Famous Enemies

I don't think I have to mention any names-there's two women plastered across the media right now. One, for her very sad passing, another for being out of control. Everyone wants a piece of these women-their stories, their sad lives.

I wonder what it is like-to have to live under such scrutiny? To know that there is always someone watching, to record your every mistake. When you triumph, they are only there waiting to see how long it takes you to fall. They are celebrities-they are stars. People we love to gawk at.

The thing we forget is that they are people. With feelings. I can't imagine how hard it must be to deal with tough things in life-like a broken marriage, drug or alcohol addiction, an unplanned pregnancy-and have to do so while everyone is there, eager for the scoop.

I pray for them-their struggles, and the really tough things they must deal with in the very public eye. I especially pray for their children, who get caught up in all the frenzy. I also pray for those chasing after them, eager for the scoop. That they would learn compassion. And I pray for us-the consumers of these stories and pictures. I pray that we would give the celebrities-love them or hate them-room to live their lives in peace.

It's the stress time of year, sorry!

I really do mean to pray more for our enemies, but we're in the busy part of tax season, so I don't get as much of a chance to get online and stay online other than my online job, as I would ordinarily do. It's pretty pathetic when I'm scheduled 20 hours a week, and this week, I'll be at over 40.

Is it time for a vacation yet?

Talking about my stressful life does have a point, though. ("I have a point, I promise!"-Legally Blonde) How often do we say that we're too busy or too stressed to pray for something? We'll get to it later.

I'm so exhausted right now that I'm getting little to nothing done. It's been over a week since I've had a day off. Throw in a growing family that can't take care of itself, my online job that also takes a chunk of time, and my dream of becoming a published author, I wonder, when will I EVER have time to just sit and be with God?

I was grouchilly yelling at God yesterday, because one of my old enemies contacted me. Freaked me out. The crazy thing is, she acted like we were long-lost best friends. I was kinda mad about it, because as I ranted in something I almost posted, but didn't, my memories of her were of how mean she'd been to me. The only respect I can honestly say I have for her is that she at least had the courtesy to do it to my face, rather than behind my back. So I'm asking God, why NOW? Why, when I am stressed and tired, and I'm barely hanging on to the life I have, does He have to have some enemy from my past contact me?

While the simple answer was that even now, I am to abide in Him, the more complicated answer came from my favorite church billboard. Driving home today, it said, Love adds and subtracts, but never keeps score.

That hit me right between the eyes, because here I am, feeling frustrated that God decided to bring this person who'd been mean to me back into my life, without so much as a, "Gee, I'm sorry I said and did all those horrible things to you way back when," and I'm just supposed to suck it up and say, "Great to hear from you, blah blah blah." Sounds an awful lot like scorekeeping to me.

Maybe I don't quite have this enemy thing figured out yet. That, however, will have to wait for another time, given that I have five minutes to change clothes and head off to work.

I'm abiding, Lord... or at least trying to.