Mission: More Tenderness

Here I am, literally at the end of the first month in My Refining Experiment. January's focus was on more tenderness. My job was to recognize more tenderness & tender influences in my life. Also, the goal was to, in the process of awareness, become more tender. The beauty of a project like this, is one cannot begin the experiment and come away unchanged. Even taking notice of ONE ounce of tenderness softens my soul. So, needless to say, I've been tickled to take notice. In the most peculiar of places or people I am taught.

• My heart will be forever changed thanks to a young lady I encountered at work earlier this month. She is wading through life with a challenging disability. When I say wading, I mean cheerfully splashing & laughing through life. Everything is wonderfully amazing to her. She is vivid. She is kind. She loves & values herself. When looking at a picture I had taken of her, she brought her hands to her mouth in shock. Turning to me, through her hands she exclaimed, "I look like a fashion model. I look beautiful!" She then hugged me with all she had! Suddenly my job changed, from urgently checking off my "to-do" list, into an experience to slow down and relish. At an age where there's typically greater emphasis perhaps on the fashion part of modeling, this young lady struck me more as a model-a model/example for me to follow of happiness. She couldn't pass an opportunity to find beauty within herself and those around her without celebrating it! She even hugged both the Doctor as well as myself at the conclusion of our time together. Her hug was the most pure gift she could give, and she gave it without reservation. How often may we see a person's surface, and either think "that's too bad" or "I haven't the time to find out the details?" I found that the moment I slowed down long enough to cherish her the way Heavenly Father cherishes her, I was able to better appreciate the simplicity of His gifts. My heart was aglow, and my spirit awakened by the lesson she unknowingly shares. Tenderness was inevitable....it was practically contagious!!! She will forever be my angel of tenderness.  I can't wait to see her more often, and to regularly be enlightened by her brightness and enthusiasm for everything!

Tonight, Seth treated me to the LeAnn Rimes concert (he won tickets through our local radio station). As I had expected, I was very connected to every song she sang. I LOVED that I knew EACH WORD, and I belted 'em out as if no one else was around (surprisingly Seth was NOT as embarrassed as I figured he would've been). Every word, every note struck me so personally as I had a memory to go with each number...that was until she shared a new song "What I Cannot Change." I've never heard it before. You must know that this song is a precious gift from above! No matter who each of us is, it is an anthem of coming to terms with who we are and moving forward from there. Beautiful and her voice was erethreal...hauntingly perfect! As this song has helped her process through some difficult situations, LeAnn decided to have it be more than just a song on a disc. She has launched a companion website as a forum for healing. As soon as I got home tonight, I HAD to pull it up. So if you have a moment, visit HERE. Listen to the song and read a few of the inspiring stories or share your own. They are annonymously posted, so you don't have to worry about specifics revealing your identity. It's a beautiful, tender gift of healing. This night was supposed to be an awesome time from the word "go"...it truly was and even more so than I had anticipated. I love that Heavenly Father knows me SO well that its crystal-clear that He would use this song as a vehicle for my deeper healing & refinement. There are crucial times when we must loosen our grip on our "toughness" trophy, and allow His power (not our pain) to govern our lives. Its less prickly that way. When the choking briars of life are cleared, tender shoots of hope are able to grow. More tenderness in my life? Mission: Accomplished!