When I read all about the Caucus-Race and a Long Tail yesterday, I totally didn’t get it but today, when I reread it, I legit LOL’d. Alice and a bunch of animals (that literally came out of nowhere) were all wet and miserable from swimming in her lake of tears and when they finally reached the shore, they really wanted to get dry. So when the Mouse said, “This is the driest thing I know” and started reciting words that had to have come from the boring-est history book of all time, they all expected to dry right up. Only they quickly found out that that didn’t, in fact, work at all. HA! 

The preposterousness makes us shake our heads and giggle, but there is an interesting upside-down-turns-right side-up here, too. We so easily connect all the wrong dots sometimes, don’t we? The assumptions we make…the conclusions we draw…the wrong effects with the right causes or vis versa…problems and solutions mismatched. . .Our assumptions, conclusions and cause/effect predictions all come from our personal filters and man, are we quick to react from that place – so often short-sighted and narrow-minded. What I keep learning about in my life as a counselor, coach, wife, mom and survivor is that I do MUCH better when I hit, what I’m going to call from now on, the Upside-Down Button.

Hitting that pause button means: 

“SLOW DOWN” (cuz we tend to go fast)
“LISTEN FIRST, THINK NEXT, TALK LAST” (cuz we tend to talk first)
“I ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO LEARN” (cuz we tend to think we know it all)
“NOT ALL IS AS IT SEEMS” (cuz we tend to jump to conclusions) 
“I MIGHT BE WRONG” (cuz we tend to think we’re right)
“I MIGHT ALSO BE RIGHT” (cuz we might actually be right)
“GRACE” (cuz we’re not good at grace)
“LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD” (cuz we tend to pedestal-ize ourselves)
“BE GENUINE” (cuz we tend to live in masks)
“YOUR WORDS AND BEHAVIORS MATTER. CHOOSE WISELY.” (cuz we tend to knee-jerk react first and say sorry later)

The Mouse was convinced that its solution matched the problem, but it was so way off base (not to mention he got all sorts of offended and miffed when his solution didn’t work). He needed an Upside-Down Button for sure. There is no doubt in my mind that there are times I am good company for the Mouse…reacting and intending but not being on purpose. And quite similarly, there are times that I am on the receiving end of many a stubborn and disconnected Mouse. Oh that we would all get better at hitting that Upside-Down Button! We might think that it is too much to remember. Too much effort. Too much time. But maybe that is part of the problem? 

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The 11th Night Before :: May 6, 2018

11 of 18 Chemo tomorrow. . . . and the night before is always wretched.

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Funk. Pain. Gratitude :: May 6, 2019

I am in. A. M A J O R. Funk. And in a crap-ton of pain.

I’m just glad I’ve learned how to hold the ick at the same time as the gratitude. 
I’m grateful for a great surgeon. And great nurses. 
I’m grateful for treatment that has kept me alive. 
I’m grateful my husband is home safe and sound. 
I’m grateful my kids are strong and resilient. 
I’m grateful for my mom and dad and all that they are to me. 
I’m grateful for my family and friends who support me. 
I’m grateful for the Lord’s provision and sovereignty. 

And as hard as it is, I’m grateful for my story. If I focus on what I’m grateful for, maybe the funk will lessen. 

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