Life is like the Big Mouth Vinnie Burger. Allow me to explain.
There is a bar and grille in my small hometown in Iowa and I can honestly say it's one of my favorite restaurants. They have this huge burger - two hamburger patties, six onion rings, lettuce, tomatoes, tons of bacon, cheese, and this special sauce that I honestly don't know what's in it but it's so delicious I don't really care. The point is that it is a huge burger!!!
So I happen to be home this past weekend and I went out to eat with my parents to Teluwut. Also, something to know about me: I am actually the most indecisive person when it comes to ordering food at restaurants - most things I don't have a problem with being decisive but for some reason, I do with food. This is how a typical process for me goes:
Waiter: Do you know what you want to order?
Me: Oh crappies, no!
Waiter: Can I start you off with something to drink?
Me: *orders drink depending on what others order*
Waiter: *brings drinks* Do you know what you want to order now?
Me: *scrambling over six different items* I'll order last!
*rest of the group orders, back to me, STILL HAVE NO IDEA!!!*
Me: Uh ... *say whatever first comes to my head*
Okay. You get the idea. So I'm sitting in the restaurant with my parents, debating between six different items. I order the Big Mouth Vinnie Burger. In my defense, I ordered it because I wanted a burger AND onion rings so I figured I just order this burger rather than ordering an appetizer AND a burger.
The waiter delivers my food. My dad's jaw drops. The thing is HUGE! A knife is the only thing holding this bad boy together.
There is no way I can eat this whole dang thing. Except, all I have to do is break it down. If I take off the six onion rings, I'm are already right on track. It's only two patties, with the perfect amount of cheese and bacon. The sauce doesn't over take the burger so the hamburger bun doesn't get soggy. I eat the tomatoes separate so that takes care of some of the height. Next thing you know, the whole burger is eaten - all I did was break the burger down. This analogy can be applied to so many things. Take for example basketball. People can spend their whole lives looking through game film, studying all the X's and O's but the game of basketball is actually quite simple. Get down in a defense stance and get a stop. Then, the team that scores the most points wins the game so score more points then the other team. Break it down - just play basketball.
It's also kind of like life. All you have to do is break it down.
Let's be honest - life is not always easy. There will be happiness and sorrow. There will be immense joy and terrible heartache. But that's life.
It's taken me 20 years but I have finally figured out a saying that I try to take with me and remind myself in all situations:
Love God. Love People. Influence the world. Stop planning and starting becoming; Becoming = Becoming more like Jesus because whatever I do, wherever I go, my story is a part of God's story.
That's not saying I won't always mess up or this saying is a perfect mantra, but when I break down my life like that, it helps to take away so much stress in my life. While life is complicated, it is also very simple. When I break it down, I am reminded that I am in fact NOT invincible and CHRIST is the one who is in control.
-Courage, dear hearts. C.S. Lewis.
Lexi
