Religious or not, it doesn't change the message here. As I am filtering through my thoughts while writing I am giggling to myself about American analogies. I stared this post talking about pouring from an empty glass and immediately thought about other popular sayings... "My plate is so full," "My cup is running over," etc. For the sake of this message, let's just stick with one portion of the dinner table, the cup!
When your cup is full in life you feel energized. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to; you feel motivated. Generally, as you share from your cup it then gets replenished. You worked so hard on a presentation at work... your glass lessened to half full. Because your presentation went so well you received a promotion... your glass was refilled. Get my point?
What happens when your glass is continuously being poured from and there is nothing there to replenish it? The answer... SO MUCH! So much can happen...
- Anger
- Resentment
- Frustration
- Anxiety
The list really can go on forever.
As I was talking to a dear girl friend of mine about this exact situation the other day I couldn't quite put into words what I was trying to say. "I am a Christian, wife, mom, business owner, caregiver for all the people, chef, maid, etc. and I constantly feel like I am doing everything for everyone all of the time, and as much as I feel blessed to be able to do so, I AM EXHAUSTED. I feel like everything I do is expected and rarely appreciated." To which she replied, "You can't really pour from and empty glass."
Her words truly made such an impact that I kept repeating them to myself throughout the day. "You can't really pour from an empty glass." Hmmmmm...
One thought led straight to another and by the end of the day I decided I don't just have one glass. I have a fleet of glasses!
- one for God and I
- one for my husband and I
- one for my children and I
- one for other family/friends and I
I want to be very cautious with my words here. Let me stray for a quick second and explain something to you that I teach our kids. We have a saying here, "Always act, never react." Simply meaning, in the heat of an argument or situation never just instinctively react to what is happening because you will often regret it later. Instead, take a breath and then act when you have had a chance to process. So, back to the glasses. Please understand that I am not condoning haste. For me to say that my glass is empty is a very powerful statement, because it takes so much to get me to the point where I feel completely dry. As a Christian, I believe in doing for others with no expectation; really having a servants heart and attitude. However, there is a fine line between giving a hundred percent all the time with no expectation and allowing the people you care about the most to treat you with disrespect by neglecting your needs or showing little appreciation for who you are in their lives.
So, today, if you are feeling like your cup is drying up, have a conversation with whom the other half of the cup belongs. Do you feel like you are pouring into your relationship with God but he isn't hearing you? Do you feel like your spouse is well taken care of but your needs are being ignored; Maybe your kids whom you chauffeur around everyday of the week are being ungrateful? It is time to communicate. It is time to approach the situation before you end up some place you never desired to be. Never let anger, resentment, frustration, etc. find a place in your heart without just cause. Give others a chance to prove how wonderful they can be. Sometimes we all need a little reminder.
** To piggyback here, I would encourage each of you to figure out what your love language(s) is/are. I truly feel that if you understand yourself and the other people in your glass fleet that great things can happen in your life and the lives of those around you. Until next time...
Hugs,
Anna