when i looked at my pile of circles
they were various sizes and a little warped
because i hadn't known to use only
the first circle as the template
i had traced look-alikes
and ended up with a mess
how often
this is how i live life
looking away from the first
tracing the wrong circles -
other wives
other moms
other teachers
other words
but this drifting
leaves me
in
a
mess
so i strive to trace the first,
the one who is
before all things,
and in whom
all things hold together
what about you? do you find yourself following others first?
continuing to count his gifts to 1000 -
684. a found earring (in the dishwasher?!?!?!)
685. food, in abundance, from the garden
686. blackberry and rhubarb pie (pictured)
687. work for my son, hank
688. mom's courage
689. dad's wit
690. my girl's, the one i mentor, prayers
691. my husband's tender care
692. a house full of little privettes
linking with -
michelle for hear it monday, use it on sunday, ann for 1000 gifts, l.l. for on, in, and around mondays
joan for sharing his beauty, laura for playdates with god jen for soli deo gloria shanda for on your heart tuesdays and kat for titus 2 tuesdays
Good, good post, K.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I follow others first, but that's not some great character attribute. It's more becuase I act without taking time to think.
And as you know, I'm quite familiar with pouting.
Love you!
I'm not sure if I follow others first, but I definitely no I look back and compare. Which is not a good thing to do! Working on that. :)
ReplyDeleteMB
newlifesteward.com
This post is powerful, Kendal. I'll never figure out how you say so much in so few words. Sheer gift! Comparisons definitely wreck my joy. I love the idea of tracing the first circle. Wow!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I didn't look closely at your photo at first and thought it was a pizza. But now that I know it is blackberry and rhubarb pie I am inspired. We make pies in the summer at our cottage in Canada and have never tried that combination. And you say so much in so few words, that inspiring me too.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you should have made this point using circles. I just have a conversation with a friend about g+ (the social media) and how the circles are used. There is way to add circles to too. Say someone wanted was interested in poems, recipes or faith. You could make circles for all those things and share posts dealing with those areas of your life. So anyway, I was just contemplating what circles I have in my life. It's very interesting to think about!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for posting this on "Pay It Forward".
Yes, way too often. Great and simple words of insight, Kendal. Thanks so much for sharing them with all of us today! :)
ReplyDeleteThe first circle...I love what that metaphor evokes. Beautiful, my friend.
ReplyDeleteoh, the power of that first circle... thanks for sharing wisdom, Kendal :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYup, I'm a follower...and very unfortunately always of Him first. You make a powerful point here, Lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of the concept from a carpenter ... that of a plumb line. The plumb line must stay straight and always measure from it.
ReplyDeleteLove how you take the lesson and encompass the truth within, Kendal!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the application we can use from the F.B.I.. The way they train their officers to spot counterfeit money: they intently study legal bills and never focus on the myriad of ways to imitate.
Reminds me of a story my friend Jenne tells of her dad cutting wood to make spindles for their front porch. He cut each one using the previous spindle as the guide instead of going back to the first one. They of course grew gradually, imperceptibly smaller...until he held the last one up to the first one, and then the difference was vast.
ReplyDelete"That'll preach," he told Jenne. "Always go back to the original, Jenne," he said. "Always return to the source, the Word of God."