I got the scissors out this summer and with the grace of God am cutting like a maniac. The strings that is. I realized recently that my life has gotten as tangled as a marionette being puppeteered by a toddler. Everything I do has some sort of string attached.

I made you that meal because you are my friend and would do the same for me.

I got up with the babies and let you sleep in so I could sleep in tomorrow.

I listen because I want it to be my turn next.

I check your blog please check mine.

Even the compliment someone gives me are likely responded with your shoes are so cute too!

This is not to say I don’t mean it, (I do, don’t worry girl. Your shoes are cute.) But the strings I have attached to my own words and actions are getting so tangled up in the attic of my heart that I am starting to attach them to others as well.

Maybe others do have strings, and maybe they don’t. Either way it is not my concern. Because this summer I have been reminded that this is what I know: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Because he loves us, not so that we would love him, not so that we would respond a certain way, but so that we could live in the freedom of being truly and deeply loved.

I have been living in the tangled lies of getting mine. Only scratching those backs that have the arms attached long enough to scratch mine. And my strings are getting so tangled I can barely scratch anything anymore without the immense effort of pulling against those strings.

So I am taking the scissors with the sharp blades of truth: God gave me my freedom, freely. I am free to give. And I am snipping those strings and stretching out my arms and my heart to their full capacity, the way they were designed to work.

I am finding that I don’t need those strings. God is becoming in charge of making sure I get mine. His grace is sufficient, it is extravagant, it is freeing me from my tangled mess of strings.

I don’t need those strings I have been carefully attaching. My God has given me my freedom, no strings attached.

This blog is in response to the prompt Sarah Bessey offered. There is so much truth to be found on her blog. Go check it out. What is saving your life right now?