“Everything we experience is automatically coated in emotion. 
Why? It’s our version of a computer’s ones and zeros,
and it’s based on a single question: Will it hurt me, or will it help me?
 This humble question underlies every aspect
of our rich, elegant, complex, and ever-changing sense of self,
and how we experience the world around us.”
(Wired for Story by Lisa Cron, p. 47, published 2012)
 
“Cognitive Secret: The brain is wired to stubbornly resist change, even good change.
Story Secret: Story is about change, which results from unavoidable conflict.”
(Cron, p. 143)
 
Stories are everywhere, about everything.
 
Assuming you are alive, you have thousands of stories to tell that make you uniquely “you”—like losing your first baby tooth,
or your favorite ever teacher and how she encouraged you to pursue a dream,
or the time you got thrown off of that horse. 
 
The stories we tend to remember best are those that evoked strong emotions
such as fear, dread, elation, admiration, courage, empathy,
disappointment, wonder and amazement . . .
If you felt it, you will recall it and be able to share it on occasion.
 
In ‘story’ we explore the great mysteries of life.

One of the biggest mysteries, ‘Where did we come from?’
How did everything in the universe come to be? 
What (or Who) got all of this started? 
And if it is a ‘who’, what is the origin of that ‘Who’? 
What is the story of the beginning of all stories?
How will it all end?
 
I remember, as a very young girl, wondering,
“If God created everything, where did God come from?”

Hundreds of cultures have developed stories to explain
and describe where and how and who got all of this started.   

Of the many ancient “Creation” stories, I checked out seven of them just to see their similarities and differences:  Chinese, Mayan, Indo-European, Egyptian, Babylonian, and Greek, and Middle Eastern (Biblical account).    

​Of those seven:
Four tell that before the world came to be, there was NOTHING- (emptiness, a void, no structure, no order).

     -In the Greek myth, Nyx, the deity of darkness lived in the void .

     -In the biblical account, God hovered over a formless void

Three report a pre-historic body of liquid –one containing a pyramid, one containing a prehistoric cow, and one containing a black egg where a giant named Pangu slept for 18000 years.

All seven record that deities—beings, gods --by hook or by crook-- kicked everything off, creating sky, earth, humanity, etc. Six record multiple gods’ participation, mostly while at war with each other.

Two record the rebellion of humanity against their creator. 
     -One records how humanity turned against their creator because he was aging and getting weak.  SO, the deity sent his daughter to destroy the rebel humans. Upon seeing the bloody cruel massacre, he felt compassion and stopped the violence, sparing some.
     -The other records the deception of the humans by an enemy of the deity.  The Deity sought out the humans He created who had disobeyed His instructions.   He sent his Son to take their punishment in their place.

Only one records ONE God who, in an orderly progression, created the universe and everything in it out of nothing. Even more interesting, the One God exists in three ‘persons’.  Not personalities.  Persons.  One God.  Three persons. (Oh, the questions! Mind blown!)

None of them explain how the deities, or ‘beings’ who created us, came to exist.  (Even in our wildest imaginings, some questions can’t be answered—at least, not yet.)

Stories like these, whether new, or passed down through many generations, influence SO much of our deeper understanding of our world, our circumstances, and our own ‘person’ .

For example, I believe there is a reason that Nyx, the goddess of darkness (in Greek mythology) inhabited a very empty world. Darkness of course is lack of light, often a metaphor for lack of knowledge of truth, or, in other words, living in deception.  ‘Empty’ evokes lack of life, lack of purpose, lack of vision, and lots of other lacks.  ‘Empty’ feels, well, . . .empty.  Hopeless. Lonely. Sad.

Sometimes I have been in that dark and scary emptiness, searching for something, with no apparent way out.

Another example. In the Egyptian, Babylonian, and Greek myths, there were multiple gods. The different gods in each account warred continuously with each other. 

Meaning for me?
Those stories speak to what it is like to have competing ‘gods’ in my life. If I am serving multiple ‘gods’ in my life, things will probably get ugly.  Competing interests—they cannot all succeed, but I pour energy into all. 

Or maybe I have an objective that MUST be achieved exactly as I picture it. 

OR maybe I want to please EVERYONE so they will like me. 

I might not escalate the situation to a literal ‘win or die’ war, but in effect my little ‘gods’ war against me to render me ineffective in everything.  Exhausting and fruitless.

So, by reflecting on the “emotional why ‘s” we experience through a story: (Why do I like this character so much?  Why does this character’s situation make me nervous? etc.), we can gain lots of insight to our own hearts:

-A character issue could come to light
-A new perspective on a situation
-Clarity to a misunderstanding
-A new way to respond to a struggle
-Gaining a laser focus on who we really are, and what our real assignment is

Stories can open our hearts and minds to new ways of thinking and being, without the shaming, “in your face,” diatribe.

Jesus was a master storyteller.  He used “parables”  (earthly stories with heavenly meanings) shared with his followers and others to illustrate Kingdom realities.  His stories would be a light for those genuinely looking for truth.  But for others who believed they had all the answers they needed already, his stories would be foolish and meaningless. 

With all of that in mind I hope you will take time to enter the story below, modeled after one of the stories Jesus told, but sort of updated.  I call it Holiday VIP’s.
 
Holiday VIP’s
Annie felt amazing--she was finally released from the hospital. Finally done with her treatments, finally able to move about freely, and finally able to do something big for someone else. So many had been a part of her healing. She was so full of joy and ready to give something back.  And the holiday season had begun.

Annie's daughter, Gayle, picked her up at the hospital to carry her home. 

Gayle was a teenager when she and Annie had a major 'falling out'. Their relationship became very adversarial, and Gayle couldn't see it ever being different. 

