Friday, January 22, 2010

It's all a matter of perspective

PERSPECTIVE: the interrelation in which a subject or it's parts are mentally viewed : Point of view: the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.

What the caterpillar calls the end, the butterfly calls the beginning.

 I was challenged today to look at things in a different perspective. My husband was in a rush and he was missing something.... some papers got dumped onto the kitchen table and never were returned to their proper place... the recycling box. In the mean time... my girls had a little fun with the scissors before he left for the Motor cycle show and shredded a few bank slips . A few minutes later, one girl was rushed off to The Rock Wall for a 2 hour lesson and I, with the other girl took the dog for a nice long walk. RenĂ© said he wasn't coming home for dinner, so I took the girls to Wendy's for a hamburger afterwards. Then we played some games... watched a Cosby Show (rented from the library) then they were off to bed. I had just sat down to write this blog when RenĂ© came home. The mess was still all over the Kitchen table.
I was meaning to clean it up... I got side tracked.
"You didn't clean this up with the girls?" he said, "I can't believe it's still here!" he ranted, "How difficult is it to ask the girls to help you clean this up!" He continued. I was laughing... He got more upset. I could have gotten upset with him for thinking it was my mess to clean up. I could have yelled back, "You and the girls made the mess... I didn't! You should have cleaned it up before you left!" but I didn't... He thought it was my fault... I thought it was his. Perspective. Perspective is what gets us into trouble.... sometimes... it causes wars... it causes divorce... it's what separates us from one and other.

I'd like to share a story I wrote a few years ago for a creative writing assignment. It's in 4 parts... 4 different view points of a single moment in time. It's called "The Kiss".

Adults view:
"The girls just went upstairs." Joe smiled seductively at his wife. He nudged her ear and whispered. "Let's do some laundry?" It was his favourite term for a quick make out session. Linda laughed at her amorous husband.
"I don't think so!" she smiled up at him, the will was there... but.... "The house is full of kids and my mother will be here any minute. I promised to take her shopping." She put her arms around her husbands broad shoulders then gently kissed him. The moment their lips met she knew she would not be released quickly. Their kiss grew deeper. Shivers of pleasure washed over her and she was amazed that after 15 years of marriage he could still make her feel this way. Then, they're son walked in.

Girls view:
"What are you're parents doing?" Samantha asked her friend Laura.
"They're just kissing." Laura replied, "They always do that kind of stuff."
"EEEEWWWW! I never see my parents kissing." Samantha muttered then Laura's older brother walked in, "Let get out of here before Dillon sees us. "You want to play Barbies?"
"Okay." They ran up to Laura's room and pulled the barbie house from underneath a pile of dirty clothes and began to play house. It wasn't long before Ken was holding Barbie tightly in his arms.

Teenage son's view:
"What are you doing?" Dillon said as he entered the kitchen. His Mom and Dad were making out up against the stove. "Aren't you guys too old for that?" He opened the fridge door and grabbed an ice cold can of coke from the bottom shelf trying to ignore his parents.
"You're never too old to give a beautiful woman a kiss." then his dad smiled at him and winked.
Dillon rolled his eyes, shook his head and walked out of the kitchen in disgust.
As he walked back to his room.... he began to think about Sara. He began to think what it would be like to kiss her and his heart beat faster. She was the most beautiful girl at school. Long blonde hair, beautiful big green eyes and her smile was just amazing! He flopped down onto his bed... put the coke can down... picked up the phone and began to dial her number.

Grandma's view:
"There's never any spots close to their house." Elsie muttered as she parked her car at the end of the street. She was looking forward to the shopping expedition with her daughter. They hadn't seen each other in weeks, due to both their busy schedules. She closed the car door and began the small hike up to the front door.
"I feel like I'm climbing Mount Everest!" she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Two kids raced past her up the hill. For a moment, only a moment she wished she was young again.
"Almost there", she huffed as she pasted the kitchen window. "What?" she stopped abruptly and laughed out loud. Her daughter and son-in-law were in a passionate embrace.
"I remember faintly when these lips felt the heat of passion." she thought and smiled as she gently touched her lips. "Now, all I feel is the heat of my latest cold sore."

Perspective.... it's an interesting thing? Don't you agree?

I read somewhere that the Bible is the #1 selling book in the entire world. If so many people are reading it... why is there a war in Afghanistan? Why is there hatred in the world? Why is peace so far away? Are they using the books for toilet paper?

Ah! Perspective....

If I am sitting in a public place reading my Bible around an unbeliever... I am certain he or she would be thinking that I am a foolish woman for believing in God. I know they would be thinking that... because I was once an unbeliever and thought that Krista was nuts. I still think that... but for different reasons now (insert smiley face here).

Jeremiah 23:23:24
"I am a God who is near," says the Lord.
"I am also a God who is far away. No one can hide where I cannot see him," says the Lord. 
"I fill all of heaven and earth." says the Lord.


How can we as mere mortals reach a God who controls the universe? It's all in our perspective. It's in following the path of grace. It's in listening to the quiet place of our hearts... if we stop long enough to really listen... we can hear him in our heart... in our thoughts... through His word... or through the deeds of others around you.

Regardless of one's education, it is impossible to decide whether Christianity is true or false if you do not know what it is about.
Walter Hooper

So, pick up the Bible and start reading... apparently.... according to statistics... you have one on your book shelf.

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