THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART
The majority of the eyes scrolling across this screen or page, along with the hearts behind them, have a great deal in common with me and one another. Many of us have that innate desire to lasso the vivid pictures in our mind’s eye and bring them to life through our words. My guess is that the bottom of your heart is not so different than the bottom of my heart.The odd part about this creative world of wordsmithing is that when a body of words is complete it doesn’t always resonate or connect with hearts the way we had hoped. Sometimes it feels like an empty theater with only the sound of a lonely cricket singing… and yet we forge ahead.
It’s an odd dynamic to spend lonely time with a pen and paper or keypad in trying to hitch our hearts and souls up to others. When we fail to inspire and connect we still find gratification in the crazy process and calling.
What binds all of us together is our inborn need to connect, regardless of our widget or vocation. In that sense, we’re all in this together.
I’m Supremely blessed too with a pretty consistent group of friends that always reach out to one another to encourage and be encouraged. It’s a gift that makes precious gems seem like costume jewelry.
Every once in a while, we get an unexpected shot in the arm and heart. The kind of shots that I think are arranged by God to reinforce a sagging soul.
Chris caught my eye from across the gym and waved me over. I raised my chin as I approached him in an unspoken, “What’s up?” manner.
“I just wanted you to know how much that post you did a while back about your daughter touched me and my wife,” Chris said. He went on to explain how it made him remember things about his life and family. Chris shared how after he persuaded his wife to read it she finished with tears in her eyes. He told me that he did too.
My old gym buddy told me he felt like he’d stolen a piece of my world and used it to relate to his world to remind himself how blessed he was and how much he cherished his family. I assured him that no, he wasn’t guilty of swiping anything from me.
I told him that was the whole purpose of my words that often miss the mark or target like an arrow shot in a hurricane… but once in a while, I think our words do find their target. I believe that now and then they get Divinely pointed in the direction of other hearts in need of encouragement, inspiration, and reflection.
There is a time when our words hit dead center of a heart and pierce it with wisdom that pours forth love and joy that overflows the shallow banks of our eyes.
As my words encouraged my friend’s heart, his did mine.
For all of you who spend your precious time and heart to encourage mine, I say thank you so much… from the bottom of my heart.
Bill (cycleguy)
Sunday, December 6, 2015 @ 2:20 pm
I’ll say this simply and succinctly: you have blessed my life countless times over…more than I could ever repay…and I appreciate you and your honesty.
Hazel Moon
Sunday, December 6, 2015 @ 7:05 pm
Floyd I echo your title, from the bottom of my heart I do appreciate you and your encouraging and inspiring words. Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us!
Cheryl Smith
Sunday, December 6, 2015 @ 9:56 pm
Wow! What a touching post! It just reached way down to the bottom of my heart…definitely hit its target here. I echo every one of your words. I think it is wonderful that God allowed you to see your friend and hear his thoughts. Sometimes, we do feel like we are shooting our words out into the blog-o-sphere, never really knowing if they are reaching their mark, making contact, and resonating with others, and then God sends us a little glimpse reminder like the one you had in the gym. I am blessed by your words every, single time I come by here or you stop by my blog. It is a treasure to have found this wonderful community of like-minded souls and kindred spirits who walk this Christian writing path with us. I have often told my husband and son that my dream is to do a blogging tour…they agree. Would love to go around the country and sit down and have coffee with the ones who have become so dear and worked their way into our hearts….YOU are definitely included in that number, for sure, brother. Thank you for this heartfelt post…I related to every word you said and leave here refreshed in spirit, as always.
Ed
Sunday, December 6, 2015 @ 10:35 pm
It’s really been a pleasure. As much as I want to be a part of someone’s life in the flesh, I feel as if I am a part of yours in the spirit…if that makes any sense. Thank you!
Diane
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 3:02 am
Oh, Floyd, your gift always touches my heart. Forgive me if I don’t say it often enough.
With my hand upon your heart, I thank you for sharing your distinct gift with us all. You wordsmithing is a genuine, God-given gift that our Father has blessed us all with being on the receiving end of.
From the bottom of my heart to yours and our Father’s, I say thank you – to you both.
Betty Jo
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 3:37 am
Who says men aren’t in touch with their feelings!! So glad your friend shared his heart with you in the gym. That had to be such an encouragement. Floyd, this is such a beautiful, tender post, and truly touches my heart. You never have a post that doesn’t affect me in some way. I’m often reading through tears, challenged to think from a different angle, or seeing something in a new way. Thank you so much for that. You do an awesome job of hitching your heart and soul up to others through your wordsmithing, and I expect, in person too.
Pam
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 7:29 am
So glad you had this encounter with your friend, Floyd. We all need encouragement and assurance that we are making a difference. And you are, my friend, you are!!!
