NORMAL? NO WAY!!!

Being normal seems to be our goal: We want to be a normal parent, wife, citizen. BUT - Have you ever seriously looked at the meaning of normal?

• Regular
• Staying with the general standard
• Conforming with
• Accepted standard
• Corresponding to the median or average of a large group

Have you looked at the synonyms for normal?

• Garden variety
• Ordinary
• Routine
• Standard issue
• Usual

Do you really want to be normal?

I have never been accused of being normal. Growing up I swore I was left on the front steps because I was/am very different from my brother and sisters. I did not conform to the accepted standard of our family. Yes, that did cause a few problems but I think they got over it.

I never fit in during high school either. Somewhere along the line I decided I loved to learn but I hated playing the “act this way to be a part of the accepted group” game.

I was never the normal parent either. I told the kids no and expected them to do their chores/homework without arguing or being told repeatedly. And I did not cry when they went off to college.

Nope, I have never been accused of being normal and that makes me absolutely ecstatic.

Have you ever looked up the antonyms - that’s a 50¢ word for opposite - for normal?

• Abnormal
• Exceptional
• Extraordinary
• Odd
• Out-of-the-way
• Strange
• Unusual

Normal? NO WAY!

You know what - I am MARY! And Mary does not want to be normal! I want to be exceptional! Extraordinary! Besides, I have no trouble with the other antonyms because I am proudly odd, strange and unusual.

God does not want us to be normal either. God created us for great things. God did not say, “Hi Adam and Eve. You are just normal, garden variety, standard issue humans.”

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 1:27, part of 28

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Do you consider yourself normal? Is that good or just safe? Would you rather be part of the median or average of a large group? Or are you willing to throw off the mantle of normal and strive for EXTRAORDINARY and EXCEPTIONAL?

Take time to talk with God about this and then go forth and be odd, strange and unusual!

THE PITY TRAIN

Breaking News: The Pity Train has just derailed at the intersection of Suck It Up & Move It On and crashed into We All Have Problems, before coming to a complete stop at Get the Heck Over It. Any complaints about how we operate can be forwarded to 1-800-waa-aaah, with Dr. Sniffle Reporting LIVE from Quitchur Whinin'. Suck it up princess!!

I’m not sure where the above came from, but - now be honest - haven’t you wanted to tell someone this? I have told my grandkids “Suck it up. Don’t want to hear it.”

And anyone over the age of 30 or any parent has said, “You think you have it bad? Let me tell you about …..”

SCRIPTURES

After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. He said: “May the day of my birth perish, and the night it was said, ‘A boy is born!’ That day -- may it turn to darkness; may God above not care about it; may no light shine upon it. Job 3:1-4

Job was having a bit of a rough time. Lost his family. His property. And his friends were being no help whatsoever. Yup, Job was on a pity train.

I love these next verses from Job and have used them before. I can just picture God looking down at Job, with a twinkle in his eyes and wrathful indignation in his voice, as he says,

“Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I…. Job 38:1-4

THE PITY TRAIN

God sent me one of these Suck it up moments a couple of weeks ago.

My heel hurt. Each step was like someone driving a nail deeper and deeper. Tylenol wasn’t touching it. I tried different shoes. Still hurt. I tried slippers. Still hurt.

“Oh, come on Lord! We are going on vacation in a week or so. How can I go enjoy myself with my foot hurting? Give me a break!”

Yup. The pity train was moving down the track at full speed as I went to water aerobics. Maybe being in the water would help. Know what? It did but not in the way I expected.

As we were exercising, I watched a man swimming in the other pool. Man could he stay under water a long time. Then, as I was being careful how I stepped on my sore heel, he got out of the water. He got out of the water with ---

He got out of the water with one leg.

And God, with a twinkle in his eyes and love in his heart, said, “Mary, how does your heel feel now?”

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Have you been on the pity train when something happened to make you realize how blessed you really are?

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

Lord, Just one request today. When I get on that ole “Poor Me” pity train, would you please yank me off? Thank you.    Amen