I was wondering about past experiences. Where do you put them? I mean I'm a pack rat sooooo bad! I keep napkins, and coaster and all kinds of stuff. But experience, I'd be curious to see my neurological "filing cabinet" so to speak. You'd see all the things you've learned over the process of life. First, there's those little, misc. things like which fork is for what and how to make that AWESOME shade of burgundy with those five colors of lipstick! And then you'd see all the spiritual things you've learned. I picture a ROOM full of gold nuggets...a few bars...each signifying a truth or a quote, or an analogy that really spoke volumes to you. Next is your people cabinet....the people who have made an impact on our lives. For instance, (I love telling this story!) when I was at the lowest point in my younger days...you all know it, it's where you "experiment" with freedom...I was working at a Baptist Encampment...the one we are going to on the retreat. Well, it was a bad day. BAD day. I was sweeping the dining hall bawling, crying so hard. That week was Royal Rangers week and there was an emphasis on Missions and an old couple came from Bryan to talk. They were retired and I really didn't pay them much mind. But that day, the Burts would change my life. Well, back to me crying. All of the sudden, I looked up and there was the older lady, Mary Burt. She hugged me...and you know when your crying that only makes it worse! But she hugged me and held me and quoted Psalms 57:1 (read it for yourself....repeatedly and let it speak to you) in the most passionate tone. It's like she was there, under his wing....she lived that scripture, it wasn't just one on her weekly memorization list. With that verse, God spoke peace through her into my chaotic life, not just that day, but to all the things I was dealing with, battling with. Awesome, I'll never forget her, or her words. Okay, finish wiping your eyes and let's look around some more. Here it is, that one....way in the back....dusty and almost abandoned black cabinet. Your bad experiences....tried to forget those huh? Think you have them well hidden don't you? Under control, you say. Well what you don't know is that by locking them up, you've made a fatal error...your full. Now that cabinet leaks. It leaks into your personality and molds the way you feel and the way you act and the way you live. You draw out of all those other cabinets, because they are easily accessed, so they don't get full. But this particular cabinet you don't reach for so easily. Why? I bet that it sticks doesn't it....and when you finally get it open it pops you in the shin, or in the face, doesn't it? That has to hurt.....but that's no excuse. There are things in there you need to use. And if you don't, look what happens.....stains that beautiful Berber carpet someone paid SO much for. So next time you face something, don't go for the easy cabinet and get an answer that's okay, but not the best....pull from that one in the back...I bet there you will find what you need...and it will minister more that all the others
~Alanna
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"...It's all about you, all about you Jesus..."
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