Can You Dance in the Mud?

Can you Dance in the Mud?

Last night was one of those nights…

Dec. picts from Western NY

Dec. picts from Western NY

I attended a meeting and found myself wanting to scream and walk out vowing never to return. When was the last time you were in the presence of a person who rubs you the wrong way, sucks all your energy out of you, and then fills the chasm with negativism? That’s how I felt the other night.

I passionately wanted to point out the errors of thought and words—the lunacy—to point out how the comments were unfair, judgmental, and wrong (on many levels). The more this person talked, the more I wanted to distance myself. No, actually, I wanted to tell the person off and then leave with a commanding exit.

I didn’t. I stayed and went home angry, exhausted, and replaying the events of the evening. My internal remote was stuck on replay.

I’m sure some of you may think I should have told this person off, but I don’t believe that was the answer. It possibly would have made matters worse. The real problem wasn’t this person, but how I was handling the comments. I kept replaying the conversations and letting them bother me. My focus was on small things and letting them grow larger than they actually were. I was giving them power. I needed to lift my eyes- change my focus.

Scripture verses ran through my mind: don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, and we are to humbly live our lives trusting in Christ who loves us and gave himself for each of us. I needed to refocus .

150403ShanMegKay018I thought of my granddaughters playing in the  mud.

They reminded me that you can enjoy being wherever you are—even in the mud. Sometimes life is muddy. How you handle yourself in the mud speaks volumes to your character.

I think I’ll join my granddaughters in the mud. Care to join me?

Can you dance in the mud!

Helen