Toxic Hearts

Many of you who know me, know that I have a passion to help people rid their homes of toxins.  As I reflect today on my 35th birthday, my mind and heart is pondering and wanting to share encouragement of getting toxins out of our minds and hearts because this will affect and infiltrate our homes worse than any toxic disinfectant spray.

Let me explain my thoughts a bit: Some of this post comes from toxic people I have encountered since moving back to the Northeast and the other part comes from taking inventory in my own heart as I process my reactions to the people and situations. More people than I care to count have truly rattled me to the core with their anger and hostility and approach to difficulties.  I find myself with a very typical flight or fight response and simultaneously wanting to do both!  Wanting to win a war of words and have them see that I am right or wanting to run away and move back to Iowa where people were at least nice to your face.  But deep down I needed to look at my heart.  I need to remember that I have been there too.

Smiles make my day

Here's an example of something that I use to carry so deep in my heart that I was blind to it for years.  This might sound silly but I really like seeing people smile.  To me, seeing a smile on someone's face translates to them being pleased and I absolutely thrived on seeing people have positive reactions to me or something I was doing.  This was so deep in my core that I was blind to the fact that when people didn't flash me a smile that I instantly started judging or questioning what was wrong with me, but since there couldn't be anything possibly wrong with me, that maybe they were the ones with a problem.  You can instantly tell this is flawed thinking as you read it.  Because along the journey I found out that 9 times out of 10 the person was either introverted, hurting in a way that they couldn't express, or just really really tired and overwhelmed and none of which had anything to do with me.  The really sad part was that I was blind to seeing other people. I was only looking to see people as a reflection of myself feeling good.  You guys this is deep and even painful to write, but I am so thankful God has gracious brought me through it and reminds me of my flaws when I want to judge others.

The second reason I share this is to challenge you to look at the toxins that you might be carrying.  The toxins that you might bring into and filter all life's situations through.  Has your child been hurt by people's words, have you been hurt by people's words.....do you then in turn filter everyone through a lens of protection and everyone who offends you or your child is now a "bully"? Have you been hurt by a man or woman, someone who you trusted who broke your trust in so many viscious ways so now you have sworn off loving again or trusting again, have you resorted to making fun of male pigs or resulted to calling females sluts? What is it that you carry around with you, that hurt you so much, but has now become a toxic filter in your life?  You may have to dig deep to find these toxins, but you may be surprised to see that they are right on the surface. I pray that as you read this you will decide to pray and ask God to reveal to you where you have been hurt, where you need healing, and how you can move forward with a breathe of fresh air to bring into every situation.

Maybe you need a new filter

For me as I pray through situations that hurt, I find I am met with increasing challenges, literally, more challenges than I ever thought possible.  Bring me to my knees crying type challenges, because I have to surrender and I have to stand firm on the Truth instead of my feelings of fight or flight. I have to choose to see the beauty in something that others might dismiss as trash.  I have to know who I am, I have to know who my children are, what God's word says about the situation. I have to realize that the brokenness in others is actually ground for ministry, for healing, and that maybe just maybe I can shed some light in their dark place by being loving and just being, instead of running away or instead of fighting.  And that those challenging places and people I can bring them,  moment by moment as that the pain or judgement creeps into my thoughts, to the Lord who knows and sees all.

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This was trash to someone but with a little work it now is new, ready for a new life.

For practical toxin free household products you can also visit my online shop at www.jenniferfrost.norwex.biz