Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Because this is usually better than that - Updated because I am a confusing type gal

This: When three different friends (well of course they are different because if not they would be three personalities of the same friend and I can only be friends with people who have two or less personalities) come up to you after listening to a lecture at Bible study and tell you that they thought of you often throughout the lesson and you thought of you also.

That: When the same three friends come up to you and say the same thing and you never for once thought of you.

Explanation:

Do you ever have those moments when you feel like the book, sermon, devotional, verse, movie, whatever was made just for you. You realize that it isn't but for some reason in that one moment you think that this is what you needed to read, hear, see. Last night I had that experience. I just KNEW that what I was hearing was exactly what I needed to hear, what my heart was yearning to have spoken to it, what was a balm to my soul, and was God's way of speaking truth to me in such a personal way but in a very public place. With great assurance, I listened and jotted notes as I listened and my heart pondered what was being spoken. Then afterward, I had three friends come up to me and say, "I thought of you during lecture . . . . . that everything being said was just what you needed to hear . . . . . would be an encouragement to you . . . . and is just what you were talking about earlier." This was such a great comfort to me, because my friends, who know my heart, knew that what was being taught was poignant for me.

In the reverse, there have been times, when exposed to any of the above mediums, I have left empty, ellusive of any connection, and felt like nothing touched my soul. And then other people have come to me and said, "I thought of you in that" and I begin to question if I missed something important, if I wasn't tuned to what I should have been, or if they knew so little about me that they made a connection that wasn't really there.

So that is why "this" is better than "that"

19 Comments:

Blogger Stephanie said...

What?!?!

hahahahaha

Are you pulling a "Jessica" right now?

1/11/2006 11:33 AM  
Blogger Greg said...

God must be trying to tell you something... most likely...

"That."

1/11/2006 11:46 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

well the good thing was that "this" was what happened and God was trying to tell me something, and low and behold I think I got it (at least I am on the road to getting it)

1/11/2006 11:51 AM  
Blogger Aim Claim said...

You, like Abram, are a women of great faith... patiently waiting to hear God's voice.

God is so patient with us... why is it so hard for us to be patient with Him? He has got great things planned, we just may not understand how or why what is coming is coming. (I sound like you)

1/11/2006 11:51 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

thanks Aimee, patience is something I think I lack, but if you see even a smidgen of it in me, then God is doing great works

1/11/2006 11:52 AM  
Blogger chirky said...

what? and you're not going to share the exact nature of 'this' and 'that' with all of us?

i feel deprived!

1/11/2006 12:59 PM  
Blogger Amstaff Mom said...

I'm with ya. It took me a moment, but I'm with ya now.

1/11/2006 1:41 PM  
Blogger Bill said...

I thought THAT THIS was better than THAT was; for THIS is the greater. And if THIS is going to be better than THAT then THIS has to work as hard as THAT....lol...are you with me or did I lose you already?

1/11/2006 2:27 PM  
Blogger Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

Have had those kind of sermons too Katie...though I don't ever recall anyone coming up to me after saying they thought of me during it.

1/11/2006 6:58 PM  
Blogger Tim said...

I have also listened to sermons, bible studies and even songs that felt like God was speaking to me in a very pesonal way - like that message was meant for my ears only.

smidgen- what a great word!!!

1/11/2006 8:58 PM  
Blogger bigwhitehat said...

Hold on! Let me tell you what confuses me. You are a school teacher, Si No? "mediums" Come on.

Just teasin'.

I'm glad you're blessed this way. Sometimes this feeling comes to folks who are mature enough to listen. They get the stuff that is for them instead of dismissing it with the extraneous.

1/12/2006 1:01 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

BWH - I'll take the teasin, but I come back fighting (but only play fighting)

medium - 1) : a channel or system of communication, information, or entertainment, plural is usually media but can be mediums

So we're both right, love it when it's called a draw

P.S. I work at a school but I don't teach (at least not anymore and that was a journalism class - which makes this specific word choice of mediums vs. media a bit ironic wouldn't you say)

1/12/2006 9:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, I guess not only you saw the "billboard", but others did too. I would say that since they went right up to you and told you about it....that would probably be the equivalent of God yelling it at you so that you finally GET IT. Lucky you. Some never GET IT or even sadder...don't want IT. O.K., so now tell me what the Bible study was about...

1/12/2006 9:57 AM  
Blogger Eddo said...

ugh. I am not a good friend KT. I stopped by your site the other day and I saw that looooong post and I thought I would come back to it and I didn't. I am a scatter-brained goober.

But I know what you mean by this post. I know EXACTLY what you mean.

1/12/2006 10:05 AM  
Blogger Katie said...

oh Eddo, that doesn't make you any less of a good friend, the best thing about blogs is that the post is there for infinity and beyond so you can always come back later when you are bored out of your mind (does that EVER happen to you?) and read my LONG post (heehee, I know I know almost all my posts are long, but you know me so you know that I'm a bit wordy and well long)

1/12/2006 10:10 AM  
Blogger Jenny said...

You're right! THIS is better than THAT... and I hate it when THAT happens, making me think I missed a precious THIS and as you said, I wasn't turned on or tuned in, so instead I got a crappy THAT.

:-)

Right on, girl!

1/12/2006 10:14 AM  
Blogger Crystal said...

Me, too. Sunday, during the sermon on forgiveness. It's like the pastor was talking to me. But my friend, Wendy, said he was talking to her. And Judi thought he was talking to her, etc. etc.

1/12/2006 12:11 PM  
Blogger Katie said...

sometimes I think God uses a sniper's rifle and other times an atomic bomb (look at me going all guy with the war/weapon examples)

1/12/2006 12:19 PM  
Blogger tonymyles said...

Wow... I really needed to read this.

But I could have done without hearing that.

1/12/2006 6:37 PM  

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