Doorbells, Bedknobs and a Broomstick


I always thought houses with doorbells had all the frills because when I was growing up, the house we lived in had a broken doorbell. 

One Halloween when I was about four or five, it shorted out as neighborhood trick-or-treaters pressed it too hard and it got stuck. 

I actually think that doorbell was under some sort of a ghoulish spell since on rare random nights through the years, it would ring of its own accord. We'd go to the door but there'd be no one there.  

It spooked my sister and me every time it did it. 



When guests came to our house they would apologize to my parents for banging on the door and tell them the doorbell wasn’t working. 

Oh yeah we know, my mother would wave off their remarks. Since my dad wasn’t very handy and he was unconcerned about a broken doorbell, it was never fixed all the years we lived there.

When my sister and I moved into our first apartment after college, I felt I was living in luxury since we had a doorbell. 

And when my new townhouse’s doorbell was broken, my handyman told me to go to Home Depot and choose a new one and he fixed it in five minutes flat. 

I was astonished. Who knew it was that easy? 

All those years I thought a broken doorbell was unfixable.



For far too many years I’ve tried to overhaul some things that just don’t seem to be fixable about myself. 

Attitudes, habits, mindsets, reactions, opinions. 

{Maybe you’d like to fix some of these too?} 

Just this week, I was irritated about an unexpected work assignment that took a half day to complete and put me behind in my deadlines. 

I got exasperated by the twentieth email from a coworker who critiqued the way I wrote an article. I said frustratingly unkind words about her to everyone who happened to be around me. 

After helping a friend update her Twitter profile, I was annoyed by her text with more questions on technology that I didn’t really know the answer to. 

{Does she think I’m Google, for pete’s sake?}



I might as well have taken my pointy black hat from my cubicle hook and ridden my broomstick around the office. 

None of my responses were remotely holy. All of my reactions were steeped in selfishness.

Despite my best intentions and my good morning prayers to God when I get out of bed, I can’t make much progress and I find myself once again giving up, resigned to never see growth. 

I wonder how I can ever be that new woman I so aspire to be with all my faulty flaws fixed.

But I wonder if instead of focusing on what I need to fix, I should instead consider who.
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. - Heb. 3:1

I can focus on all that needs fixed in me, or I can fix my eyes on the one who patiently awaits my presence at his side for me to follow his lead in my life. 

I can meditate on the words of God that do the transforming, chiseling and softening to make me more of the woman God sees me to be.

And I can keep trying, ever willing to conform myself to the example he brilliantly set for us.

It doesn’t mean I’ll magically become nicer and all my faults will disappear into thin air, but I'm realizing that God is working in me according to his purposes for me

I know God doesn’t see us as lost causes. He sees us as all we could be but just haven't quite become yet. 

That is his gift of grace to us.


I’m not sure I feel the same way about doorbells today that I once did. 

Now when I hear my doorbell ring, I know it’s probably the UPS man since a friend or family member would have sent me a text first to let me know they were coming by. 

But I think doorbells make a comeback every Halloween, when they're put to good use by trick-or-treaters. It's not really one of my favorite holidays, but my niece and nephew love it so I'll head over to their house to admire their costumes.

And between you and me, I don't really mind that I'm not home to hear the doorbell ring.



I'm having coffee with my friend Holley Gerth at Coffee for your Heart. There are more posts to read there from my blogger friends. Click the image and come on over!



Comments

  1. It can sometimes be easy to disconnect the doorbell--hospitality--of the heart from the chaos of our busy lives. I'm often guilty as well. Life gets to swirling, and the welcoming spirit seems to get all jumbled up in the chaos. I'm learning to slow down and "be." That doorbell of my heart seems doesn't feel as frantic when it rings when I'm "being" rather than "doing." Thanks for sharing today, Valerie. ((blessings))

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    1. Brenda,
      Isn't that true? Our hospitality goes out the window when someone's at our door in our chaos and business?! Thanks so much for sharing your good thoughts here!

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  2. Valerie I am dying laughing--- I have the same pointy black hat and broom I wear around my office here... and sometimes at home!! LOL!!!!!! Girl that got me!!! But what also got me was how we seem to be on the same page with knowing who to go to in order to get the grace we need to fix our flaws...and keeping in mind we'll always be just short of finished this side of heaven. Thanks for being real in your struggle-- I struggle too some days and it's uplifting and encouraging to know I'm not alone in feeling cranky when someone rings my 'doorbell'. XO ♥ XO
    p.s. Still giggling..... ♥

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    1. Heather,
      I'm so glad to know we can be broomstick buddies!! It gets discouraging to know there's so much work to do but it's true that we'll not be complete this side of heaven. And you're certainly not alone with crabby feelings -- love how you phrased it -- when someone rings our doorbells! xoxo

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    2. LOL! Broomstick buddies....!!! : )

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  3. You always make me smile, Valerie. :) Thank you for your honesty. I am touched by this truth - "I know God doesn’t see us as lost causes. He sees us as all we could be but just haven't quite become yet." I love this encouragement. May we together fix our eyes on Jesus rather than on our shortcomings. Blessings and hugs!

