Andree's aphorisms
by Andree Seu
Nov 19, 2005
[ Note from Erin: The following are not just empty sayings. I read this piece, by Andree Seu, and was just struck to the core with the very truth of it. I have highlighted the thoughts that particularly speak to me right now.
Wow. This is true wisdom, from an older woman of God who has waded through pain and walked in joy. I do not know her personally, but when I read her columns I often feel as though she must have a door into my heart and mind! More of her writings are available here ]
Your friend's casual joke about her husband is a deep well. Probe and you will find pain. Whole lifetimes are wasted worrying about the opinions of people who aren't even on the right wavelength. A lot of what I thought was my personality was just sin. People laugh at your unwholesome talk at the moment but think less of you afterwards. I started out wanting to be my children's savior, and ended up pleading for forgiveness.
Marry a man who loves God more than he loves you. Grand witnessing is spoiled by not returning the Tupperware. Make a phone call, keep a friend. Neglect a phone call, lose a friend. Even awful family outings become fond memories over time. Living in regret of the past, or fear of the future, are two ways of not living at all. Better to let your child make an imperfect bed than to have a perfect bed that you make yourself.
An inferiority complex is a desire to be better than other people. The more you see how wretched and needy you are, the less the question "How much should I pray?" is an issue for serious debate. I complained, "God hasn't answered my prayer." That's because I was not looking for help in my weakness but for the removal of my weakness to the praise of my own glory. Sit on a sensitive letter for three days before sending it. A phone call to say, "I'm thinking of you," yields benefits all out of proportion to the time investment. The best teaching moments are never at convenient times. When I have no intention of obeying a Bible command, I say it's not meant to be taken literally.
Be known as faithful. If you say, "Let's do lunch," do lunch. While inside an idolatry you love your idolatry. When you are set free you see what bondage it was. There is no need to boast about good deeds. They have a way of getting found out even if you hide them. Now and then skip the dishes and run out to the park. In 20 years your kid will remember the park and you will not remember the dishes. Thinking a lot is not the same as praying a lot. An idol forfeits your life. You look back and say you never lived. The hard part is when you're still holding back something from God. Give it over and be surprised at how much easier it is.
God is the better chess player. Just obey. You're one prayerless day away from being capable of any sin. Talent is good, but faithfulness is better. My kids have a foggy recollection of things I tried to teach them, and total recall of my phone conversations they overheard from the next room. My kids have a rough recollection of my Christian propaganda but reproduce my attitudes with a cloned precision. Tell your child what delights you about him. He doesn't know unless you tell him. Your child is never angry for no reason.
Break a fear-of-man problem by aggressively loving people. Practice one command of God earnestly rather than a hundred sloppily. The fool thinks that tomorrow or next Tuesday his problems will be over. Be open-handed with money for building others up. Life is short and the Lord always supplies more. If you wait for better times to "Rejoice in the Lord" you will never do it. Praising and thanking God all day long are the only cure I've found for depression. There are a finite number of days. Serve the Lord while it is Today. Drop the dust rag and look at your child when he's telling you a story.
God will not be trifled with; He is Lord. Let your words be few. Pray on the spot for the person who comes to mind. It's either pray or sin. I don't regret not cleaning more. I regret walking past the bedroom door of a girl who fell silent after sixth grade, and not seeking out a boy who sat alone and cried at a family vacation in the Poconos. Forgive me, Hae Linn. Forgive me, Jae. If you're not dead yet there is still time to repent. The longer I live the truer the Bible gets.
From World Magazine, November 19th issue
Nov 19, 2005
[ Note from Erin: The following are not just empty sayings. I read this piece, by Andree Seu, and was just struck to the core with the very truth of it. I have highlighted the thoughts that particularly speak to me right now.
Wow. This is true wisdom, from an older woman of God who has waded through pain and walked in joy. I do not know her personally, but when I read her columns I often feel as though she must have a door into my heart and mind! More of her writings are available here ]
Your friend's casual joke about her husband is a deep well. Probe and you will find pain. Whole lifetimes are wasted worrying about the opinions of people who aren't even on the right wavelength. A lot of what I thought was my personality was just sin. People laugh at your unwholesome talk at the moment but think less of you afterwards. I started out wanting to be my children's savior, and ended up pleading for forgiveness.
Marry a man who loves God more than he loves you. Grand witnessing is spoiled by not returning the Tupperware. Make a phone call, keep a friend. Neglect a phone call, lose a friend. Even awful family outings become fond memories over time. Living in regret of the past, or fear of the future, are two ways of not living at all. Better to let your child make an imperfect bed than to have a perfect bed that you make yourself.
An inferiority complex is a desire to be better than other people. The more you see how wretched and needy you are, the less the question "How much should I pray?" is an issue for serious debate. I complained, "God hasn't answered my prayer." That's because I was not looking for help in my weakness but for the removal of my weakness to the praise of my own glory. Sit on a sensitive letter for three days before sending it. A phone call to say, "I'm thinking of you," yields benefits all out of proportion to the time investment. The best teaching moments are never at convenient times. When I have no intention of obeying a Bible command, I say it's not meant to be taken literally.
Be known as faithful. If you say, "Let's do lunch," do lunch. While inside an idolatry you love your idolatry. When you are set free you see what bondage it was. There is no need to boast about good deeds. They have a way of getting found out even if you hide them. Now and then skip the dishes and run out to the park. In 20 years your kid will remember the park and you will not remember the dishes. Thinking a lot is not the same as praying a lot. An idol forfeits your life. You look back and say you never lived. The hard part is when you're still holding back something from God. Give it over and be surprised at how much easier it is.
God is the better chess player. Just obey. You're one prayerless day away from being capable of any sin. Talent is good, but faithfulness is better. My kids have a foggy recollection of things I tried to teach them, and total recall of my phone conversations they overheard from the next room. My kids have a rough recollection of my Christian propaganda but reproduce my attitudes with a cloned precision. Tell your child what delights you about him. He doesn't know unless you tell him. Your child is never angry for no reason.
Break a fear-of-man problem by aggressively loving people. Practice one command of God earnestly rather than a hundred sloppily. The fool thinks that tomorrow or next Tuesday his problems will be over. Be open-handed with money for building others up. Life is short and the Lord always supplies more. If you wait for better times to "Rejoice in the Lord" you will never do it. Praising and thanking God all day long are the only cure I've found for depression. There are a finite number of days. Serve the Lord while it is Today. Drop the dust rag and look at your child when he's telling you a story.
God will not be trifled with; He is Lord. Let your words be few. Pray on the spot for the person who comes to mind. It's either pray or sin. I don't regret not cleaning more. I regret walking past the bedroom door of a girl who fell silent after sixth grade, and not seeking out a boy who sat alone and cried at a family vacation in the Poconos. Forgive me, Hae Linn. Forgive me, Jae. If you're not dead yet there is still time to repent. The longer I live the truer the Bible gets.
From World Magazine, November 19th issue
posted by Erin | 8:42 PM
2 Comments:
Salutations Erin!
I will have to check this Lady out,
Sounds like she has learned alot about loving others and getting one's priority's strait!
Sounds very simular to a book i am reading called,
"Created to be his helpmeet"
By, Debbi Pearl.
Linda Dillow has alot of greak books on amazon too.
Check em out!
Love in Him,
-Jaime C.
Hi Erin,
(found your blog through Biblical Womanhood)
Thanks for posting this! Some of these are so very convicting! I may post a few on my blog (especially those pertaining to motherhood.)
Take Care!
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