Ground Zero

You know the term "Ground Zero" from the 9/11 tragedy of the World Trade Towers.
As you know, the towers fell. The fall was actually an implosion - as opposed to an explosion. The term "Ground Zero" refers to the ground beneath an explosion, or in this case, an implosion.

Yesterday, I told you I would tell you about something I did when I was feeling very down - as if I were the ground beneath an explosion. Honestly, I felt like "ground zero" personified. I was so distraught I felt like I had imploded on myself...like the World Trade Center tragedy compacted into one person. Believe me when I tell you that at the time, I wished I were in the World Trade Center when disaster struck. I'm not being glib here. I mean it. I get so down, I implode. Uh, think I could have used a little encouragement? Sure. But, it wasn't to be.

I finally decided to reach out. It was literally the only thing I could do that would take my mind off of my misery. So. I made brownies. No, I didn't eat them! (Okay, I might have had a couple... and the crumbs) The vast majority of brownies went to my new neighbors.

The surprise and delight in their eyes was not only evident of the encouragement they received, but it encouraged me as well. So. What? Is that it? Am I simply going to make brownies for everyone for the rest of my life? Is that what I'm going to suggest you do? No. What I did realize was that every time I do something that encourages someone else, it's as if I am "rebuilding" my imploded self.

One brick does not a building make. But a lot of material will do the trick! It's as if each bit of encouragement equals a brick. Different types of encouragement results in all the material necessary to build a whole building.

Do we always have the energy we need to be encouraging to others? Do we even think to encourage others all the time? No. But God can infuse us with His strength and enable us to see the world through His eyes, if we let Him.

Time to build up Ground Zero!