Bumper sticker expectations..

Save the whales!

Save the trees!

Honk if you're horny!

Magic happens!

I support "Insert community here"

When I am stuck in traffic, I often find the most amusing bumper stickers. Some possibly not appropriate to put up here, and others I just role my eyes at. But there is one bumper sticker that i seem to find so confronting... the ones that disclose that the driver is a Christian- by means of a cross, a fish or one of those "Warning: if rapture occurs this vehicle will be unmanned".

Can you imagine the expectation that driver has put on their driving abilities? And how Christians are perceived to be "Perfect", and to be loving and forgiving, and now on the road? This is one expectation I have known to be quite destructive -  because when I think about it, when I say that I am a "Christian"- I am not declaring that I am perfect. I am saying that I am far from perfect and that I can not do it alone.

Huh. That's a bit different. 

Sometimes I may cut someone off ... or I may forget to indicate. Or may say certain things about certain pedestrians who decide to jaywalk unexpectedly...

But let's look at it another way.

The basics of Christianity- that Jesus, the son of God, died on a cross for the wrong in world and rose three days later and forgave the wrong in our lives- essentially rebukes this assumption. The fact is: I am not perfect and I have stuffed up- and sometimes it is a real struggle to love and/or forgive others in my life who have done me wrong, and when I've done the wrong thing. Especially with driving.

But it's not on me-I do not have to be perfect.

God is perfect- and it's Him working in our lives that makes the change within us that takes us one step closer to be loving.

And who has not reacted by blasting the horn in a traffic jam or swearing at another car who just cut you off?

So, I'm not perfect. Christianity does not equal perfection, but God equals perfection. And this isn't an excuse to get away with anything and everything, but rather an acknowledgement that it's through God's love, grace and His desire to have a relationship with us, that the change starts to happen.

I think my new bumper sticker will be "Warning: Christian driver who does not meet expectations" or something silly along those lines... because I suppose in the end you've got to give people in traffic jams something to think about.

I've grown rather fond of italics...

To the right of me I have a green lined post it, pinned to a stack of items on my desk. It reads "My ex-boyfriend gave me this post it." And I think that summaries the abrupt but strange reality I am experiencing. Life feels surreal; but I am enjoying it. It's almost like I'm in a dream.

But of course, I am not. Because in my dreams, I woudn't be procrastinating by writing a blog, I would have finished my 2300 word essay worth 55%.

But it's a fascinating thought: What if we were all to wake up tomorrow?  Or what if we had all lulled ourselves into dream, yesterday? Time, reality, perception. All challenged and changed by one thing: me.

Universal Truths

Sometimes you need to learn the hard way. About yourself, about others, about life. But what can be the hardest lesson of all, is that when you see something the way it is. And what is even more startling, the realisation that follows- that it always was. It's truly amazing what we learn to see is actually what we want to see.

The truth in vision, in reality, is always a curveball. Perception is a funny thing; it both excels and hinders us. Binds us together, pulls us apart. Big picture compared to tunnel vision. The question we all have to answer: What is it that we want to see? What is it that we want to dream?

And can we face the gaps in between perception and reality?

Lesson for the day: doors shut for a reason. Don't try to peer through the keyhole or linger in the doorway. Find another door, step into that path.


And don't forget to dream. Take each step as it comes, make sure you take the step, little by little. Enjoy the ride.