"When your hair reaches your heart"

You know how some conversations stick with you, even if they took place a lifetime ago? Well, this is one of them. I was part of a Christian youth organization called YWAM and spent 6 months with them when I was about 18. I was picked up at the airport by a long-haired guy named Ed. I remember Ed telling us that one of the rules for the guys was that long hair was ok unless it "reached their heart". This meant both in the length of the hair as well as the importance or principle of it. How important was their long hair? What did it stand for? Was it a matter of rights? A matter of rebellion or making a statement? Or, just a matter of style and preference? How important was their long hair?

We can apply this principle to many other areas of our lives. Are we clinging to something out of pride, selfishness, rights? Are we hurting someone over something we are holding onto, or offending someone else? Is it really worth it? Have we gotten off center, even a tiny bit? It doesn't take much.

There's a lot of issues involved here. It's not really about the length of someone's hair! This involves submission to the stated rules. Submission and respect to those in authority over you. Without rules and guidelines, without a chain of authority, there is chaos and confusion. There is safety, peace, and order in defined expectations. There is safety in submission. Think of it as standing under a protective covering. Ed was standing under the protective covering of the guidelines. (He eventually did cut his hair) His hair did not define him.

I'm just wondering what we are holding onto. Are there things in our lives that maybe a spouse would like us to give up or cut out of our lives? I'm not talking about black & white sins, but other things. Rights we are demanding. Maybe it's an activity that we don't want to give up. Maybe it's a type of music, movies, books, or a place we like to go to that our spouse is upset about. We think he's being too controlling. Is it that important to us? Has "it" reached our heart? Maybe, just maybe the Lord is using your spouse to speak to you about this! All life is a test. The Lord tests us so we will know what's in our own hearts.

The Word of God is like a soul mirror. When we prayerfully read it, the Holy Spirit shows us either how we are aligning our lives to it, or how we have drifted. The Holy Spirit also uses others to point out our straying from the path. Just as quick and easy it is to get off center, it's takes no time at all to get back on track.

I could keep going but I think I made my point. What's in your heart?

Age!

I think I always wanted to be a different age than I was. Or, often I thought I was a different age! I would forget how old I was; that I was/am aging. When I was young, I wanted to be older. The older you got the more privileges you had. The more choices you were given, instead of the choices being made for you. Then, as I got older, and it was the younger ones' turn, I thought I was younger, but I wasn't anymore. I wish we could just stay a certain age. (I'm not sure what that age would be, though.) Nothing stays the same. Time doesn't stop for the living. We use to laugh how my dad seemed to want to hang out with the younger ones. He would refer to those who were his age as "old ducks"! He seems younger than his age. I find that I am more like him the older I get. I often think I'm the age of the one I'm with. One thing I absolutely hate is when I'm given a senior discount, even though I'm not old enough yet! It happened to me last week. I looked at the girl, who might have been a teenager, and thought it was best to just accept the discount than to argue about it! Now, I know this sounds silly and stupid. Who wouldn't want a discount? I just don't want to be old before my time! Besides, isn't the senior discount for 60 and older? I've got 5 years! But, listen to this! Just today when I took a new class at my gym, I realized I probably was the oldest in the class and I did pretty good! It was a boot camp class and it whoopped my butt, and, I did tell the teacher that I felt like I was going to throw up, and I did leave to go to the bathroom, but, I came back and finished strong! (and sweaty!) But, at the end of the class I introduced myself to the teacher and told her I was 55! That is a miracle for me to admit my age to a stranger! I felt proud that I finished the class. I know I did real-men push-ups, when a lot of them were doing girly ones! I pushed myself to do the max and not wimp out, as much as I could. So, I was proud of my age today! It felt weird, and good. So, this is a glimpse of who I am. Dealing with this aging thing. I'm a Nonnie to 7+ beautiful granddaughters! (Nonnie = grandmother) I say 7+ because I also claim my step-son's step-kids. (which one is a boy, actually, a young man). I am still in love with my man of 32 years! I am in love with my God! I am passionate about what He has to say to me. That He knows everything there is to know about me and He still loves me! That is amazing! Someone just told me that the number 5 stands for grace. Well, that fits perfectly! I was born in 1955 on the 5th day of March. (I just told you my age!) But, look at the fives! Three of them! Grace,grace,grace! I am overwhelmed with my God's grace. His bending the knee to grace me with His grace! My daughter told me they were going to name their youngest daughter's middle name after mine, which is Marie. I asked her if they would give her the middle name of Grace instead, and they did. So, this is my very first blog and it's about ageing, accepting your age, and grace. Stay tuned....