For those of you who have seen me recently, you know I’m going back to my roots. Hair roots, that is. Back to my natural color, which big surprise, is not blonde. That fact was confirmed for me a few weeks ago when I ran into an old friend who also happens to be an older friend. She commented on the change in my hair color, to which I lamented, “Yeah, it’s no longer blonde.” She didn’t even pause before responding, “Well, it’s kind of a dishwater blonde.” Yep. Feeling more beautiful by the minute.
Of course, dishwater hair is not my only problem. I’m also dealing with dishrag hair.
Not my own, but Lula’s.
Now before you think I’ve taken to dying Lula’s hair, too, I haven’t. But, Brad has taken to DRYING her hair. With The. Dishrag. From. My. Sink. I’m going to diagnose it as rain-induced insanity because I have no clue otherwise what might have prompted him to do such a thing. I was grateful he casually mentioned that small tidbit to me since he left said dishrag lying on the kitchen counter and I would’ve likely assumed it was clean. I cannot deal.
But dishrag hair got me to thinking.
Assumptions are dangerous. Duh, you’re thinking, but hold on two seconds. Yes, we already know that, but it’s probably worth being reminded of because our assumptions don’t just expose our thinking. They expose our hearts.
What I assume about you speaks a great deal more loudly about me.
My assumptions don’t just reveal my thoughts. They reveal my heart.
I’ve had some painful relationship challenges in the last two years, and assumptions led me to stinkin’ thinking and heartache more than a time or two or five. Thankfully, heartache always has a way of leading me to God, and one night during my prayer time, God gave me the ABCs:
Accept, don’t expect.
Believe the best.
Choose how you respond.
When I follow these ABCs, it not only changes my assumptions about others,
it changes my heart.
What are your assumptions about others saying about you?
Know Him and make Him known,
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best
by filling your minds and meditating on things
true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—
the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Put into practice what you learned from me,
what you heard and saw and realized.
Do that, and God, who makes everything work together,
will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”
Philippians 4:8 MSG
You are absolutely amazing Trae. I love you and always have admired who you are as a classy woman and most importantly a woman of God. There is so much that you have done that has impacted my life and my walk with Christ because of your continuous selflessness to serve in a MIGHTY way. I Miss you like crazy and miss your hugs and miss how captured i would get when you taught a class. You always caught my attention. Because you are real, authentic, and very transparent when it comes to your relationship with Christ, your daily struggles, and your accomplishments. To some, it may seem like you have it all together with a good job, home, husband, beauty, and faithfull in going to church…..But to me you will always be my someone who I wish would have been my biological mother. Im trying not to cry typing this but you allowed Christ to breathe life into my broken soul and mind when I didnt know how to breathe myself. He breathed through your everyday love and encouraging words to me. I know you will have many crowns to give back to Him and lay at His feet when you see HIM face to face. I love you and you have a forever place in my life. Thank you for everything and every ounce you have poured into me. I couldnt have been where I am today, and wouldnt have been had it not been for you. Have a blessed day. I once heard that, “When you ask God to move a mountain, be prepared to pick up a shovel.” Well there are many mountains that I have asked Him to move….and I didnt know He was going to send me You and Penny to help me dig !!!!!!! I love you both.