Got Half a Heart or a Whole One? Hmm?

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--so your poverty will come as a robber, and your want as an armed man."   ... Proverbs 24:33,34


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So last Autumn Tom bought that new looks-like-a-mean-hornet car using our checking account rather than one he'd intended to and ol' Debra, in a rather passive-aggressive way, went ballistic. (Perhaps you noticed.)

It's difficult to explain, but suddenly I felt all que sera sera, hang my head-ish and just floated along in shh! Secret self-pity. 

Uh-oh.

I began letting some things go, like, er, myself. I would have let the house go except that it's deep in my nature not to, lest clutter and dust really knock me into Crazy Places. 

Yet soon, verses like those, above, haunted, taunted and convicted me. I saw how--for longer than lately, actually--I'd allowed my wardrobe to go all out-of-style-hit-and-miss-boring-basic. My teeth were yellowing and I'd not done my back exercises in ages. And because I'd hit a redecorating-our-small-house roadblock, I'd, in my spirit, given-up (and felt only a new house could fix my angst).

Suddenly those verses, for me, read more like this --

A little barely-there effort, a little thought across the board of your life--so your poverty of spirit will come as a robber, etc." --

Eventually God and Grace (not for the first time) whisked me on a journey out of my mediocrity. They provided unction and encouragement and inspiration in odd places like this line from my orange vintage copy of Live Alone and Like It --

"Whatever you decide on, don't do it half-heartedly." 

Yes! That was my problem. The dreaded half-heartedlies. Gulp. And just where in the Bible are the "It's ok, just do barely enough" verses? (Don't search. They're nowhere.) No, instead you'll find "use your whole heart verses" like these 39 here.

Well, God and Grace kept nudging, so I read my 'dressing yourself for dummies' books then updated my wardrobe, bought shirts, shoes, scarves and bracelets, even. And when a friend of a friend at Facebook sold natural whitening toothpaste, I bought some and am enjoying the results. And you saw the nearly-free Simply Fit board (at least it gets me moving, albeit awkwardly) and I'm doing back exercises and walking when it's not sultry-boiling out there (which seems hardly ever). They're also encouraging me that yes! Even in this small house I can still be creative and if I'm not? It's my own darn fault for lack of trying/focusing/searching for ideas.

And the list goes on.

Today's lesson? Vigorously avoid being half-hearted and lazy (there's needing to rest, but there's also remaining slug-like after God says, "Get up, for goodness sake!").

Like I'm still learning, following Grace whole-heartedly adds color and cool challenges and makes an old, tired world appear new. Yes, even in 2017.

On the whole-hearted track you see and do things you'd never have seen or done on the half-hearted one. It just works that way--on purpose.


We are meant to do tough things. We have a big God inside us who constantly waits for us to receive His help.


"Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans."   ... Colossians 3:23

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A special thanks to all who participated in my 13th Blogiversary drawing! I had fun drawing names from the old brown felt hat and the two winners have been notified. Thank-you also for your kind, encouraging comments which blessed me and let me know what I write means something to you.


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Oh wow. The John C. Maxwell is now following me on Twitter! Talk about feeling honored...

He is one inspirational guy, indeed. For decades I've been unable to read more than a paragraph of his before I must jump up and do something meaningful.


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Speaking of clothes... This arrived this afternoon and I'm in love (well...)--

It's from Walmart and was technically listed as pajamas/a robe, but the reviewers said, "Forget the robe stuff--it looks awesome as a go-anywhere blazer/jacket!" And it does. Wow. And for only $7.50.

Just thought I'd mention it. (It runs a tad large, being pj's and all, I suppose, so I'm glad I ordered a size smaller.)


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Or lastly------ We can get mad or we can get busy.


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