HELP

I was thinking today about the word "help". What does it mean to ask for it, to need it, to give it. As I get older, I notice that I don't ask for help as much. I am teaching the meaning of it to my children--especially that if they need something or are struggling with something they should ask for assistance or help. So, why is it as adults we get stuck and forget or refuse to engage in the same advice. 

Maybe we (or me) struggle with something that we think no one can help us with. Or it's too small and insignificant. Are we robbing ourselves of the benefits of asking for and receiving help?  I love the story of Moses (in Exodus) where Moses' father-in-law steps in and tells him to ask for help.  His father-in-law saw that what he (Moses) was doing was overwhelming and  "... you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone."  Alone.... that's a good word. 

Self-reliance is overrated! Sure we need to be able to stand on our own two feet, etc., but when we begin to close ourselves off or think we can do it all on our own, we begin to dig ourselves a hole that is hard to get out of. That is where I am very thankful for those around me that I can ask for help.  My hope is that I give to others like those that give to me. The friend you can call at 2 o'clock in the morning, the shoulder you can cry on, the one who sees a need and helps you with it; I'm grateful for them. 

~Reggie

The 2AM blog

After at least a month of no writing on here, I find myself up at 2 o'clock in the morning and restless. Maybe it was the I-ordered-small-but-they-gave-me-medium ice latté late in the afternoon or the tall glass of  Paradise sun tea I had with dinner....and because it tasted so good, why not have another one with the late movie you stayed up to watch.  Did I mention that the movie was action packed and somewhat stressful??  So, here I am up in what should be good sleeping time Googling "caffeine hangover" and wondering if I'm getting too old and can't handle the stuff. :(

I will admit that I have missed blogging.  After all the self-imposed hoopla, it kind of fizzled out, but not for lack of wanting to blog. I think I got lost in the "what to blog about" part that it overshadowed the "just do it" part. Couple all that in with my unstructured, somewhat overwhelmed self and it just fell to the wayside.

So, what's next? I'm not exactly sure. There are moments when the light bulb goes off over my head and a great idea comes to mind. Maybe I should run with those..... There is one thought that keeps coming back to me and that is that life is short.  Yeah, it's a cliché, but it's starting to feel real.  At this point in life, I want to say, "Hey, can we slow down? I feel like I just got here and the party is half over!".  One thing is for sure, I don't want to live my life with regrets or fears. I want to live it to the full extent of what God created it/me for.

I think I have successfully wore myself out so that sleep should soon ensue.  I sure hope so....

~Reggie