It’s Vela’s last day over at GodCenteredMom. Was Hula Hoop-o-logy a new concept for you? Has it made you consider how you are maybe mishandling relationships and adding unnecessary stress? Today, my conference begins and I’m ecstatic to see how God moves. Pray for protection for my boys (that story to come at a later date…) and for continued peace. Also for the Holy Spirit to guide my conversations. That I may continually direct others to Him. Here is Vela with part 3 of Hula Hoop-o-logy:
(find Part 1 here and Part 2 here)
I’d like to review the past two posts real quick…
Recalling that staying in my hula hoop means
-accepting God’s limits for who I am, where I end and where another person starts.
-doing what He has called me to do inside my sphere of influence—inside my hula hoop — not meddling in someone else’s hula hoop.
I have to admit that my newfound desire to stay in my hula hoop (and out of yours) seems to be in direct contrast to writing about it and encouraging you to do this too!! I want you to know that I am simply sharing my experience, strength and hope. Maybe it will be a help to you.
Staying in my hula hoop involves letting my kids live their lives, letting my spouse have his feelings and letting the world do its thing without my futile attempts to manage or change it.
There is a great prayer called the Serenity Prayer that is popular in 12-step recovery groups. In the full version there is a line that says, “Taking this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will.” That is a great description of staying in my hula hoop.
I sometimes want to control the whole world.
Do you? Do you sometimes feel that if only EVERYONE would call you first and get advice they would be able to do it right the first time? I come from a long line of self-proclaimed experts. I even married into a family of self-proclaimed experts. Giving my opinion on anything comes very naturally for me.
For example, I feel the irrational need to tell everyone how to drive—mostly under my breath. Really, do people not know what a yield sign means or a double white line?? But as long as another driver is not about to crash into me, then that is just not my hula hoop. When driving, I just need to drive defensively, stay a safe distance away from the other cars, mind my own driving. Right? That can be pretty hard sometimes.
And what about my neighbors? Don’t they want to know that that paint color is wrong for their shutters? Don’t people need grammar police or etiquette police or just plain old common sense police? Maybe. But it is really not in my hula hoop right now.
On a good day, I can agree with and say with integrity Psalm 131 (from The Message):
God, I’m not trying to rule the roost,
I don’t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven’t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.
I’ve kept my feet on the ground,
I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in its mother’s arms,
my soul is a baby content.
Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope.
Hope now; hope always!
Trusting that He will make all things right…
I just need to stay in my hula hoop.
Trust in the Lord with all you might and lean not on your understanding! Great post! 🙂
So great!