Happy Girl

"The WEATHER? You two talked about ... the weather??"
My friend stared at me in disbelief.

"Well ... what else were we supposed to talk about?? We were both uncomfortable. and It was obvious. It was like we wanted to talk about something but didn't know what to talk about."

"But ... the WEATHER, Lo?"

"Yeah. He asked how the weather was and I said it was 'pretty' out."

"Humph. You should've said something like, 'it's raining IN MY HEART, FOO!"

And then we both collapsed laughing.
She was right ... It WAS raining in my heart when I was talking to this person. And small talk definitely wasn't doing anything to help it!

For a long time, I had been at conflict with someone in my life, and every time we started to "resolve" things, I seemed to get hurt again. Every time the sun started coming out, and the clouds started disappearing, an UN-natural disaster would happen and the cycle of precipitation would start all over again. The rain would come with a fresh burst over my already depressed self. It's like I couldn't get out of it ... Couldn't pick myself up and dust myself off. I couldn't ...

get over it, already!

It wasn't that simple. At least, for me.
It's not that I wasn't trying to. I did try to "get over things". But I was doing so in my own strength - I was trying to overcome the hurt by telling myself "Hey, I'm a strong person, I can feel OK if I want to!"
Eh. Not really. I'd collapse again in a day or two.

There's a song that I really like ... and it's been stuck in my head for the past couple days. It's a country song, so all you anti-hick people, you're... losers. :P The lyrics say,

I used to live in a darkened room Had a face of stone And a heart of gloom
Lost my hope, I was so far gone
Cryin all my tears With the curtains drawn

Now everytime i start to feel like that... I roll my heart out like a welcome mat.
Oh watch me go, I'm a happy girl Everybody knows
That the sweetest thing that you'll ever see In the whole wide world Is a happy girl.

I'm writing this post for a friend of mine. She's been through Hell and back these past few days... So, I hope that whatever craziness I write herein, it might be of some help to her. But in all honesty - this is for anyone who just can't see OUT. You feel trapped. Talking about the weather. Talking about absolutely inconsequential things, wondering if anyone will ever care enough to ask the hard questions. I get it, totally. =)

I really encourage you to radically run away from the darkness that tempts you to close up and hide. Realize that there is so much more to life than the drama you're dealing with. Easier said than done, right? ;) Yep. But I finally put my foot down, and I'm so glad I did.

A few days ago I was watching soul surfer with one of my closest friends. There's this SUPER DUPER corny part in it with Carrie Underwood acting as the youth group leader. My friend and I kinda poked fun at her when this part in the movie came up, I admit. But she made a really good point. Go ahead and watch the clip, now:



Pretty corny, right? ;) Told you.
Anyways.
Regardless of the acting, I love her illustration. When we're up close to something, we can't always tell what it is in the big picture. But when we take a step back, WOAH, it suddenly makes sense.

I challenge my readers to apply this to whatever they may be dealing with, today. When I take a step back, I am so relieved. I feel a huge burden lifted from my shoulders, and suddenly, its about the FUTURE, not the past. "My chains are gone, I've been set free." I was able to step out of a painful friendship, and move on with life.

From this realization springs joy everlasting. I can relish in the goodness of Christ, my savior, and the blessed life that I've been given. I can see the pain as a blessing, the tears as medicine, the trials as a welcome test. Everything falls into place.

See the big picture, and become a happy girl. (Unless your a guy. Then you should really consider finding another theme song.)

~His Daughter