Feeling

I don't know why, but there is something to be said for having others share the same experience as we share. I mean, when I am joyful and something amazing has happened it's neat to have someone else that is experiencing that same joy with me.

For example, when the Lewis Co. Panthers win, it would not be quite as much fun without the other coaches' wives, fans, players, coaches, and parents there experiencing the same thrill.

Some of the Alabama fans out there know what I am talking about. That National Championship victory was celebrated together with others and it just made the victory that much sweeter.

On the other side of the coin, when my team loses it's comforting to know that folks are hurting with me and understand "how I feel." Just ask the Texas Longhorn fans.

I'm the first to admit that we cannot really ever know how another person is feeling or know exactly what they are going through. The old saying, "walk a mile in my shoes or moccasins" is not entirely possible. But, we do go through similar circumstances and as someone has said "we are all more alike than different"

The other day my friend facebooked me this very truth about Jesus that He "felt compassion." Yes, Jesus felt. He feels.

A few months ago one of my friends experienced a tragedy in her life. Something unexpected and unplanned. I remember one morning praying for my friend and while I was praying I just began to imagine the circumstance that happened to her and I tried in my imagination to "go there" and tried to live what she might have gone through. I tried to "feel" what she might have felt. I must tell you I had never really done this in prayer before that I can remember. I wanted to "know" what she was feeling and what it must have been like and what she must be going through.

Now, I realize that it was not completely possible for me to experience what she felt or know exactly what she experienced, but let me tell you, taking the time in prayer to attempt to "feel" her pain, her hurt, her emotions, her anguish just made my heart more open to God while I was praying for her and made my prayer more desperate on behalf of her.

This journey that Bobby and I are on is one that will be a total WASTE to go through and not become more caring and compassionate, more feeling.

I soooo want to be moldable. God is the Potter, I am the clay.

I want to learn to walk through life and be willing to not turn away from the hard stuff because it hurts too much. I want to learn to hurt with others. I want to be moved into ACTION.

May it be so. Growing and learning.