ASSUMPTIONS...our lives are full of them.  More so today than ever before in history.  I
say that because of the technology that we are involved with daily...blogging, Instagram,
Facebook, and others.  Even if we only spend a bit of time with these, we can't help but
admit, that they have changed our world.  Now, I am first to admit that there are numerous
advantages to all of this, and in many ways our lives have become easier because of it.  But,
there are also disadvantages, and with that I am sure we too, would agree.  Hence, the
title of this post today...Assumptions.  To explain my point, I want you to stop and ask
yourself this question, "what do you think when you look at any picture shared, or what
comes to mind when you read the written words?"  Do you immediately, whether
consciously or sub-consciously draw up your own conclusions about those pictures
and words?  This is perhaps somewhat elementary, but I find it true in my own
perusing of the technical world.  I look, I read, I assume:)

Perhaps you look at a picture like this one, and you conclude that these girls had an uncle
who lived on a plantation, and this was one of their weekly summer visits to his home:).
In fact, in your mind you can build your own story around it all, with many details in tact.

When in reality, this picture taken years ago, of our three daughters, at a "photo store"
on the boardwalk at the beach.  They had so much fun choosing their props, outfits
and décor. It is a picture I find myself looking at with fond memories.

You may look at this shared picture, and think to yourself, "her gardens must be gorgeous!"
You may even picture the gardens in your mind.  You think to yourself that she must
spend hours of time tending the gardens, and you might even share those assumptions, at
your next get together with friends.

When in reality... this picture was taken at a resort I visited earlier in the summer.  I only
dream of having plants and flowers that look like these do.

Or...you could have seen this picture on Facebook and thought to yourself, "it must be
so much fun for all those friends to spend time together!"  I bet they do lots of things
throughout the year. 

When in reality, we rode motorcycles with our husbands and spent the weekend together,
but for some of us, it was the first time we met, and we have not seen each other since that
weekend.  We hope to do something together again, but for now, that is the fact of this
memorable picture.

Last evening, I read this short story on this very topic;

"A traveler, between flights at an airport, went to a lounge and bought a small package
of cookies.  Then she sat down and began reading a newspaper.  Gradually she became
aware of a rustling noise.  From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly
dressed man helping himself to her cookies.  Not wanting to make a scene, she leaned
over and took a cookie herself.  A minute or two passed, and then came more rustling.
He was helping himself to another cookie!  By this time, they had come to the end of
the package, but she was so angry she didn't dare herself to say anything.  Then, as if
to add insult to injury, the man broke the remaining cookie in two, pushed half across
to her, ate the other half, and left.  Still fuming some time later when her flight was
announced, the woman opened her handbag to get her ticket.  To her shock and
embarrassment, there she found her pack of unopened cookies!  How wrong our
assumptions can be."      ~John Ross

This story made me aware once again, of how much of our lives are made up of
wrongly assuming.  My prayer today is, that am reminded of the faulty
thoughts that assumptions can bring in my life, and that I stop and remind
myself often...not to assume.  Not to jump to conclusions.

Thanks for stopping by today!