling that refused to stick to prove that just because something looks easy, it doesn’t mean it is.

My most recent Pinterest ~~disaster~~ ~~fiasco~~ experience?

A workout.

Now, I don’t claim to be fit, but I regularly make it through an hour-long Body Combat class and am able to walk to my car unassisted. So when I saw an at-home workout, I thought it might be a great thing to add to my repertoire for the days I can’t make it to the gym.

This particular workout had nine elements. It said to repeat it three times and it should take approximately 25 minutes.

Um. I don’t think so.

I thoroughly intended to do the whole thing three times. About 15 jumping jacks in, it occurred to me that this might be harder than I’d imagined.

When I finished the final element—a 60 second plank (which took me 2 minutes)—I collapsed on the mat with the sure knowledge that there was no way I would be repeating it once, much less twice.

Nothing is ever as easy as it looks.

You know that friend of yours who has it all together? The co-worker who is sailing through life? The Size 4 neighbor with the perfect children?

Don’t believe it.

Nothing is ever as easy as it looks.

I’m not sure why we look at the Pinterest version of the lives around us and assume the snapshots we are allowed to see tell the whole story.

Think about your own life. The hard stuff no one knows about. The health scare. The marriage that’s struggling. The kids that are wandering. The finances that are tighter than anyone suspects. The depression that’s closing in on your mind.

Why do we assume no one else is laboring under a heavy load?

Can I make a suggestion? This Valentine’s week, take some time to pray for the women who mean the most to you. Pray for their relationships, their health, their jobs, their families. Pray for discernment and pay attention to any prompts from the Holy Spirit.

Our real lives are not Pinterest boards.

Let’s quit acting like they are.

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When It’s OK to Play God

Lynn Blackburn — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 19:06:00 +0000

I have a PhD in faking it.

I can’t blame it on my upbringing, although being raised in the fishbowl of the Pastor’s family did help me hone my skills.

No. I think it’s more my nature. Regardless of the drama unfolding in my life, when it’s time to go to church, I paste on a smile and go about my business like nothing is wrong.

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to help someone who won’t even admit that there’s a problem?

I wonder if God watches me and rolls His eyes as I square my shoulders and face whatever comes—on my own. I wonder if He wishes I would just open up a little bit more. I wonder if He wants to comfort and encourage me, but I won’t let Him.

I think He got fed up with me recently and staged an intervention.

As I walked into church, a friend caught my eye. I nodded and said “Hi” and kept moving. (I was late after all). But as I turned away from signing a child into class, there she stood.

“You look like you need a hug.”

That’s all she said. She put her arm around me and squeezed. Then walked away.

It took me several seconds to recover. I needed a hug in the worst way, but goodness knows I wouldn’t have admitted to it.

I have no idea what she saw in my face that triggered her concern. My guess is that she saw exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted her to see. And then she responded to the nudge He sent her way.

And when she gave me that hug, it was as if the God of the Universe whispered in my ear, “I know this is hard. I see your pain. I’m still right here, and I’m still in control.”

As a general rule, playing God is a bad idea.

But this is the exception.

The next time you sense God saying, “Give her hug,” “Ask her if she’s OK,” “Tell her she looks nice in that dress,” “Say something kind about her kids” – do it!

Whether it’s directed at your neighbor, your sister, an acquaintance, or the cashier behind the register, God may want to use you to play Him in someone’s life. To be His arms. His voice. His messenger to one of His struggling children.

I have two challenges for you this week.

First, pay attention to the people around you. You don’t know the burdens someone is carrying. But God does. If the Holy Spirit gives you a nudge, say “Yes” to whatever it is.

The second challenge is this…if you’re struggling, ask God to put someone in your life who can help you carry the load. And if you find yourself on the receiving end of an unexpected hug, recognize it for what it is.

A little love note from your Father.

2 Chronicles 16:9a ~ For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.

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The Pinterest Perplexity

When It’s OK to Play God