Charis Khar-ece

A few weeks ago, I was driving through the neighborhood where I grew up and decided to stop past my childhood home.  Although the house is no longer standing, you can see THE ALLEY when you look across the empty lot. With a smile on my face, I pulled out my phone and took a few pictures. I have so many childhood memories that include this street and that ALLEY.

Later, that day, my youngest daughter was looking through my phone and came across the pictures of the ALLEY. With a frown on her face, she said, “What is this a picture of? Where is this? Look at the writing on the buildings. Look at all that garbage!” I said to her, “this is the ALLEY in the back of the house where I grew up. This is where I played every day as a child. I have so many awesome memories in this ALLEY.” She looked at me and said, “That ALLEY is a MESS.” And walked away.

I was so disappointed that she couldn’t see the value in the ALLEY

She couldn’t see the baseball field with Billy, my brother, pitching. She couldn’t see me on second base and my brother, Joshua, up at bat. She couldn’t see all the neighborhood kids playing “release the den” and “it tag” in the ALLEY. She couldn’t see beyond the MESS.

The truth is … The ALLEY has always been a little messy. There’s always been writing on the buildings. There’s always been a little garbage here and there

But the ALLEY was the place where everyone met. Where everyone gathered. Where all the fun happened. I didn’t understand why she couldn’t see this.

And then I remembered… She’s only four years-old

She doesn’t know there are a lot of “MESSY” places and “MESSY” moments in life. She doesn’t know that “MESS” builds character, endurance and strength. That “MESS” creates context, teaches, and gives clarity. That it humbles, centers, and grounds.

The truth is… I wouldn’t be HERE if I was never THERE

Lord, help me to value the “ALLEYS” in my life. Help me to fully embrace ALL the things from my past. Even the “MESSY” things…  

 

This time next week I’ll be on a plane headed to Johannesburg, South Africa. Every time someone hears that I’m going to South Africa, they say, “Wow, you’re going to South Africa. I really hope to go there one day. It’s on my bucket list of places to visit”. Then they ask, “Why are you going to South Africa?” The typical response I give is, “I’m going for work.”

While this is true, there is more to the story

In June, I received an email from a colleague (who lives in New Orleans, LA) that said, “FYI… The Application Deadline is soon.” The email contained information about a Summit that was being held in South Africa and travel grants were being provided to widen and diversify participation to the Summit. I immediately read through the email and decided… there was no need for me to apply. People from all over the world will be applying.

I will never get selected to receive the grant

A few days later, I was talking ith a good friend and told her about the email I received. I told her, “I’m not going to apply for the grant because there is NO WAY I’ll be selected – NO WAY.” My friend said to me, “Karris, you are qualified to receive this grant. You have the experience and expertise they are looking for. You have to apply. You have to try.”

 

The truth is… I’m afraid of “applying” for things that appear out of reach. Things that stretch me beyond my comfort zone. Things that require me to venture to the unknown. I prefer the safe, the already traveled, the guaranteed

The day the application was due I was working remotely at Starbucks. I couldn’t decide what to do. Part of me was feeling brave and wanted to apply. The other part of me was afraid and didn’t want to take the risk. The risk of applying and never hearing back from anyone.

And then I remembered… It’s 2016. The year of doing things differently. The year of stepping out and taking risks. My friend was right. I’m just as qualified as the next person – I must try

I completed the application and hit SUBMIT. I was proud of myself. Even if I didn’t get the grant, I was happy I went for it – happy I tried.

A few months later, I found out that I received the grant

I’m so THANKFUL for friends that push me past my fears. Even when I feel like the “things” I’m striving for are out of reach, they’re always there to remind me that I’m qualified, worthy, and capable of doing all the things that God asks of me. They never let me settle for the mediocre, the mundane, or the monotonous. They remind me that God is calling me to greater things.

The truth is… I have so many more things to “apply” for in life

Lord, I pray for the wisdom and courage to always hit SUBMIT…

 

This past Saturday was a “lazy” Saturday for my family and I. We didn’t have anything to do until later in the day so everyone sat around the house – just relaxing. Everyone was still in their pajamas when I decided to get dressed and run a few errands. When I returned home, I realized there were a lot of leaves in our front yard and on our porch. I walked in the house and told my husband, “I’m going to clean up the leaves in the front of the house. I’ll be right back”.

MY PLAN was to go outside, sweep the leaves off the porch, and rake the leaves in the front yard. It would take thirty minutes – tops!

At first, MY PLAN was going smoothly. I swept off the front porch and started raking the leaves from the yard into a pile.

The leaves were in a nice, neat pile

The next thing I know, my four-year-old daughter comes out the house and says, “Mom, I want to help you”. I didn’t think much of it, I handed her the rake and went back to work. Then she says, “Mom, I have an idea. Let’s put all the piles of leaves together so I can jump in them. I want to play in the leaves”.

I didn’t want her to play in the leaves. I wanted to finish raking them so I could go in the house, watch TV, and relax. I remember thinking to myself, “If I let her play in the leaves, I’ll have to rake them up all over again. It will take forever for me to clean everything up.

“This is not what I PLANNED”

 

The truth is… I don’t like to deviate from the PLAN. It makes me nervous. It makes me uncomfortable

But, I decided to open myself up to the possibility that there was something else for me that day

 

Something else besides just raking the leaves, watching TV, and relaxing. So, my daughter and I raked all the leaves in a big pile and she played. She played for hours. Our neighbors joined in and all the kids had so much fun playing in the leaves. And I had fun watching them.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.

The truth is… I have PLANS for everything. PLANS for my family. PLANS for my kids. PLANS for my career. PLANS for my life. But, I don’t want to be so focused on MY PLANS that I miss THE PLANS that God has for my life. His PLANS are so much better

I remember thinking to myself, “I can’t believe MY PLAN to clean up the leaves turned into hours of fun for my daughter and her friends. And I almost missed it”. If I’m not careful, I’ll miss the joyous moments of everyday life in my attempt to stick to A PLAN. And I want all the joyous moments in life that God has for me.

 

So, my prayer today is…

Lord, open my heart to the PLANS you have for my life. Don’t allow me to be so focused on MY PLANS that I miss YOURS