Now Gayle was 34 years old, married, 3 children and living in another state.  She had only come to town out of obligation. To avoid feeling shamed if she did NOT, at least, do this much: get her Mom home from the hospital and settled in.

But Annie had very high hopes that they might find a way to make amends.  She would invite  Gayle and her family to a holiday dinner--Annie had never even seen 2 of her grandchildren. She wanted it to be just like years past, before they became estranged.

Her daughter, however, had a life she wanted to go home to. And stay. 

Gayle missed her children.  If they came to the holiday dinner, what would she tell her children about their grandmother—why they didn’t know she existed?  Maybe another time.  Maybe.

Annie somewhat understood, though she was disappointed.  They said goodbye.  Annie sat that evening, alone, with her tea, sad, but grateful to have seen her daughter.  She would be patient. 

And still, there was so much to celebrate.  So much to share with someone!  But who??

She would invite her special nurse friend, Amanda, from the hospital.

Annie called the hospital to speak with Amanda.  While Amanda seemed very happy to talk to her, she said she must decline the invitation.  Her holiday calendar was already crammed with extra parties, having to work overtime to cover for some on vacation, and she had so much to do to prepare.   Maybe another time would be nice.  The nurse would call Annie when her schedule wasn’t so busy.

Annie lamented to herself, “Who will celebrate with me?” I have so much I wish to give. So much I want to share with someone.  My daughter is still angry with me, and she has her own family to care for.  My nurse friend is just so busy."

About that time, Annie looked out onto the street from her third-floor apartment.  Her attention fell immediately on a woman and two children standing near the grocery store parking lot.  They carried signs.  Obviously needing to be shown some kindness.
​
A thought occurred to the woman. “Strangers cared for me for many months—the doctors, the nurses, the social workers.  So, I will invite strangers to my celebration.  Strangers in need of some kindness.”

Quickly, Annie acted on her inspiration.  She grabbed her coat, her purse, and a bag of cookies for the children, and rushed to the grocery store parking lot. 
She introduced herself to the young family.  She asked the mother about her situation and listened patiently to her story.

Then Annie said to the mother, “I would like to help you.”  

She invited the family to join her for lunch at the fast-food restaurant next door.

As they visited there, the mother shared that her husband would be released from his prison sentence before the holiday.  They were excited he was coming home.  But she had nothing, and she did not know where their food and rent would come from.

The family accepted Annie's invitation to be her very special holiday guests.   A week later, a true celebration of life, and love, and newly found freedom and friendship took place—It was the best celebration of all.

(This is NOT the End.  It's the Beginning)
 
Think about it:
Who are you in this story?

   >The grateful, joyful Annie, released from the hospital?
   >Gayle, the daughter holding on to bitterness?
   >Amanda, the very busy nurse—too busy to celebrate with her former patient?
   >The stranger--the young mother in need?
   >The stranger's husband being released from prison?

What emotions are evoked in you through this story?

How do you feel about the woman’s kindness?

In your present situation, how would you have responded to the woman’s invitation?

Me???
I have probably been all of these characters at some point.  Bitter grudges and busy-ness have been my excuses often for turning down invitations to receive kindnesses, even God’s kindnesses.   Especially God’s kindnesses.

He has so many good things to share with you and me.  But so often we don’t get it.  I have declined—or more accurately, run away from-- His invitation from time to time, if:

>I think God is mad at me
>Or, if I am doubting His existence
>Or, I have failed so many times, I give up
>Or, I fear what God will require of me.  (I WANT to hang on to my bitterness toward others—and I know He will ask me to forgive)  

It’s too hard to say, “I’m sorry.” I am so vulnerable when I say, “I forgive you.” It’s too stressful to try to regain lost time. So, dodge the bullet (so to speak).  Make an excuse.

I have also been “too busy” to ‘come to the table’.  I have deadlines to meet. No time to just sit and enjoy what others, and God, long for most—just to sit.  Just to enjoy each other.  Just to ‘be’.

But, I’m learning.  I’m learning to look into people’s eyes.  Learning to stay put when my knee-jerk reaction is to excuse myself.  Learning to ask questions. Learning to listen. Learning to enter the stories of others.  

I am learning to feel. And in a much more 'real' way, I'm learning to live.
 
SIDEBAR: The Parable
It is a great invitation to come, and sit at the table of a great Host, a great King who suffered so much for us.  His invitation is still open to the world. Stop and consider the possibilities.  Take a risk. Say, “YES!  I will come.” And don’t miss it!

Luke 14:15-24 The Parable of the Great Feast
Verse 23: "Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full."

Revelation 22:17 (MSG)
“Come!” say the Spirit and the Bride.  Whoever hears, echo, “Come!”
All who will, come and drink.  Drink freely of the Water of Life!”

Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.
I’ll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me--
Watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.
I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
Freely and lightly.”
  
It’s an Invitation
>Jesus will not force himself on anyone. (Revelation 3:20)
>All who ‘open the door’ (receive Him) and believe He is who He says He is, receive from Him the right to become “children of God”. (John 1:12-13, John 3:16-20)
>All who receive Jesus, and believe in Him, will be different from who they were.  (1 Peter 1:3-2:12)
>In the moment of belief No longer dead in sin, but alive in Christ (Romans 6:4) >No longer an enemy of God, but now a friend No longer a citizen of the World, but now a citizen of God’s Kingdom and member of a royal priesthood over the course of remaining time on earth
>Transformed by the renewing of your mind, from glory to glory (Romans 12:2, 8:20-21)
>Set apart by God to walk in good works God has for us to do (Eph 2:10) Being conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29)  

No excuses. Just say 'yes'.
​For your encouragement and inspiration--Kay