All in the Perspective

Anyone who knows me knows I love to read. Love, love, love, love, love it!!!!

I have about 5-8 books at all times that I want to dive into, but a lack of time keeps me from it. I get to them when I can, usually grabbing a few minutes during carline when I am waiting to pick up my kids. I am a fast reader, thankfully, but still…it takes me awhile to finish a book when I finally get to actually start it!

Oh well. :)

So…I’ve had a book that I wanted to read for quite some time, but I finally got around to reading it. It is one of the most poignant and powerful books I have read in a very long time, and I want to recommend it to you.

Actually, I want to recommend it and its follow-up book, equally powerful for me, and written by the same woman. The books are entitled, When I Lay My Isaac Down and A New Kind of Normal. They are by Carol Kent, and you can buy them online at Amazon or Christian Books or at any local Christian bookstore (and likely a Barnes and Noble or Borders in your area). If you have not read them, please go get them and read them. And if you know of someone who has gone or is going through a life-altering circumstance, please recommend these books to them. They are truly awesome books with a strong message of hope in the midst of deep pain.

Looking back, I wish I had these books when Scotty and I went through our deep valley a few years back with his job loss. These books would have really ministered to me in a time when I felt like no one really understood what we were going through. As anyone who goes through a major life interruption can testify, these situations forever alter your life and change your perspective. It’s similar to how your perspective changes when you become a new mom, but obviously for a much different (and much more joyful) reason.

I can remember the first time I noticed this change in my perspective after having my first child. We were visiting a friend’s home and went in the backyard to have some coffee and good conversation. My friend led me out on their deck, flanked by a beautifully tiled pool and hot tub. The grand landscaping and serene setting surrounded me, but all I could focus on was the watery death trap staring back at me, making me afraid. Though I have always loved pools and swimming, this time it was different. As a new mom, I saw something through a completely different lens. What I once saw as a fun and enjoyable pasttime, I now saw as an extreme hazard to my young son, should he fall into the water. I knew then that after entering this new stage in my life, my perspective about things would likely never again be the same.

Similarly, when Scotty lost his job in 2002, my perspective forever changed. After having gone through nearly 18 months with no job, no longer was I only mildly sympathetic to people who had major life interruptions like mine. No longer did I mutter under my breath, “Oh, bless their heart” when someone mentioned prayer in church for an acquaintance who lost their job and then fail to actually pray for them. No longer did I take for granted the things I once did, like buying a $3.25 Starbucks or going to the ATM machine to withdraw $20 for whatever I wanted to spend it on. I could no longer stand any interactions with people that I did not feel were real, completely rejecting those I perceived as fake! I promised God that on the other side of our circumstance, I would always remember what it felt like to live a less-than-perfect life so I could relate to so many others. And nearly 7 years later, I haven’t forgotten those feelings yet. And I truly hope and pray I never will, as it allows me a much richer appreciation for life and God’s blessings.

So, go out and get these books. And after you read them, pass them on to someone who God lays on your heart. They are not just for people who have faced deep valleys or great pain in life, though all of us have in some way, haven’t we? And as we near Thanksgiving Day, join me in praying for a newfound appreciation for what we DO have, rather than what we DON’T. After reading these two books by Carol Kent, your perspective on what really matters just may change.

Lisa