Just Imagine

Apparently, I have a very active imagination. I’m constantly creating, redesigning, reinventing, and repurposing things in my mind.  I struggle with the status quo. I’m always seeing the potential in what could be instead of resting in the peace of what is. I thought everyone was like that, until I met my husband. He has taught me that you can actually make chocolate chip pancakes for the grandkids and not have to make a smiley face on the pancake with the chocolate chips. The thought never crosses his mind to use the trunk of a dead tree to hang homemade birdhouses from. (See the picture above.) And he lasts about a minute with a crayon and a piece of paper. Most of the time, I really like the gift of my active imagination. It brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction.  I marvel at it sometimes. I do believe it’s a gift powered by the Holy Spirit. That is, when that gift is under control. There is a downside to this active imagination. I can use it to create unsubstantiated scenarios in my head. I can reinvent the truth of a situation. I can repurpose the motive behind someone’s words or actions. Before I know it, I am down a slippery slope into resentment, discontent, and anger. All of my own making. A new Lenten season begins in a couple days. I have been thinking about what I want to focus on this Lent. I have decided I’m going to be more aware of when my active imagination is out of whack. When I am assigning motives to people that are not true, when I’m being judgmental, when my self-pity or insecurity causes me to fabricate a truth. When my made-up stories prevent me from loving as I should. In those instances, I’m going to push the reset button and invite the Holy Spirit to take charge of my imagination. On second thought, maybe I should just give up chocolate for Lent. That sounds more doable. But so unimaginative. Joan I hope you can join us for our Firstfruits Lenten mini-retreat, Living Lent With Intention: Packing Your Bags to Prepare the Way. Click here for a description of the "Living Lent With Intention: Packing Your Bags to Prepare the Way" event. Click here to go to the Firstfruits Registration page. ...