If you're not growing, you're dying

Feeling a little reflective tonight. About a month has passed since the marathon. Hope has been sick. I followed suit. Work has been wild. I'm just coming up for a breath, I think.


I'm also flipping through a little book I purchased in Chicago. Actually, Shelly brought it to a meeting one day in October. It intrigued me so much that I bought one myself. It's called "This I Believe" - based on the NPR series of the same name.

The book contains the musings and thoughts of some "remarkable men and women" (to coin a phrase from the cover). I like the following statement by Brian Grazer, movie and television producer.

"Disrupting my comfort zone, bombarding myself with challenging people and situations, this is the best way I know to keep growing. And to paraphrase a biologist I once met, if you're not growing, you're dying."

So...are you growing? Or dying? God continues to dip me into the vat of challenging people and situations in very practical and clever ways. He's stretching and pulling me out of comfort zone after comfort zone. We are multi-faceted, multi-dimensional people. Comfort zones are layered creatures...conquer one, and there's another. And another.

A ton of energy and time...and sometimes alotta money is spent trying to avoid discomfort. To preserve the inner sanctum. Self-made security. I don't know what that looks like for you. What I've seen over the past few weeks is a lot of defensive play. The inability or downright refusal to touch another's life when it requires something out of the norm. Bleh.


I'm speaking in circles, and I know this. I said it at the start of my ramblings...close to a month on the other side of the marathon, God is definitely continuing the journey. Forcing me to stretch beyond what's comfortable for me. Facing past demons that have haunted and defined me. Saying "no more" to destructive habits and thoughts. Doing things I thought I couldn't. Engaging with people I said I wouldn't. Thinking about someone other than myself. Living in a place bigger than my comfort zones.


And finally, I shared an article about sisterhood a few weeks ago. I won't call out names, but someone very near and dear and precious to me sent my daughter the most fabulous gift today. Three halloween boxes filled to the brim with candy, kisses and one GIANT kiss. Hope was thrilled...and I was blessed. It's not about the gift...it's just so beautiful to be thought of. And I need to do a better job of that myself.


Hope your post-halloween Thursday was a good one. I imbibed in too much sugar as I handed out wrapped goods to the decorated masses. So today was an adventure in eating. But tomorrow...will not be. Oh! Hope's principal called me yesterday (or the day before). That buddhist play I blogged about earlier? They removed the worship scene after she reserached if further. Very cool.


Be blessed!!!

kb