NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER!!
As I headed home from the gym on Monday this week, I noticed how brightly the sun was shining and how much warmer the temperature was compared to that of the previous Monday. The highs peaked around 50* that day, which was in complete contrast with last weeks' temperature. The week before, the thermometer reached record low temps and many of us struggled to maintain our wits about us as we trudged through mounds of snow!! My first thought was," WOW, what a difference a few days can make!" But then my thoughts quickly moved to an undeniable fact, when God created heaven and earth, he supplied us with the same amount of hours to use in each day and that none of our days should be taken for granted...no matter what the weather is!! In spite of the weather, we can still be productive in the areas that God requires of us; spending time in His presence, showing love and concern for others and by strengthening our faith and striving to be an example that will stand to draw others closer to Him! Life has a way of bringing on MAJOR distractions that keep us focused on an abundance of things that aren't necessarily vital to our journey. I too found myself complaining about the brutal temps and piles of snow, which only perpetuated my lack of desire to accomplish ANYTHING! A lapse in motivation can give us a false sense that there isn't enough time in the day, to get things done. The issue is really about our personal choices and how we use the time that we have been blessed with each day. I took full advantage of the somewhat balmy temps that day; I exercised, ran errands and even found the time to complete a few inside tasks that I managed to keep putting off. Why was I so much more productive that day? Because when our surroundings are sunny and bright, we tend to have a more positive attitude about everything. The light from the atmosphere generates energy and light in us; we smile more, we extend ourselves more to others and we find it easier to be joyful and show gratitude in the warmth and radiance of the sun. But God wants us to embrace each and every day that we are given with joy and gratitude and He NEVER wants us to take ANY day for granted! Each day is more precious than the next and should be treated as the gift that it is.....NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER! :-)
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
OH JUST FOR ANOTHER MOMENT!!
We live in a world filled with hustle and bustle and often there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to complete the never-ending and exhausting list of tasks that WE believe to be important! Many of us pop up in the morning from a restless night of slumber; our minds were set in overdrive before our heads even hit the pillow the night before. As soon as our feet touch the floor, we are in a constant state of motion; we rush to work, scramble to make appointments, we pick up the kids from school and juggle their after-school activities and other planned events. We scurry through dinners, important family gatherings and we even have the nerve to try and rush through an illness that sneaks up on us, like a cold or the flu, by taking a variety of medications that claim "instant healing" in order to quickly return to our fast-paced, all consuming routine that we call life! I personally find myself seeking peaceful moments throughout the day to hear God's take on how I choose to spend my time. I imagine that MY choices are very different from His plan and desire for my day. God knows that we have many hats to wear, plates to fill and agendas to maneuver, but He still wants us to find time for peace and rest, He tells us that throughout His word. Here are several scriptures that remind us of God's promise when we look to Him for help in times of chaos and stress!
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Exodus 33:14 The Lord replied, "My presence will go with you, and and I will give you rest."
Mark 6:31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
We all wish that we had the power create more hours in the day and we would love to have just one more moment to get through all that life brings, but God distributed the same amount of time to each one of us and He wants us to learn to manage it well and to use a portion of it for rest. We all strive to learn better ways to multi-task; one great way to put the practice of multi-tasking to good use is to spend some time in the presence of God; talking, praying and giving honor and praise to Him while you are taking time to rest. Time with God will bring a balance of peace and joy, which will clear your mind and soothe your soul. Taking time out of our busy schedules and giving God a few minutes of our time each day, will help us appreciate and cherish all of the other precious moments that He has given.
We live in a world filled with hustle and bustle and often there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to complete the never-ending and exhausting list of tasks that WE believe to be important! Many of us pop up in the morning from a restless night of slumber; our minds were set in overdrive before our heads even hit the pillow the night before. As soon as our feet touch the floor, we are in a constant state of motion; we rush to work, scramble to make appointments, we pick up the kids from school and juggle their after-school activities and other planned events. We scurry through dinners, important family gatherings and we even have the nerve to try and rush through an illness that sneaks up on us, like a cold or the flu, by taking a variety of medications that claim "instant healing" in order to quickly return to our fast-paced, all consuming routine that we call life! I personally find myself seeking peaceful moments throughout the day to hear God's take on how I choose to spend my time. I imagine that MY choices are very different from His plan and desire for my day. God knows that we have many hats to wear, plates to fill and agendas to maneuver, but He still wants us to find time for peace and rest, He tells us that throughout His word. Here are several scriptures that remind us of God's promise when we look to Him for help in times of chaos and stress!
Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
Exodus 33:14 The Lord replied, "My presence will go with you, and and I will give you rest."
Mark 6:31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even a chance to eat, He said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
We all wish that we had the power create more hours in the day and we would love to have just one more moment to get through all that life brings, but God distributed the same amount of time to each one of us and He wants us to learn to manage it well and to use a portion of it for rest. We all strive to learn better ways to multi-task; one great way to put the practice of multi-tasking to good use is to spend some time in the presence of God; talking, praying and giving honor and praise to Him while you are taking time to rest. Time with God will bring a balance of peace and joy, which will clear your mind and soothe your soul. Taking time out of our busy schedules and giving God a few minutes of our time each day, will help us appreciate and cherish all of the other precious moments that He has given.
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