Anne Marie Miller

Category: Hmmmm

  • Instead Of…

    Since returning from Haiti, I’ve been oddly more introspective than normal.

    Which is, again, odd, because I’m typically pretty darn introspective.

    I’ve been analyzing the temptations and opportunities that cross my way, both subtle and bold.

    Topics I could write about…or not.

    Relationships I could develop…or not.

    Ways I could respond to people…or not.

    Things I could dwell on in my mind…or not.

    Two immediate “temptations” (if you call them that) I face regularly are to be sensational and to be trendy.

    Why?

    Sensational and trendy usually brings in attention and response.

    Attention and response makes me feel important and valued (yes, we just talked about this…)

    Sensational and trendy makes me appear “relevant” and “edgy.”

    It makes me popular.

    But sensationalism and trendiness also is an inch deep and lasts for a split second.

    It typically has no legit, long-lasting worth.

    So I’ve decided to make a list of characteristics I want to strive for – just for me – in how I want to live out this life I have.

    Sacred instead of sensational.

    Timeless instead of trendy.

    Prophetic instead of popular.

    Generous instead of entitled.

    Meek instead of aggressive.

    Quiet instead of attention-seeking.

    Humbly prayerful instead of demanding.

    Patient instead of prideful.

    Inviting instead of isolating.

    Understanding instead of judgmental.

    This list is in no way complete; rather…it’s just a sketch of traits I need to develop and cultivate in my life. These are areas where I am weak and tempted and need strength and support.

    What are some of your “instead of” statements?

  • A Day of Rest

    As we spin with the world
    Rotating among
    The stars and particles
    Swirling around us
    Tides ebbing and flowing
    The moon and the sun rising
    We must command
    Ourselves
    To simply stop.
    To simply be.

    (Breathe in the air
    Not polluted by hurry
    And breathe out the spirit
    Of mercy and peace)

  • Just Imagine

    Imagine what it’s like to walk down to the river that’s a few miles from your house.

    With a 20 gallon bucket, you let the water slowly spill in, filling it to the top. Lifting the bucket over your shoulder, you carry it back home.

    This is your water supply for the next day. You’ll use it to cook and clean and bathe and drink.

    You know it may make you sick — it has before, and every time you have a sip is like rolling the dice.

    But you also know you need water.

    Your baby needs water. He’s getting dehydrated because he has diarrhea. You question yourself.

    “Is it making it better…or worse?” as you look over at him. He lays quietly on a blanket inside your home. You can see the goose flesh run up and down his warm skin. He has a fever again.

    —

    Yesterday, we raised over $5800 for clean water.

    $1 provides 1 African clean water for a year. So, if you used that statistic, we’ve provided clean water for over 5800 Africans for a year.

    Next year, on my 31st birthday, we’ll do the same, to ensure this necessity doesn’t go away.

    5800 people with clean water.

    Some, maybe for the first time.

    Lifesaving, life giving, clean water.

    Water without hesitation — without risk.

    —

    Thank you guys for your sacrifice. It’s never too late to give.

  • How Can I Pray for You?

    Sometimes, when my writer’s brain is empty and there aren’t blog posts streaming from my fingers, I take that as a sign that I need to shut up a little bit and reflect and refill.

    As I take some time to do that over the next few days, how can I pray for – or celebrate – with you?

    Feel free to leave your requests in the comments section or pass this along to a friend you know who might need some encouragement and prayer from others.

    Let’s have this weekend be a little more intentional – a little more focused – on carrying each others’ burdens and celebrating with each other as well instead of just another weekend of blogging and talking.


  • When’s the Last Time You…

    I have been a vocal opponent of the iPhone since it came out.

    I’ve been a Blackberry girl since before you were born.

    I swore I’d never get an iPhone.

    Ever.

    Then a friend gave me one.

    Free.

    So…I tried it for a few months, and we didn’t like each other.

    And AT&T…well, as they say – there’s a map for that.

    I broke my contract (rejoicing!) and moved over to Sprint.

    The iPhone went to South Africa

    I got a Palm Pre.

    And, I didn’t like it.

    The battery lasted 45 seconds.

    So, taking advantage of the 30-day swap policy, I went back to a Blackberry.

    And then I got another Blackberry, because only one (the Tour) is capable of going out of the country.

    YET…

    Evidently, I needed to have Sprint service for a year before they would activate my international option.

    And you see, I’m going to Haiti next week, and Moldova and Russia in April.

    (I need international service now!)

    After trying everything I could…they said they’d discount my early termination fee, but they just couldn’t switch on my international service.

    So I called AT&T and asked to come back. They were great. They waived fees, and gave me a credit.

    But when it came down to it, I had to choose…

    The iPhone, or a Blackberry.

    I’m a sell out.

    I chose the iPhone.

    BUT…AT&T also has a 30-day swap program, so…if the iPhone and I are incompatible again, I will be getting another Blackberry.

    (Hear me roar.)

    But for now…

    I have received so many text messages from friends who have called me out on my iPhone bashing.

    Laughing at me.

    Calling me names.

    Laughing at me more.

    Just now, as I write this blog, I got a text saying, “You cracked! I love it!!”

    Humble pie.

    When’s the last time you ate it?

    What flavor?

  • What’s Your “One Thing?”

    What’s the one thing in your life that God’s asking you to get rid of?

    That one habit?

    That one character trait?

    That one dream — that may be yours — but isn’t his?

    My one thing is getting my way.

    I like having things go my way.

    Like my cell phone should work internationally and my mail should be here on time and the person behind the counter should be nice and I should be able to eat cupcakes every day without gaining weight.

    I think that’s called entitlement.

    It must break.

    So…

    What is your one thing?

