the hartsteins

Journaling Prompt - Pretend that you see yourself walking into a room. What's your first impression of yourself? What stands out about you? Optionally extend this exercise by changing the "room" you are entering (the gym, the office, etc.). How does that change your impression?

So, I am basically two different people in this scenario. The first me is sitting at a table in a restaurant. The restaurant isn't a McDonald's, but it's also not a Carriage House. It's more of .... an Applebee's J Maybe I'm sitting alone, maybe with one other person, I'm not sure. Hmm.. Let's say that I am alone for the sake of having an opportunity to be distracted by another me walking into the room. This me is walking through the doors of Applebee's with Dan. I'm wearing a long sleeved, pink, thermal shirt with a gray Notre Dame Lacrosse shirt over top. Jeans and tennis shoes complete this casual look. My hair is shoulder length, probably half pulled back into a clip. Make up is done neatly with an emphasis on my eyes. The other me, sitting at the table alone, would probably glance over to see Dan and I talking while we're waiting for the waitress to seat us. And I think that I would be thinking .... "they look so happy. Hmm.. I love the way she did her eye make up. It makes her eyes seem soft, yet at the same time, it makes it look like what she's looking at is so important (would you call that focused?) .... I wonder if she knows Jesus. How else would you have eyes like that? Eyes that light up with joy. Eyes that just look like you've spent time with Jesus."

So ... this is sometimes the line of thinking that runs through my mind when someone else pops out to me. And I suppose it's what I hope that others think when they see me. I frequently pray that God will just shine through me. I pray that someone could just look at my eyes, at the joy on my face, and see a glimpse of Him. And really, I hope that's what others think when they see me in any setting, whether that be in the office, in the gym, in the classroom, anywhere.