You Are Invited To Be Courageous. Say Yes!

     I am taking a class called "Formation Mentoring".  It's really more like a group.  In this weeks lesson we are invited to look at our "dispositions"(traits or characteristics).  Our "dispositions enable us to share our inner self to the world around us."  We are asked to list about five dispositions that we would like to have in our lives and then we are invited to do something that requires courage.  We are invited to ask people who are close to us to share with us "traits" that they see in us.
      I decided to be courageous and ask my husband my son, and my daughter.  Why?  Because it is an opportunity for me to grow. Sure I can have the attitude that says, "It doesn't matter what anyone thinks or sees in me."  But that's not true.  It does matter.  Some unknown person once said, "A person's perception is their reality."  So I sent them all a text. I suppose I didn't want to hear what their reality was when we interacted.    The words that I received were eye opening.  All three said that I was "loving" and  two said I was"helpful" And then there were the ouch words, one said I was "demanding & and another one said that I was "judgmental".
    All four words became my invitation.   You might wonder why would "loving" and "helpful" be an invitation?  Sometimes as a wife and a mother I have times when I feel like I am doing a crappy job.  To know that my husband, daughter and son, all see me as loving and helpful will remind me that my perception of who they think I am is not my reality.  It was an invitation to say no to the pity party when I feel like I am doing a poor job as a wife and mother.  My family sees me as a loving and helpful  wife and mother.  Even when I think I am not doing such a good job.
     Then I had to look at the words "demanding" and "judgemental".  Those words come with a punch.  But what a blessing!  They are as much a blessing to me as "loving" and "helpful".  I don't want to be demanding and judgemental and I don't want to be perceived as demanding and judgemental so I have decided to accept the invitation to embrace being loving and helpful without being demanding and judgemental.  I know that with the power of the Holy Trinity that I will be able to do just that.
     What an amazing gift it was to be invited to be courageous enough to ask those who spend the most time with me,  "What is your experience with me when we are together?"
     So my friend, since you are reading this blog. could God be inviting you to do the same thing?  Ask your husband, wife, children, mother, father, sisters, brothers, closest friends, etc., that question, "What is your experience with me when we are together?"  It's an invitation worth saying yes to.

You are cordially invited to find out what other people see in you.