Imagine

Imagine...
Go...

Imagine.  When I was a kid, I had no trouble imagining.  Usually I was imagining being a princess or a school teacher or traveling all over the world.  In the swimming pool in the summer I was an olympic swimmer and balancing on the 2x4s as my Dad worked on some building project, I was an olympic gymnast.  I imagined all the way up until 7th grade, when my best friend and I had half the class imagining with us, as we were a rich family from Staten Island.  Those friends were my brothers and sisters and classmates, and we had no trouble imagining a better life..

And then somewhere along the way things changed.  Imagining wasn't nearly as possible because real words spoke louder than what was in my head, and words hurt. 

Middle school girls are mean, y'all... and they imagined that because I was shy and quiet, I thought I was better than them.  Or maybe at that age I did think that I was better than them.

And now when I imagine it is that someone thinks I'm not good enough or they are looking at me funny or thinking that I'm stupid.  I imagine that I don't fit in, and it paralyzes me in large crowds. 

Yesterday Caleb came to work with me and I watched as he taught in my classroom.  He had papers out on the desks, and had assigned grades. He pulled up information on the projector and taught a lesson. He was feeling it. 

And I used to be like that. 

Since when have I been so stifled in my way of thinking that I fail to imagine?  That I don't dare to dream?  That I settle for how it has always been?

Lord, help me see me as you do, and help me realize that I can do all things through Christ... and that You can do things exceedingly, abundantly, beyond anything I could ever imagine?

Joining up with Lisa Jo Baker at Five Minute Fridays as we imagine...