“Cut it,” I said to my hairdresser last Wednesday, “I’m done.” I pulled at my tresses, which flew this way and that. “I can’t stand my hair, blowing around and falling into my eyes.”
“All right,” my hairdresser said with undisguised zeal. She grabbed a styling razor. Minutes later, hair covered the floor around me. Instead of a cute bob, the back of my head looked like a pixie’s.
Hair is the easiest thing to change about yourself, easier than losing weight or getting in shape. Getting a haircut is also the fastest ch-ch-change.
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Before I left for last month’s Festival of Faith and Writing in Grand Rapids, I downloaded the Uber app, just in case I needed it. My children use Uber so why not me?
I’d decided that with airport and conference shuttles, car rental would be a waste of money. Turned out, I needed a ride to the conference center to register the day before shuttles started to run. So, I opened the Uber app and booked a ride. Minutes later, the driver showed up.
And at registration, I downloaded the festival’s app and scheduled three days of sessions and alerts on my phone.
Fast and easy ch-ch-changes.
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At Saturday’s Women’s Retreat, we learned that forgiveness was neither fast nor easy. Even though forgiveness is better for our physical, mental, social, and emotion health, and not forgiving correlates with anxiety, depression, and illness, we don’t like to do it.
In the Bible, we read: Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
So why would I choose not to forgive?
I like fast and easy ch-ch-changes—those instantly gratifying ones I can control. But forgiveness is a slow and difficult process. And I cannot truly forgive without God’s help, which means humbling myself. There’s the rub.
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During Retreat and at church yesterday, people complimented me on the new hairdo, a nice boost to my ego. Learning to use the new apps felt good, too. But ego can blow around and fall in my eyes, blinding me to what I need to do:
Cut anger and sweep it from the floor then download kindness and use that app to make ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.
Loved the article and the new “do” too!
Sent from my iPhone
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Thanks! Trust all is well with you and yours. -C.D.
Your haircut looks great, Carole!
Thanks, Vonetta!