THE MASK OF A SMILE

Society says to look for the ones with upside down smiles 
Because they need more love than most. 
The frown may show darkness during the light, 
But the mask of a smile can cover a multitude of terrors.

Society says "CHEESE" as if smiling were a placebo, 
But the mouse only got the cheese by being trapped into it’s death.

You’ve become lost.

You’re locked inside a house without walls 
And still searching for a keyhole. 
You’re the lock and key to your silent hell, 
But can't see your fear of breaking through invisible walls
     is keeping you buried alive.

When the dream of today becomes yesterday’s loss--
And the desire for tomorrow becomes too high a cost, 
Then the pain of loss has higher appeal--
Than the desire to dream at all.

The dreamers become afraid dreaming
And the analytical ones find answer in dissolution.
Where does one go now?

When you’re at the lowest end of the market--
     from every angle in the spectrum--
You only have one option.

LOOK UP.

Look up so you can get up. 
Get up because you can stand up. 
Stand up because you can run toward the light 
And leave those invisible walls behind.

Tread lightly. 
Be cautious.

Keep smiling 
Because you never know--
Maybe you’re the mask of a smile 
     you were suppose to change all along. 

Imperfectly Yours-
Katie

CHASING THE REAL REEL WHEEL

We’ve become so entranced with a facade of perfection that we, too, have stopped giving humanity a chance. Highlight reels have become hamster wheels and we’re chasing the impossible.

We’re no longer accepting of the bad days because we think they don’t coincide with the mountains we’re chasing. Don’t you realize the bad days are where strength is gained to climb the mountain?

Besides, you can’t remain on a mountain forever. Don’t you know that even volcanoes erupt when the stress is too much? Then, they take centuries to build up again — what makes you think that we are any different?

The process of preparation is no longer accepted by man because instant gratification isn’t fast enough anymore. What is enough if you aren’t satisfied even when you reach the mountain?

We have to get back to the raw reel of people instead of the highlight reel. Yet, it starts with yourself. Scars tell the tale of someone who is still standing after they’ve won the battle. Even soldiers have war stories and it’s in those stories where respect is gained.

You are a soldier in God’s army, tell your story, you never know who you will inspire to pick up their shield, pick up their sword and go to battle for the greater good.

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie

OUR DEEPEST FEAR

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” -Marianne Williamson

I’ve loved this quote for a long time from Williamson. Today – I have a few other thoughts.

Isolation.
Lost.
Forgotten.

As I think about fear those are the words that creep into my mind and it makes me recount what I once thought as our deepest fear.

I think that our deepest fear is being so inadequate that we are forgotten.

I think that our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure and we don’t make a difference that is worth remembering.

The key factor in both of those thoughts is being forgotten.

The truth is that we seek a life that is everlasting. I’m not talking all ‘Tuck Everlasting’ and drinking from a stream in the woods. However, we all thought about how fascinating it would be to actually be able to find such a stream as this.

We want our names to be written in the history books as those before us.

We want to have our names forever written in the stars.

We want to be honored.

Aren’t we wanting something that we already have?

Luke 10:20 says, “However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” WOW!!

Let that sink in for a second -- “…your names are written in heaven.”

God has already written our names in eternity!!

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

There He goes again being faithful to what He knows will succumb us with fear. He has already promised eternity to our lives when we believe.

Hebrews 13:5 says, “…God has said, ’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

NEVER!!

God will remember us all the days of our lives and thereafter. He has written our names in the heavenly place where we are meant to spend eternity. We will not be forgotten.

I don’t know about you, but – that gives me so much joy and hope. It gives me, and you, identity in Christ and is a reminder that what we do on this earth does not matter if it does not glorify God.

From Galatians 1:5 I can faithfully say, “To God be the glory forever and ever! Amen."

Imperfectly Yours,

Katie

2018 WILL FAIL BY UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

To be honest, I didn’t hate all of 2017. If anything I had some of the best days of my life during the year.

But — I also had some of the absolute worst.

Every “New Year” we talk about how we plan to make the next year bigger and better than the last.

Why does it have to be so much BIGGER and BETTER?!

You want 365 days of sunshine and rainbows? I hate to bust your bubble, but you’re being unrealistic. 

You can’t expect joy without pain and no where has it EVER been written that life would be easy. It’s going to be hard, you’re going to have bad days, but those low days do not have to dictate your entire calendar year.

I challenge you to set a realistic standard that the next 365 days can uphold. Prepare to cry a day or two and guard your heart because a friend or family member will probably break it.

Also, control your emotions because you will certainly feel anger swell inside a few more times this year.

Know this, there is a silver lining. Something memorable will occur this year. Stop looking for perfection in an imperfect world and start making memories that are worth telling your future self.

Choose to rise above in order to forget the negative moments of last year. Decide today that you will not count 2017 as a failure because there is always a lesson to be learned. There is at least one moment from those 365 days that you can say was absolutely worth it and that, my friend, is your mustard seed.

I say all this because I look back on the day I ran the Boston Marathon in 2017. I won’t be running Boston in 2018, but does that mean my 2018 is destined to be less of a fulfilled year in my running career because I won’t be running the pinnacle of marathons that exists? HECK NO!!

Society says that we establish security by striving for more, but in 2018 I want to “MYTHBUSTER” this in a pretty big way.

Example?

The past two months my husband and I have been downsizing the material items in our home to make room for MUCH LESS. I think even he still becomes shocked by the fact he has more clothes than I do; that’s counting my running gear. We have a TINY HOUSE GOAL so that we can accomplish our BIG LIFE DREAMS!! 

Want more from LIFE, not possessions.

Less can be more and bigger doesn’t always mean better. Life will throw lemons and you can either mask it with sugar to drink the bitterness or THROW THE LEMON BACK!!

Become stronger from the hard times, embrace every good moment that comes your way and remember that no one is entitled to a life without the bad days. The bad days make the good days so much sweeter because without them you wouldn’t cherish the good like you do.

My worst day of 2017 was a nightmare brought to reality, but if all I do is remember the nightmare that came alive I will never allow myself to leave that painful moment. Sure we all remember the bad, but we don’t have to hold it hostage in our hearts.

The scars on our hearts show the brokenness that God has mended. In the mending — we are made stronger. Be stronger this year and don’t be so hard on yourself.

Just as 2017 came and went, so will 2018. It’s up to you how you remember it.

You’re reading this.
You’re breathing.
You’re not finished.

Write the story and make the memories you want to remember.

Now go, 2018 is waiting.

Imperfectly Yours,
Katie