Hiatus: \hī-ˈā-təs\ Function: noun, Etymology: Latin, from hiare to yawn, 1a: an interruption in time or continuity: break; especially: a period when something (as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted
I have taken an unintentional hiatus from blogging this summer. The busy start to the summer caught me off guard and the summer was half gone before I realized I hadn’t taken the time to share any of my thoughts. It’s not that I wasn’t thinking all summer. God led me to some important things this summer. Here’s the most important lesson I think God showed me this summer…
This is kind of difficult for me to share because it highlights part of my personality I like to pretend doesn’t exist. I want everyone to see the nice, smiling Curt and keep Curt the idiot boy in the shadows. At a youth event this summer, there was a kid who was a real pain. You could say his annoyance capacity was unbounded. He also had some peculiarities that made him an easy target, so I joined right in when it came to making fun of him. Circumstances led me spend a little time one-on-one with him and he told me about his life. His dad died of a drug overdose, his mom doesn’t pay attention to him, and his stepdad is emotionally abusive. After sitting with him for just a few minutes, I realized his life was pretty crappy and I wasn’t loving him like God was calling me to love him. Afterwards, I got mad at myself for being so self-focused and wrote this prayer:
“Why does life have to suck so bad sometimes? It’s so unfair and on top of it I’m a coldhearted jerk to the people who need me. Lord, help me get past myself and my need to be funny all the time. Save me from myself. Help me see people like you see people. Help me love people like you love people.”
I wrote it out so I could keep a record of Curt being a self-absorbed idiot. I keep this prayer close so I have to look at it occasionally, with the hope that it keeps me humble. Save me from myself, Lord.
