There's must be something wrong deep inside my brain and psyche. I'm always signing myself up to do things, just to challenge myself to see if I can do it! Then, later, I'm always thinking to myself, "WHY DID I DO THIS?"
The first time I went to a zumba class, I just wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do it. The class started at 11:00 am. I hung in there and followed as best as I could (I'm not known for my coordination.) Around 11:55, the instructor played a slow song. I'm thinking "Thank you Jesus! I made it! This is the cool-down song. It's almost over. " Well, all of a sudden the "cool-down song" got faster and faster and I was doing double time and about to die! I gave the lady beside me a pained look. She said "You didn't know? This class lasts an hour and a half!"" I decided right there at that moment that I was going to do it if I died or not. I looked at the "gray-haired grannies" who were hanging in there and looking like they were having the time of their life. I looked at the women who were a lot bigger than me and they were working it! I said to myself "I don't care if they have to call 9-1-1. I don't care if they haul me out of here on a stretcher. I ain't giving up till either the class is over or me and all the grannies and big girls are dead!"
And I made it! Granted...by the end of the class, I walked out of there like a cowboy that had been riding his horse way too long and I had to hobble out of bed the next day. The point is...I made it. If I had been at home by myself, I never would have stuck it out that long. Just by having other people in there to challenge me...I kept at it. Now I go a couple of times a week and I LOVE IT!
I invited a guest speaker from my church to come home and eat Sunday lunch with me one day. A sweet, beautiful lady whom I love dearly...but who is also known for her grace, manners, and etiquette. I've been to her home. PERFECT. She holds tea parties and conducts workshops on etiquette and manners. As I was preparing the lunch before church that day, I thought to myself "What have I DONE? I just invited the Queen of Manners to eat at THE House of DYSFUNCTION???" I had never really invited guests over than weren't relatives or children coming for birthday parties and sleepovers. So, how did it go? Everything went well. (I did look over at my middle school aged son during the meal and see him cutting his meat with a spoon and fork. Maybe I need to sign him up for one of her workshops).
My positive experience with that lunch gave me the courage to really, really test myself. I started inviting all kinds of people over for lunch or dinner. Previous issues in my life had led me to believe that somehow I wouldn't be a good host or the food wouldn't be good or somehow it just wouldn't be good enough, at best it would be "okay" and people would "talk about me". I learned I had to stop listening to those thoughts and just do my best. I also learned that the challenge of having other people come to dinner or having other people in the Zumba class with me, really made me put my "best foot forward".
Proverbs 27:17 says as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Having other people around us to hold us accountable or to encourage us along really does make a difference. If you are struggling with an area in your life or specifically in your Christian walk, find someone to hold you accountable. It may not be your best friend...they may be the one encouraging you to make bad decisions! Thankfully, my own best friend is a wonderful accountability partner that I can tell anything! Whether its a diet or sticking to an exercise routine or sticking to your daily Bible reading, it helps to have someone working on the goal with you or at least checking in with you to see how you are coming on your goal. Start looking at your friends and ask yourself, "Are they helping me towards my goals? Are they encouraging me to improve and do my best? When I am around them, do I act according to my Christian values?"
In addition, we should all have people in our lives in which we are the one trying to help that person towards their goals, where we are the mentor and they are the "mentee". If you are doing that, make sure you still have strong Christians in your life to sharpen you! As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we are not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together" which means that we need to get together with other believers regularly in worship services.
So, am I over all my issues? What do you think? Would I be writing about it in my blog if I was over it? NO, of course I still have issues. I signed my house up to be on the Christmas parade of homes tour for a fundraiser. I called my best friend and said "I have just invited the whole town of Princeton to come to my house and look at my Christmas decorations! What have I done? You know every house on there is going to be a lot bigger than mine. What was I thinking??"
So, my friend, being the "Iron that sharpens iron" reminded me that this wasn't about the size of my house at all. She reminded me about the opportunity that this will be to give thanks to God about all he has done for me. She reminded me how I dedicated my house to the Lord and how I placed a Bible in its foundation (literally in the cement of the foundation). She reminded me how I anointed my house for ministry to others. (If you come on the tour, don't slip on the oil, cause I've anointed this house so much its practically greasy! LOL!) So, I calmed down and decided that she was right. So bring on the challenge!
Are you being "sharpened" and are you "sharpening" anyone else? Go find someone to be your sharpener!
(P.S. If you are one of those folks in the area that's always running marathons and half marathons...please, please, please don't sharpen me!) (Smile!)
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