Surviving Difficult Times, Living the Dash

My new mantra is "Clickety Clack."

This is what you will hear me muttering,

mumbling,

whispering,

pleading....

Clickety Clack is the sound of the roller coaster as it makes the slow, agonizing ascent.  "Woo Hoo!" is the sound you make in the thrilling descent.

Clickety Clack is the background noise as your mind whirls:

• "Why did I do this?
• "I'll never do this again!"
• "Where am I going?"
• "What's ahead?"
• "I don't want to be here."
• "I can't survive this."

Life is like a roller coaster, full of ups and downs.  The Clickety Clack is the bad part of the journey.  Woo Hoo is the fun part, the adventurous, exciting part -- the reason for the ride.

Clickety Clack is long.

Woo Hoo is short. 

Don't stop the ride just because you hear Clickety Clack.  In the Clickety Clack, you will struggle with knowing whether you are on the right path or the right ride.

Fear floods in the Clickety Clack, but Clickety Clack means you're moving.

This metaphor was such an encouragement to me recently, proposed by Margo Tirado and Shawna Burkhart in a recent show of Midday Connection called "Living the Dash."  The Clickety Clack is not just normal, it's required.

The ladies further proposed that when questions arise in the Clickety Clack, step back and examine what's happening in your life.  As yourself "When do I smile?" and "When do I feel my chest opening up?"  The biggie to ask is "Am I frustrated or fulfilled?"  Ask these when you feel anxious or unhappy.  God has a plan for you.  These questions can help you determine if you're in the plan -- on the right ride -- and simply in the Clickety Clack phase or if you are totally off-track and need to rearrange some priorities.

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Living the Dash Conference Info.