Skip to main content

Traffic lights

By j jones

  I discovered last year that I'm neuro-diverse! There are great things about seeing the world in  a different way. My mind is both linear and abstract all at the same time. I'm creative and a bit random, but not random at all! I can look in the boot of a car and see in an instant if and how luggage is going to fit. My mind works full speed pretty much constantly which means I fit in huge amounts of thoughts in, in a small amount of time. 

 But then there are the negatives. One thing that has been a struggle for me, is to get from seeing a task that needs doing, to completing it. This has left me, many time, feeling like a bit of a failure! 

 Then a couple of weeks ago,  an amazing friend prayed, like the Bible says, for a renewal of my mind. And the Holy Spirit answered. 

 He explained to me that my mind had something like traffic lights going off. Getting laundry from dirty state, all the way to being in cupboards has had around 6 sets of traffic lights for me.

 Take off the clothes -🚦-

 Get laundry in the basket -🚦 - put washing in the machine - 🚦- hang washing up to dry -🚦- get washing in -🚦- put it to air -🚦- take it off the horse and fold -🚦-take to the right rooms -🚦- put away.  Actually, that's eight sets of "lights". For me, some of these lights are usually green. I've found it pretty easy to put the washing out once it's washed. Others, have almost always been red. I've had a "floordrobe" for as long as I can remember and getting clean stuff in my cupboards has almost been painful! It's embarrassing! I'm nearly 50 and still can't do a basic adulting task!

  But these traffic lights have gone! And it's amazing. I can go straight from seeing a dirty cup in the lounge and take it straight to the sink...no delay. I know it might sound silly, but to anyone who has a  "floordrobe,"  or a pile of unopened mail constantly on the worktop, it's huge! I can't believe how much easier day-to-day life is, and after all the years of being critical and frustrated about what I thought were my "short comings".  I'm hoping this will  increase my compassion for others too. If I had invisible "traffic lights" standing in my way, others probably do to.

 Shame and stigma is wanting me not to share this testimony, but I'm going to share anyway, with a loud THANK YOU JESUS!  


So if any of this is giving you a lightbulb moment, my prayer over you, is "Do it again Holy Spirit." 

And if you want to chat some more about this, feel free to send me a message. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

(Dis)Comfort and Joy

By j jones
  In the summer, I was traveling to London on the train. It was a birthday treat and the idea of driving didn't spark much joy. As I normally travel by car, the train was an adventure - to start with! And then, like the Hobbits leaving the shire, it didn't quite go to plan! I'll leave the full story for another day but traveling by train the same day that Taylor Swift was in Wembley wasn't such a great idea. The trains were absolutely chockablock. We spent an hour stood toe to toe, head to armpits, as hundreds of people squashed into a train that was already full. Yet the passengers were laughing, chatting and sharing life stories as we trundled down the tracks. The discomfort, apparently, was worth it and we left the station wishing our new besties a wonderful time. If that was a Monday morning of commuters, I'm pretty sure the atmosphere wouldn't be quite so joy filled. What we're willing and even able to endure, can definitely be connected with the percei...
Post a Comment
Read more

Comfort and joy

By j jones
  I keep hearing the line "Comfort and Joy" from the Christmas Carol jingling in my head. It's a bit early even for me, but with the wind howling outside, it's not hard to conjure up the image of a roaring fire, a cup of tea, and a piece of Christmas cake—comfort and joy at its best! I took up swimming in the lake last year. I started as a symbolic act for something God was talking to me about - washing off apathy and exhaustion. Once I started, I met people who found swimming in cold water helped with anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles. Slowing down breathing when the body is in shock and telling you to get out, can apparently build resilience in times of flight, fight and freeze.  As I looked into it a bit more, I learnt how it can help heal emotional trauma*. And I found this to be true for me. I was curious as to why. As I was taking a cold early morning shower, with a bold, although not completely true declaration, of "I'd rather be co...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shame

By j jones
 I have an enemy, and he's called Shame, He walks close beside me, and he knows my name He whispers, "It's your fault. You played your part. You better cover your dirty black heart." I have a companion, and he's called Shame He walks close beside me, and he knows my name. He says I'm boastful and full of pride.  My only way out is to be small and hide. I have a friend, and he's called Shame He walks close beside me, and he knows my name. He covers my back, my front and side. He makes sure I know if I let the mask slide. I have a deep flaw, and it's called shame It's deep inside me; it's in my brain. But that doesn't matter because my armour is tight.  I'm covered completely and ready to fight. I have great armour covering my shame It muffles out the sound of it shouting my name. I am not defeated or surviving but thriving; you'll see How I'm courageous and resilient in my self-sufficiency . I have a saviour. He knows my name...
Post a Comment
Read more