don't compare...

It's come up rather a lot lately.. 
with a variety of people
in a variety of circumstances..
so I just thought I would clarify
something simple about me...
I don't compare
I don't like being compared to…
I don't care if your house is bigger or smaller
if you have more kids.. or less kids
if you have a huge bank account or are dirt broke
if you live in a dung mud hut or a mansion
If your home is cleaner or if it is messier
if you are healthier or sicker than me
if your kids have special needs OR if your kids are just have regular needs
if you have 80 kids or no kids at all
I don't care if you use electricity or if you choose NOT to
I don't care if you eat gluten or don't
I don't care if bake your bread or you buy your bread,
if you are a vegan or a meat eater
I don't care if you seem MORE blessed
or feel more burdened…
i will love you WHERE EVER you are at
in the midst of what EVER you are going through
because I am called to.
and if you are reading this,
then I call you, my friend…
when you don't do the same for me
when those comparisons keep getting made
it really causes me pause.
just saying

peace and love 
hugs and kisses
ho ho ho
and all that jazz

EDIT to Original Post (2 days after original posting)

This little Post sparked some interesting discussions on Facebook.. and in some of my circles of non virtual life… Any of you who know me even a teeny little bit, know I enjoy deep, rich conversations as much as I enjoy deep dark chocolate.  I tend to write with a poetic slant.. It's how I speak as well.  I write my world with rosy glasses. .because it's how I see it..

 If I haven't been writing in a while.. there are very few reasons… 

either

I am very ill

I am very very busy

or I am struggling to find my rosy glasses…

Today a friend wrote THIS note on one of my FB walls.. and I just HAD to share.. because she entered my little world, and saw what I was trying so hard to explain to others that I see… It felt like a huge hug… it was ESPECIALLY precious to me, because she is a new friend, but I ought not be surprised at all. for she is my sister in Christ Jesus.. and that.. that often makes all the difference…  hope you enjoy it as much as I did

Anika, as I was doing my Bible study today, I came across this quote written by Tozer. I thought of you because of your posts on comparison. I thought it was absolutely beautiful.

A.W. Tozer wrote this powerful piece rebuking the attitude of competition that is common among those in the ministry: "Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is not in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the cross and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self judgment and actually underestimate myself I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase." (The Price of Neglect, 104-105)

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  Anika i don't have words enough to thank you.. my heart and my tears weep with a thankful heart at your understanding of my heart.. This is SO very very lovely.. I will have to print it up to be able to dwell up on it.. In a culture that seems only to compete.. perhaps I am not alone in my desire to NOT compete, but to merely finish my race.. finish it well in Christ…for HIS glory… and so focused am I in the striving of that.. I can barely look about.. and when I do, I only have heart to help others, pick them up where they have fallen.. shout or whisper words that encourage.. use my heart and ears to listen to their story of success.. or agony of defeat… I have NOT the heart to compete… thank you dear friend .. thank you so very very much

  12 minutes ago · Like · 1

Life

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly"

John 10:10

He came that we may have LIFE

and have it more abundantly…

which can make one wonder..

more abundantly than? 

nope..

just MORE abundantly.

don't go comparing your berries to hers

your life to his

just know

HE came so you could have LIFE

and have it MORE 

abundantly

maybe your berry would have shriveled?

maybe it wouldn't even BE.

maybe it wouldn't be rich rosy RED

or wouldn't TASTE so vibrant..

whatever

it's so very much LIFE

and WOW in abundant flavor, color and abundance.

I get to do something wonderful sitting on my front porch..

I get to LOOK..

LISTEN

observe

and THINK..

I don't mean..

think about that math problem

I don't mean worry about this or that..

I mean think, the way the word 

PONDER implies..

I also get to PRAY

ponder & pray

listen and observe

WHAT have I observed?

life is delicate and beautiful

full of seasons and exciting things JUST ahead

that it is fragile beyond my wildest imaginings

that life is VIBRANT and striking in it's brilliance

no matter HOW short lived

and that it is WORTH the journey

worth the fight

worth the breath

worth the struggle

it just IS..

so no matter HOW hard the day may be

how hard the struggle ahead is

NEVER give up

NEVER quit

if you are going through hell

do what Winston Churchill said to do..

KEEP GOING

friends 

just keep going…

To quote the Great and Wise Winnie the Pooh

"Always Remember

you are Braver than you Believe

Stronger than you Seem

Smarter than you Think

and 

LOVED

more than you know"

This post is dedicated to Baby A

who is hospital fighting to live an abundant life

to his parents in the trial they have found themselves in

and

to Marilyn B.

a beautiful soul, wonderful friend, mother, wife, sister, daughter,

who is in surgery this very moment

receiving a new kidney..

and

 to the blessed soul who donated theirs.

and to EVERY fighter

LIVER of LIFE

but mostly

to the GIVER of LIFE

our 

LORD JESUS CHRIST

Hunting update

Some of our Hunters

got a bit MORE into the whole

idea of 

CAMO

than others

I love when we have hunting parties come to Blessings Farm

it means great stories

lots of laughter

lots of cooking

and superb meals..

and I … I forgot to take enough photos..

THAT said..

no deer were harvested YET

and thankfully no injuries either

but

PLENTY of food was eaten

PLENTY of good chat had

plenty of laughs

plenty of memories

many thanks to those beautiful souls who attended!

mostly muddy beginning

have I mentioned lately 

how much

puddle ducks

LOVE mud?

how they make it

if they can not find it…

well..

they will.

They'll sip and spit their water on the ground

till everything 

and I do mean EVERYTHING

is just

gross…

ducks..

are very 

very 

silly