  • Value vs. Usefulness

    Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in the words of Thomas Merton. If you’re not familiar with his writing, he’s a 20th century Trappist monk and writer (more here) and his words have the power to transcend the logical and explore the spiritual undercurrents in which we rarely dare to wade.

    I read this from Merton other day, and it reminded me of something I wrote in Mad Church Disease.

    “We are so obsessed with doing that we have no time and no imagination left for being. As a result, men are valued not for what they are but for what they do or what they have – for their usefulness”

    In Mad Church Disease, I confessed I was so busy “doing” things for God that I had forgotten how to simply “be.” with him.

    I love what Merton adds though – this second part:

    “As a result, men are valued not for what they are but for what they do or what they have – for their usefulness”

    Essentially, when we become wrapped up in our productivity, ambition, and success, we will inevitably cast the same expectations on others. We will focus on what they do instead of the beautiful layers of who they are, removing us further from God’s design to exist in a non-judgmental, merciful community where we consider others better than ourselves…

    I know I constantly am driven by my ambition and the results of it. And as a culture, upon meeting someone new, we typically ask, “So…what do you do?” While that’s an innocent question in and of itself, I think it’s an indicator of the priorities we’ve subtly placed on what it means to be a valuable human being.

    What do you think? Have you experienced this in your life?


  • Guest Post by Seth Godin: Why is it So Difficult to Be Human?

    Today, these words are given by the ever generous Seth Godin.

    His guest post is titled “Why is it So Difficult to Be Human?” and it was written just for you. I think he shares a very profound question that many of us have asked on this blog before.

    He also contributed on many other blogs today, of which you can find a list here.

    ——-

    Why is it so difficult to be human?

    What does it mean to be human anyway?

    A key part of being a real person – a human being – is showing up, especially when it?s difficult, particularly when it?s frightening to do so.

    Showing up counts for a lot. Why? Because it’s scarce.

    Someone who will comfort you on the phone in the middle of the night, then throw on a bathrobe and drive to your house. That’s precious.

    Someone who tells you the truth.

    Someone who exposes herself, is present, connected and willing to let you hurt them.

    These are the things we seek out as people, and yet we rarely find them. And yet we are rarely willing to be this person.

    We built institutions, organizations and religions to make it easy to avoid being this person. The rules and principles and jobs and buildings and code words and admonitions… they all exist to protect us from the truths we’re afraid of and from the interactions we’d rather not have.

    They organize us, and organization is a wonderful way to be protected.

    We go to work and we hide. We hide behind the religion of our brand or our team or our Dunder-Mifflin employee manual. We go to a foreign country and we play tourist, because actually going there is too difficult, too risky, to exposed.

    Showing up counts for a lot.

    When we show up, we connect, we make change, we are transparent, and yes, we’re human.

    Caring hurts sometimes, and that’s inconvenient.

    The good news is that more than ever, value accrues to those that show up, those that make a difference, those that do work that matters.

    The good news is that digging deep and fighting that voice that begs us to shut up instead of show up really pays off now, in more ways than we can count.

    Faith in yourself, in your friends, in your colleagues and most of all, faith in your ability to impact our future is the best strategy I know.

    —-

    Seth Godin’s new book LINCHPIN comes out today. It’s about art and gifts and connection and making a difference. And you should really read it because it’s really great.

    And also, you should get a few of his other books if you haven’t yet. Three of my favorites are Purple Cow, The Dip, and Tribes. All three of those have shaped my perspective and execution of how and why and when I do what I do. You won’t be disappointed!

    —

    Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a ?sponsored post.? The company or identity who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission?s 16 CFR, Part 255: ?Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.?


  • The Power of Words

    For most of my life, I’ve been an extremely sensitive person. I also had a terribly awkward last name growing up, so it was easy to make fun of the goofy girl with big teeth and big eyes and a funny last name.

    I spent a lot of my elementary school days crying alone in my room, brooding on whatever harsh words were spoken to me by my classmates.

    In high school, I grew out of the big teeth (I actually quite like my teeth now), and found myself in academics and sports. I was in the National Honor Society, was identified by the Duke University talented program in the seventh grade, aced my honors classes, and excelled at basketball. Our family settled into Abilene for a few years while I was in high school and I made good friends that I still adore today. I didn’t get made fun of much then, or as I blossomed into an adult and into a couple of different careers.

    My mom always prayed that I would have a sensitive heart, and now as I share it in a world where thousands can read and voice their own opinion, my skin has become soft again.

    Words move me in dramatic ways – both positive, and negative.

    The prayers and words of kindness from strangers elate me, and show me the voice of God through humanity. In more recent weeks, the critics have shown up on several posts, voicing their opinions as well.

    I am fully supportive of everyone having the right to their own thought, and the right to voicing their own thought. I don’t ever expect everyone to agree with everything I say or do, and that’s completely fine. I’ll never delete a comment that shares a different point of view, even if it’s said in an argumentative tone.

    However, I do ask you this. If you read my blog, or any others, or hear a story or meet a person and something inside you compels you to share your opinion, please consider the words you use to communicate.

    It is of utmost importance that even if we take a opposing stance on an issue, we shouldn’t debate the other person’s heart, integrity, or motivation.

    We are not, and can not be, the judge of that.

    The power our words have can be extremely positive and uplifting, and can even push someone to grow if we communicate a different opinion in a positive manner.

    Our words can also be like poison, and shrink and twist the heart and life and faith of the person with whom we disagree.

    Yes, I’m a very sensitive person and there are steps on my journey that I need to take to toughen my skin and not take harsh statements so personally and deeply.

    I also know I’m not the only person in the world that feels the power of words deeply.

    Speak gently.

    Speak carefully.

    Speak thoughtfully.

    Speak graciously.

    Speak humbly.

    We can do these things, and still disagree with someone.

    In fact, I think that may be the only way we can properly disagree with someone.