Blind Spots

I was thinking the other day about blind spots.  Areas of our life that we just can’t see.  

I can think back to times when I realized something about myself...a rough spot in my personality, body language that I wasn’t aware I was communicating, sin, unwise choices.  I was oblivious to these things until I discovered them in some way.  They are usually something that I would have totally done something about or avoided all together had I actually seen them coming or knew they were happening.

How can we miss these things?  There are probably several reasons but here are some of my thoughts.  

1. Habits.  Certain things become such a part of my life that I mindlessly continue to do them.  Absolutely no thought is going into it anymore.
2. Can’t see yourself.  20-some years ago I was in a job evaluation and my supervisor commented that my body language really gave away when I disagreed with someone and it was somewhat off-putting to people around me. I had NO idea!  If I could have seen myself, perhaps I would have realized it on my own.
3. Critical of others.  Sometimes I think we are so busy being critical of others that we pay little attention to what we personally are doing.
4. Little self evaluation.  I think we take very little time to actually evaluate ourselves.  We live in a world where we feel the need to fill every minute with something.  We are most comfortable when our life is full of social media, entertainment, work, activity.  Downtime with our thoughts, with God, with people are rare.  
5. No community.  Often we don’t have people in our lives who can help us with blind spots.  Maybe we have friends, but are they (1) plugged in to God and (2) loving us enough to call out the blind spots when they see them?
6. Sin.  Sin has a way of clouding my vision.  Things like pride and not loving people the way I should cause me to not see things.  It’s not an excuse, but it’s real.

So how can I see things that are in my blind spots?  I believe there is hope.  

• God provides us with His Word which is alive!  It illuminates, convicts and ultimately helps us with our blind spots.  
• As believers we need to be bold and show each other things.  It’s not easy sometimes, but shame on us if we can’t help each other in this way.  
• And most importantly, I believe God will show us things in our blind spots.  If we slow down and learn to listen more when we pray, I am confident we will begin to see the junk in our blind spots.

When you are driving a car and you want to change lanes or back out of a parking spot, blind spots are dangerous things.  If you don’t see what’s there, you could end up with a wrecked car or even worse.  I think the blind spots in our lives are potentially just as dangerous.  

Saturday Ramblings

I have stepped away from my blog for a while.  No good reason....just lazy I guess.  But last night a friend of my daughters told me that he and his mother had discovered my blog via Sarah’s blog and they really enjoyed it.  I guess you just never know.  

That was my inspiration.  But I have no real topic on my mind today.  Therefore, you get random ramblings.

1. I think it is so much harder to form a positive habit than a negative one.
2. I am usually really good at discerning who a person is when I first get to know them.  But sometimes I am surprised at how wrong I was.
3. The blistering heat of the past summer is making this fall weather all the sweeter.
4. The best conversations with my kids are often in the car....just me and one of them.
5. It just struck me that my babies will be 17 next Saturday.  Crazy.
6. One of the most challenging character traits for me to deal with in others is being unteachable.  When they think they know it all and have no room for improvement, it drives me up the wall.
7. I am amazed and saddened by how many people are medicated for psychological reasons.  Millions of people depressed to the point of a “chemical imbalance?”  Really?  Something’s wrong.
8. People (myself included!) are horrible self-assesors.  We simply do not see our own flaws and don't see areas that need worked on.
9. Parenting is funny.  One day I can think I am doing a pretty decent job.  The next day I feel like I totally suck and I have no idea what I am doing.
10. I have ZERO interest in politics and the upcoming election.  Therefore the phone calls, commercials, yard signs and discussion are getting on my last nerve!
11. I am super excited about a few things coming up.....Sarah coming home for fall break tomorrow.  Chaperoning the band to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving.  Our new church building getting started.  

I told you I was feeling random.