Barb Raveling
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 10:34 am
I do think you have a gift for touching lives with your words, Floyd. I often find myself reading your posts and thinking, “Oh, I remember that!” Or, “I’ve experienced that!” Today’s is no exception. For me it’s often been hard to write because I can’t see the people in front of me. I’d way rather teach a class locally or do something with friends or do some mentoring face to face or by phone. But writing has such potential to reach a large audience so I’m thankful for the opportunity even though it’s often hard. It’s nice to have fellow writers who are going through the same things!
Betty Draper
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 10:48 am
You and Bill over at CycleCye’s Spin were the first men bloggers I started following and you both have blessed me over and over with words of wisdom and insight. From your sites I began to branch out to those who commented on your sites. I figured these folks must see what I see in your words that go deeper then the black print on a site so they are worth following too. When I find myself having to come apart from blogging or a while, and I return to blog land, it’s yours and Bill’s I start with. I like the honesty, humility, heart felt way you pour out your heart and how they draw those with the same heart. It’s a unity of heart felt believers of Jesus Christ and who He is that draws me backs. I can have union with most people but unity is another thing, it about heart beliefs. I have no need to argue, spite hairs over different issue, I want to be encourage, be lifted up as I walk through this sinful world, your words do that brother along with a few others. I could spend days searching for other birds of the same feathers but then all I done is take in for myself. And those nuggets of wisdom that come from the few I follow are worth giving out to others. It’s never about quantity of people I read but the quality of what I read. Thanks you Floyd for this tribute to a band of brothers and sisters in Christ, banded together for the sake of the gospel. You have spoke for many of our hearts, thank you.
Lisa notes
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 11:27 am
Your words always hit home with me, Floyd. Good stuff lives here—and in the bottom of your heart.
“What binds all of us together is our inborn need to connect, regardless of our widget or vocation. In that sense weβre all in this together.” Amen, brother.
June
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 4:58 pm
PTL! How like our God to double the blessing! It’s always so humbling {and slightly overwhelming} to hear that, yes, our words are doing what we’ve hoped and prayed they would do: bless another person.
And, Floyd, your words hit their mark far more often than you know. Blessings, my friend.
Jennifer Dougan
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 7:14 pm
That’s exciting, Floyd, and I treasure those times too. I don’t doubt your gym friend found you encouraging. Your presence and voice is authentic and vulnerable and that’s meaningful to us. This line: “we still find [joy] in the crazy process and calling.” — yes, me too.
Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com
Dan Black
Monday, December 7, 2015 @ 8:30 pm
Great post, it’s great to hear about how we have impacted others, even if it’s in a small way.
saleslady371
Tuesday, December 8, 2015 @ 4:42 pm
You definitely hit the mark more than you realize. Your focus to keep your eyes on Jesus and share what you see and feel blesses me every time. Encouragement filters from His throne through your talented gift of writing only to be lavished on each reader just where they need it. Not only are you a great steward of God’s gift in you, you are amazingly faithful. I’m blessed to know you! I’m so glad you wrote this today so that we can express that to you!
Sharon
Tuesday, December 8, 2015 @ 9:34 pm
Oh Floyd, not only have you so accurately captured the whole journey of writing, you have also been kind enough to acknowledge the others who share that journey! And I thank you in return for being you. I promise you, I always make a connection when I visit here and enter into the world of words that you craft so well. Always blessed, always leave with something to ponder. I remember a friend telling me once that a writer writes to make connection – and that connection is the salary of the heart. I like that, don’t you? For indeed, when the Lord gives us words, and we are faithful to do our due diligence in putting them out there, and then those words reach another heart – well, does it get any better than that?!
Thank you for your friendship, and for the wisdom you bring to my world.
GOD BLESS!
TC Avey
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 @ 1:22 pm
Isn’t it awesome when something we pour ourselves into touches someone else? It always amazes, humbles, and surprises me when something I write touches another. I’m in awe that God uses me! I always say anything good I write is from God, anything less is just me getting in His way π
You are a great writer and friend. You’re a blessing to me. Being part of this blogging community is a blessing.
Thank you and have a very Merry Christmas!
Jason Stasyszen
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 @ 2:06 pm
You are an amazing blessing, Floyd. Not only in the words you write, but the life you live. I do understand what you mean too–sometimes you think something is going to land and it doesn’t. Other times (at least for me), I’ve written things I thought were not that special and it resonated with someone. You never know, but we choose to be faithful with the gifts God has given. I do appreciate your faithfulness, my friend. π
Dolly@Soulstops
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 @ 3:05 pm
Floyd,
Oh, what a God-gift to touch another person’s soul and for Chris to tell you. It warms my heart to see two men in touch with their feelings. Thanks for writing and for being a friend π
Joanne Norton
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 @ 6:12 pm
As usual, you shared and dun good and a lot of people let you know that they appreciated what you said and what you shared. I really, BTW, I LOVED the photo you had used this time. Made me smile and wink at you and chuckle. Bless you, Bro. You’re a treat to many, many people!