This past week has been an abundant gift from an abundant God. I am right now sitting in the cafeteria of St. John’s college in Minnesota. It is my last full day at a writing retreat that has been a gift I do not yet have the words for. An abundant gift from an abundant God, and still I can hear scarcity whispering in my ear.

I wonder sometimes about the snake and the garden, the woman and the apple. I wonder if scarcity isn’t what that snake was whispering to her. I imagine it to be. Eve, in the place of absolute of abundance, the garden of Eden, everything a person could ever want or need, there, right there all within grasp. But the serpent convinced Eve that it was not enough. That what she was gifted was not the best, and there was something else that was being denied her.

Even in the midst of this most generous gift of time and space for my words, I can hear scarcity whispering in my ear. There is a lot of time, but maybe not enough, these people do like you, but maybe not enough, there is space for your words, but is it enough? Don’t you need more? Don’t you need to try harder to get it? 

The truth is, I don’t. There is enough room and time and space and beauty. Being liked and loved is a bonus, but not the most important thing. And like and love is not a commodity that runs out. Someone else getting a whole bunch doesn’t mean I am denied even a tiny bit of my own.

I was struggling with scarcity thinking at the Target, twelve hours before getting on my plane. I quick left a voxer for Esther, (you know, the lady who started this #wholemama thing) and expressed to her all the anxiety I was having. She told me back all the truth of an abundant God and an abundant gift. Of my right to a place at the table, of the idea that just because I am there doesn’t mean I am denying anyone else any space. Later, I admitted on my Facebook page the feelings of insecurity and my friend responded, “you can’t talk about my friend like that.” 

Isn’t that the truth. I knew that the words Esther was telling me were the truth because I knew they were the truth when I had said them to other people. I knew I could accept the truth for myself, even when it didn’t feel true, because it is the truth I want so desperately for the people I love the most. This is why scarcity needs to be hunted in a pack. We need to echo the truth to each other until the whispers of scarcity are drown out by the truth.

This week participate in the Love Bomb! And say the thing to someone else you most need said to yourself

This weeks love bomb theme is COMFORT

The Short: Leave a comment here, I will email you the persons contact, say something nice.

The Long: So WHAT is a LOVE BOMB and how will I COORDINATE it? A love bomb is when we all come together to lavish a deserving someone with Tweets, Facebook likes, Blog comments, emails, and general social media shout outs. Imagine waking up to the amount of Birthday notifications only they are nice things about you for seemingly no reason. It would make you feel pretty good, huh? Yeah!