What’s Your Auto Reply?

What is your auto reply?

If you have Kristi’s cell phone number and text her, you will get this auto reply:

Kristi is at war with cancer. She cannot reply at this time. Follow her progress at http://www.Kristiswar.com

This is automatic and without question. It was programmed in the software to reply no matter what kind of text comes her way.

As I was setting it up, I wondered what my auto-reply was for life. What feedback do people get when they interact with me? What automatic message do they receive as they “touch my buttons?” Unfortunately, I didn’t like what came to my mind.

Sometimes my auto-reply is mean. Sometimes it’s rude. Sometimes it’s sarcastic (not the good kind). Sometimes it’s distracted. Sometimes it’s unkind, aggressive, and uncaring. Sure, there are times it is nice, loving, generous, kind, and encouraging. The problem is that these are not the defaults or programmed responses in my soul. They are responses I have work at. I hate that!

My poor auto-replies show up most to those I love. My love, Kristi and my kids Max and Lily. It’s like I forget that they are gifts from God and souls that need positive replies.

Poor auto-replies come from programming. They come from internal dialogue. They come from self talk, self-compassion, and self-image. It’s like the old saying, “garbage in, garbage out.”

Over the past 5 days, Kristi has been on intense pain medication. The Nurses that care care for her have found a routine and pattern that work. All have been a blessing. One night nurse in particular has been a Godsend (you know who you are). The pain medication causes unpleasant dreams, hallucinations and strange visions. What has impressed me is that Kristi’s auto-reply has been great to experience.

Every time a lullaby plays over the speakers, she raises a hand and prays for the newborn baby. She asks Jesus to find them and that they would change t kit he world. In her dazed state, she can’t help but praise God for new life. I wonder what will come of the babies born on January 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12…. What impacting thing will they do for the world all because an “auto-response” from Kristi was praise and blessing.

Everyone that comes into the room, whether to bring her food or poke her with a needle receives a warm, “thank you so much”. In the midst of her deep pain, she is kind, gentle, loving, and caring. Btw, I’m not just seeing her as a saint. She also has her moments. 😎 Mainly when I snore at night or interrupt her words to clarify with the Dr and nurses. She looks at me like, “do you think I’m dumb?” Ha!

One of her go to scriptures is:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:6-9

She has shown herself as a person of God’s peace even when she is not fully in control of her mind. Her auto-reply is amazing.

It challenges me to reprogram and reprogram my auto-reply. To reprogram my soul and default answer. To meditate on Scriptural truth so much that it imbeds in my auto-reply in every interaction.

So today as you bump up against all kinds of people in all kinds of circumstances, what does your auto-reply say?

Ray Rhoton

#kristiswar

#jointhefight