“I am new…”

I got an email from a friend Christmas Eve that contained one of those loaded questions, and so I decided to turn it into a blog post, given it’s length.

If you had to summarize this year by significant events, what would it be?

Let’s see, I started a new job. I finished my master’s. I got Security+ certified. Got both vehicle loans, and all the credit cards paid off. But, as I spent the week trying to prepare to write this, I couldn’t come up with anything specific. Today, however, I put it all together.

My best friend called me today. Actually, she called yesterday and I wasn’t here and forgot to check the machine. Anyway, we discussed a couple of things or so, and then she asked, “So what else is going on?” I replied, “Not really anything. I sang today.” She replied with, “In front of people?” After I laughed and confirmed, she said, “You have changed so much.”

Last week, the hubby got mad over something, and was throwing out a bunch of “colorful metaphors.” Now, we’ve known each other for 25 years, and been a couple for around 19 years (married for 17 years), so needless to say, that wasn’t the first time I have heard him cussing a blue streak. In fact, I have been known to match him with my potty mouth. But it was different. It bothered me pretty bad, and I have noticed over the past few months that it bothers me when other people cuss, and I used to not even notice it.

New Year’s Day. Yesterday as I am writing this. I took the kids to see Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part 1 before it quits showing in theaters. (By the way, when you wait long enough, you have to go farther to see it.) So as we sat through 20 minutes of previews, I noticed that I was appalled by all but one of the previews because of blatant sexual references. Me, the queen of the dirty jokes, appalled.

A few weeks ago, I was thinking back to my friend’s wedding that I attended Labor Day weekend 2009. The evening before the wedding, we went to her parent’s house where I had access to an ample supply of Strongbow. I think about halfway through the 3rd pint (or maybe the 4th), the best man’s wife (who is Irish) said something to the effect that she had never seen anyone drink more than 3 Strongbow’s and be able to walk. Simultaneously, my 3 friends (bride, and 2 others) whom I had been stationed with in the UK said, “You’ve never met Martha.” Now that was funny at the time, but it hit me a few weeks ago that I don’t want to be known for being able to consume large quantities of alcohol, or, to be blunt, I don’t want to be known for being a drunk. This from the same DragonLady who used to get drunk every Friday night making and posting videos of myself playing guitar along my Fleetwood Mac cds.

So to summarize the year just ended, God has done a mighty work in my life, and there is much work yet to do. I have finally started to realize fully what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and how to have a real relationship with Him. It took a lot of trials, a lot of tears, a lot of prayer, and a lot of study. It took a lot of people discipling me – some I’ve never met, some I haven’t seen or talked to in years, and some I see and talk to all the time – to teach me how to get back on the path I started down when I was 12, and strayed off of many times since.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New American Standard Bible)
17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

12 Responses to '“I am new…”'

  1. MacBros says:

    Nothing wrong with being free spirited…..

    There is a Cab Driver that insists on dropping the F bomb ever 2nd or 3rd word in his sentences. That pisses me off, when people just drop F Bombs in regular conversations.

  2. Martha – can I tell you that I have also started to feel uncomfortable with cussing. I have been known to have a foul mouth and that is one of my biggest weaknesses….I have started to shy away from it, drop into prayer when I find myself doing it….it is crazy how the Lord can change us – isn’t it??

  3. Petra says:

    God is amazing, isn’t He? He can take us (all of whom have a ‘past’ that tends to creep in every so often), and make us completely new. I love hearing about your changes – what an encouragement!

  4. Danny says:

    Perhaps it isn’t so much “changing” you as it is “washing off” the world… :cheesy:

  5. Skye says:

    Congratulations on seeing that in yourself, DL! I think that is wonderful, and I can’t help but think that you are probably unknowingly discipling to others too.

    Thank you for sharing the song, it really touched me.

    • DragonLady says:

      You know, I probably am discipling some of the kids’ friends, indirectly. I really should be taking a more active role. At the very least I can provide ample examples from my past on how NOT to act. 😉

      I really like that song alot, and it really seemed to fit with what I was trying to say. I’m glad you like it. 🙂

  6. mel says:

    I just read this post and suddenly I feel like I’ve wasted an entire year.