Make America Rake Again

 

The other day I was helping a friend of mine rake his lawn. We had put it off because life had gotten crazy and schedules just weren’t matching up, but it was important to get the job done before the snow fell or it would kill the grass. So there we were, the day after the 2020 presidential election, raking the mountains of leaves that had piled up. Some of the trees were still green, so we knew we would probably have to do it again, but it would make the job much easier if we got it started now.

As we raked we were discussing politics (it was the day after the election, what else would we be talking about?) and suddenly he gets this huge smile on his face like he’d thought of something really cleaver and goes “You know what we’re doing? We’re making America Great Again,” I looked at him skeptically, trying to figure out what he meant by that, all we were doing was raking his lawn, “by raking?” I asked with a laugh “Make America Rake Again,” I joked. He informed me that if one of the candidates had that slogan he’d definitely vote for them.

It was just a joke, a play on the already used slogan, but as I raked I started thinking about it. Make America Rake Again… What would a slogan like that actually mean? Well, it would mean taking on the work yourself. It takes the pressure off of the government to do the work and literally puts it on the American people, in my opinion, just as it should be. The government is there to protect, not to live our lives for us. Not to clean up our lawn or take out the trash. Not to make our life easier, just make our life safer. We need to put in the work ourselves to make the country we want to live in. And part of that is electing leaders who we believe will hold those same values, but that is certainly not all of it.

Another thought that came to mind is that, while it’s important to look at the big picture and want to see change all throughout the country, or even just your state, where it starts is right where you are. It starts in your own neighborhood, your own town, your own yard. As we raked and mowed the lawn we watched as at least three other people followed suit. They saw us taking care of our own little piece of the country and decided it might be a good idea to take care of their own. That happens with everything. You give someone a smile, they are bound to see it and smile at someone else. You’re mean to someone, they will likely then take out that hurt on someone else. The more good and hard work we put into the world, the more it spreads.

And the job is never over! The slogan doesn’t end at the end of the election, it has to continue. We have to keep working to keep our country free (literally, and of leaves) and beautiful. More leaves will fall and we’ll have to clean them up all over again, but the job is easier if you keep doing a little over time rather than all at once. And if we don’t clean up those dead leaves, just let them keep piling up, then the grass and plants beneath them will suffocate, causing death and decay. If we let the problems sit around, waiting for someone else (the government) to deal with them, we will just end up buried beneath the leaves.

“So what’s your health plan?” he asks after we’ve amused ourselves with this hypothetical presidential run for a while. “Well, if people are raking then they’re healthy” I say, stating the obvious first. If you are taking time to literally rake, aka exercise, then you will be healthier. And if you’re cleaning up your piece of the world, you’ll feel better. And if you’re letting that light spread, you will feel better mentally too. Getting back to work and having a purpose makes all the difference in living a healthy lifestyle.

We can’t expect other people, the government, our president, to do it for us. We’ve got to rake our own lawns, take care of our own bodies, our own families, our own space, and our own communities. The desire to do good for ourselves and those around us will spread and soon our country will grow and flourish, little by little. We’ll clean up the dead leaves and make way for the new growth. So go Make America Rake Again. It’s time to take the cleanliness of our country into our own hands.

 

Costumes And Characters: Dragon

 

A dragon. A fierce, fire breathing, elegant, strong creature known to inspire the imagination and bring both admiration and fear to those lucky enough to see one. Why is a dragon this year’s character outlining the chapters of my life? Well, for anyone who’s been keeping up on my Costumes And Characters  posts, you may realize that this is actually a continuation of another character from a couple years back. The Enchantress.

The Enchantress is a quiet, brave, caring, smart, strong, but broken lady who, you guessed it, likes to turn into a dragon. So the dragon character is not all that different then Crystal the Enchantress, as they are the same being after all. But that is kind of the point of this whole series is it not? Realizing that I am also every one of these characters? So, why am I a dragon now?

This year has been hard on everyone. And that is not even an exaggeration. Life just keeps kicking us while we’re already down. I can’t even begin to write a list of all the ways life just keeps throwing flaming arrows at me and those around me. I’ve been calling “plot twist!” a bit too often these days… For some, they have let themselves get bruised and bloody, taking hit after hit. Others turn to anger and try to use it as a way to strike back, but you can’t be in a sword fight without also getting stabbed. But some, some choose instead to put on their armor to protect what is inside so they can be brave and strong despite the battle that is 2020. Much like a dragons hard scales are meant to protect.

For a while I was letting myself get bloody and beaten, then I turned to anger for a while, but now I realize I need to protect what is inside me before I worry about the problems of the world. I need to build up armor around my faith, around my heart, around my mind. And let the fire of the Holy Spirit build up its embers inside me. Only then, when I am protected with the armor of God, armed with the fire of the Holy Spirit, can I face the battle with confidence. Just as a dragon flies into battle, knowing its scales and fire will protect it from the enemy.

I may not be ready to take off in flight just yet, but I am stretching my wings and building up my armor. I will fight this battle with truth, with love, with faith, with all the tools God gives me to fight the enemies flaming arrows. And I encourage you to do the same. This dragon will be ready to fly soon, knowing her God is protecting her, fighting right alongside her. A fierce, graceful, strong creature, ready to take on the world with a fire burning in her heart.