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    1. Trudy,
      I'm glad you enjoy my life's little mini-dramas! I couldn't be happier to have met you on this blogging journey and I'm so blessed by our weekly visits in each other's little corner of the blogging world. Yes! May we both fix our eyes on Jesus as walk this life together! xo

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  4. Thanks for your honesty about your ugliness. We all have those days and the capacity to let the witch in us fly! I think when we realize it though, that's when God can do something in us about it. I know I'm so thankful for grace that doesn't end, cause Lord knows there are days I need triple doses! Hope you have visiting with your niece and nephew on Halloween!

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    1. Alecia,
      I'm grateful you can relate and oh I'm so thankful for his grace that covers our pointy hat days! :)

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  5. Well, I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one with a pointy black hat! By God's grace, I try not to pull it out of the dark corner. I want my words to encourage and bless.

    And when they don't, He pursues us til we yield ourselves back to Him, doesn't He ... so that we're drawn to make amends, ask forgiveness, shape up.

    I'm glad we're not left to our own devices ...

    ;-}

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    1. Linda,
      Yes indeed -- my pointy hat {and pointy shoes too!} show up far more often than I'd like -- and I'm so glad God does not leave us to ourselves but gently shows us the way back to our more tempered versions of ourselves! xo

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  6. Yep. Fixing our eyes on Jesus to stop an attack of the pointy-black-hattedness syndrome is an astonishingly quick fix (just like fixing a doorbell). Thank you for the reminder that it's just that easy.

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    1. So grateful for your encouraging words and yes, fixing our eyes on Jesus can fix what's lacking in us!

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  7. Hi Valerie-
    I can relate about those stuck things in my life- that I too have found impossible to fix . I am thinking like you said God designed it this way- to bring me close into his presence- where He can do the fixing- because it seems like my problems are farther below the surface than I knew. Thanks for your beautiful honest post- I hope you have a wonderful weekend-enjoy seeing your little ones light up the darkness! :)

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    1. Hi Susie!
      God is the great restorer isn't he? Maybe the work is harder and goes more slowly for some of us, but I have to surely believe that he does see us as the beautiful women he intended us to be! And Halloween is the most fun time to see the kids in costume and see what they believe themselves to be! (I think my niece and nephew are dressing up as astronauts this year -- a nice aspiration, don't you think?!) I don't know what I'd do without your sweet words here! xoxo

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  8. I have just been reflecting on some of my own selfishness -- being too wrapped up in my own mind and life to connect with and share my love and concern for others. This was a wonderful reminder of hope today. Thank you :)
    Christy

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    1. Oh Christy! I was so delighted to see your words here this morning! There is no one who sees the best in others more than you do - -that is one of your gifts to all of us! And you NEVER fail to show your care for your friends! xoxo Miss you!

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  9. Oh, Valerie! You described me to a "T" in your first paragraphs. Thankfully we have a Savior who loves us despite all our flaws. The more time I spend with Him, the less I look like that witch with a pointy black hat! Hmmm, time to get back in His word!

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    1. Ellen,
      I am so glad you can relate! And Ellen, you are far too gracious and beautiful to ever look like you're wearing a pointy hat! :)

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  10. I love this reminder, Valerie: "He sees us as all we could be but just haven't quite become yet." That helps me breathe deep. I know that pointy black hat far more than I would like to. I can so relate to you here. Thankfully, He loves us through it all!

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    1. Hi Candace,
      Thank you so much for being here and sharing your encouragement! I'm so glad God does indeed love us through it all, despite the times we don our pointy hats! :)

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  11. So many things I loved about this. I laughed out loud when I wondered how many times I've flown around my office on a broomstick. We too love the doorbell on Halloween. And our dog, Sadie, thinks the costumed visitors make it the very best day of the year. Of course the best part is knowing that the many things we leave broken could be easily and quickly repaired by our Father's grace and mercy. Loved sharing this one!

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    1. Hi Deb,
      Your words are so kind! I love it that your dog (what a great name - -Sadie!) thinks Halloween is the cat's meow! :) Thank you so much for stopping by, friend!

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  12. Oh yes I am glad Jesus sees me for who I could be and not who I actually am sometimes. All those good intentions go flying out the window some days, don't they?

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    1. Sarah,
      Haha -- flying out the window -- love it!!

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  13. You know how I love your seasonal posts! :)

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