I Used To Think....

1. I used to think I'd never, ever be too busy, sick, tired, sad, happy, or overwhelmed to write.

2. I used to think that "a brother born for adversity" meant that brothers were a means of adversity in life. Sometimes--very rarely, I promise--I still think my first interpretation was the right one.

3. Speaking of siblings, I used to think that charming poem about "a little shadow, that goes in and out with me" had a little something to do with small siblings.

4. I used to think that verbal communication improved in proportion to the increasing size of the words employed. Then I got my first minimum wage job. I was shocked at the stares I received from coworkers in response to even the most elementary words like (I kid you not!) "elementary." Later, at another job a coworker who was soon afterwards promoted to a management position wildly guessed that "modulate" meant a style of music--a type of dance? He was confused because I asked someone to please "modulate" their rate of speech. Lesson learned? Perhaps. I did resist the incredible temptation to describe something as having a "soporific effect" the other day.

5. I used to think my performance at croquet and miniature golf was disgraceful. I still think so.

6. I used to think that when I grew up, keeping things neat would be second nature. I'm wavering in this conviction; I have yet to have a birthday alter my first nature, much less my second.

7. I used to think that Mom didn't know what I really did when I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing.

8. I used to think that God would be sanctifying me within a clear, definable pattern of increasingly holy steps of Christ likeness. Now I'm not sure how closely to my paradigm it really works since I seem to be faced with the same lessons over and over and over again. I'm hoping it's just that sanctification isn't very measurable from the earthly side of things.

9. That reminds me, I used to think God's direction would always look like a one way street with "wrong way" plastered over every other possible route. I've been coming to think that it's neither as simple to gain His direction as I used to think nor as hard as the "one right way" quirk in my brain wants to make it.

10. I used to think Algebra was hard. That was before I had bills to pay.

11. I used to think that my life's energy should be poured into "the best," in all of its applications and with all of its elusiveness. Now, I'd add four words..."that I can be."

HT: Amy