Unconditional Love

“I love you” three words that can mean so much but, sometimes, mean nothing. They can hold all the significance in the world, or be a hollow shell meant to deceive and prove a devotion that simply isn’t there. Love, real unconditional love, is nearly impossible to find these days. Love isn’t, I’d be surprised if I came across a person who never loved a single person in their life. But I’m talking real love, unconditional love. Love without conditions. Hence the term, “unconditional.”

So what is unconditional love? It’s love that isn’t based on behavior, actions, or words. Love that is there no matter how we feel about someone at this particular moment. No matter how many times they screw up or hurt us. Even if you don’t agree with their choices or who they hang out with, you still love them. No question. Of course that doesn’t mean you have to stop pointing them in the right direction, and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be hurt when they refuse, it also doesn’t mean that you can’t give them space if they hurt you (especially if God is telling you to do so, it’s ok to love from a distance sometimes) but it does mean you love them regardless. And make sure they know you love them.

So why do I say this doesn’t exist as much as it should? Because how many times have you heard people devote their lives to each other only to split ways a few months later over some stupid argument? How many times do you hear about a kid equating their parents love to their good grades? How many times have you been guilty of telling someone you loved them, only to realize you didn’t after they did something stupid? How many times have we given each other ultimatums? Conditions for our “unconditional” love? How many of us are guilty of saying “I love you” out of habit, only for the words to become hollow and meaningless? And the more we misuse the word love, the harder it becomes to recognize, and know how to give, the real kind of love. No wonder it’s so hard for people (myself included) to accept God’s love sometimes…

So why is love so common but unconditional love, the love demonstrated to us by God, so rare? It’s because there is a disconnect between the two. A miss-definition if you will. In order to know and show true love, you must first understand Gods love. So what is love? It’s often described as a feeling, usually reserved for family or a romantic relationship. But God’s love isn’t just a fleeting feeling. God IS Love. If God can physically BE love then it can’t just be a feeling because feelings come and go. God’s love never leaves us. So if God’s love isn’t a feeling, what is it? God is love. It’s a part of him. It’s a lifestyle. And if something is a part of you it doesn’t just go away. And if God is love, and we are created in his image, then love must also be a part of us right?

In my experience I have always loved people, most would say deeper then I should. I’ve gotten hurt on multiple occasions because of it yet I keep diving headfirst into more relationships. Even after I promise myself I won’t let myself get hurt like that again… So why do I do it? Because it’s become a part of me rather than just a passing feeling. I can’t not love. I can be frustrated, or disappointed, or even really not like someone’s actions, but I can’t make my heart stop loving them. I’ve let God take over and trust that he will protect my heart while still allowing me to love, fully love, the people he puts in my life.

So how do we tap into that? How do we switch our definition of love over to Gods definition of love? I believe God has called us to love all of his people. No matter what. Unconditionally. And I think in order to fully grasp the concept of Unconditional love, God’s love, we have to pull away from the notion that love is just a feeling and a word. We have to redirect our thinking and realize love is an action, love is a lifestyle, love is God. Love is a part of us, not just something we say or feel. God loves us unconditionally, right where we’re at, so I will continue to love his people the only way I know how. No conditions attached. 

Start a conversation! How would you describe unconditional love? Have you ever experienced it? Do you have any suggestions on how to live it? How to make it a lifestyle rather than just a word? Please share! And if you like what you're reading, please share my blog and go like my writing page on Facebook at Jessica Page.

Team Smile

We had just finished swim lessons for the day and all the kids had run off down the beach, leaving us to clean up on our own. It was a group of three of us, myself and two amazing ladies, teaching swim lessons to the island kids in Roatan. As we smiled away at the successful lesson, and the joy of having the opportunity to do what we were doing, one of the ladies dubbed us with the name “Team Smile” and that’s what we called ourselves for the remainder of the trip. 

I have always known the power of a smile. I try to smile to anyone I pass on the street, to my friends and family as much as possible, and I try to make others smile. Smiles are contagious and they spread positivity and good feelings like wild fire. And the best smiles? The ones that come with the joy only God can give. When you’re right where you’re supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re supposed to be doing like my “Team Smile” was doing with those kids that day. 

Today (6/15/20) is Smile Power Day. Though I try to show the power of a smile every day, this is a day where I try to remind people to make someone smile. To spread the joyful power to all around them. Only… a conversation I had with my mom the other day keeps popping into my mind. We can’t see anyone’s smile right now. With everyone wearing masks it makes smiling almost… pointless… It takes away the power. Literally covers it up. It makes passing someone in the isle of the grocery store so… impersonal… it disconnects us from the people around us to such an extent that I think we are all feeling the effects but can’t quite explain why. But we can’t let that stop us! 

I encourage you to share a smile with someone today and every day. Get creative, make someone smile even if you can’t see it and they can’t see yours. Create your own Team Smile by spreading the joy. A Smile is a powerful thing, far too powerful to hide away!