D.R.A.M.A.

(Sorry for the lack of posts at the end of last week.  It was a very busy week and when Thursday hit, it seemed to intensify.  Had enough time to sit down and check email, but no real time to write.  Hope you didn't worry but if you did, bless your heart!)

The word "drama" has become quite commonplace in our modern day vocabulary.  It's popular usage has very little to do with stage plays or theatrical productions.  No, "drama" as it is most often used in today's vernacular, means "conflict, turmoil, trouble, unrest, discontent, instability."  Or...try this...

Desperately

Reaching

After

More

Attention

I'd like to say that I came up with that, but that would be a lie and while I am a lot of things, a liar isn't one of them.  A friend of mine passed it along to me.  I had one of those "aha-angels singing-sun breaking through the clouds" kind of moments when she shared that.  That's all it really is...a ploy for attention.  Conflict, turmoil, trouble, unrest, discontent and instability all created for one thing...more attention.  Trying to fill a void with something, anything to make the pain, loneliness and/or heartbreak go away.  But here's the thing...filling a void with these kind of things is an exercise in futility.  The attention drawn by turmoil and discontent is negative attention.  The impact of negative attention is fleeting...and always leaves a person emptier than where they started.  It's never enough. 

We all have drama in our lives.  Some of it is self created...the places we go, the things we do, the words we say.  Some of it comes attached to the people in our lives, be they family or friends.  There are moments when we can help and then there are times when we need to just run in the opposite direction...as fast as we can go.  Don't say anything...don't make direct eye contact...JUST RUN!  This is where the gift of discernment comes into play.  Trust your instincts!  If it looks like trouble and smells like trouble, it probably is!  It's very hard when the one causing the discontent and trouble is someone you love...family or a close friend.  I know, trust me.  Trying to maintain a relationship with someone who cannot thrive without a constant stream of drama coursing through his/her life is exhausting, toxic, if you will.  The problems aren't yours but because you care so much for your friend, you take on the problems...which puts you in the line of fire for all of the emotional backwash and fallout.  Before you know it, you find yourself in the middle of a mess that truly has nothing to do with you.  Like I said................RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The lesson in all of this is that we can actually control some of the drama that comes into our lives by being careful to go where we are supposed to go and stay away from places where we KNOW trouble lives.  We need to pray everyday that every word coming out of our mouths would be pleasing and acceptable to Father God...and that if we can't say anything nice, that He would clamp his mighty hand across our mouths until the urge passes!  We need to be selective in choosing our friends.  I said "selective" not "exclusive."  We should be open to friendships with people from all walks of life and experiences...but selective in choosing only those who will love us enough to hold us accountable and will encourage us to live to our potential.  And for the people in our lives come by birth and not by choice, love them.  Love them and pray for them...that's all you can do.