With the flow
Our Western culture seems to teach us that we need. We need to set goals, need to accumulate possessions, need to control our lives and other people; but the fact is that these are all physical or material. What we really need is to just be - a blank canvas that our lives are painted; an open book where God can write our story; or just like the river and go with the flow, moving where God wants our journey to go. Asking for that direction is okay too.
Prayer is living in this moment. It is living in full awareness of what is now and enjoying all of it in its abundance. We can trust God’s presence, believe in Him and find joy by living the life within us. Our culture needs to see more of looking at things through new eyes, to go with the flow and stop pushing the river and waves. We get consumed by needing all the answers.
Today, we have need of seekers and searchers; people who are humble and honest in their trust in God. We don’t have everything figured out, although many certainly think so. Maybe we just need to change and transform our old ways of thinking and look at the world a little differently. Go with the new flow.
“Colossians 3:3-4 New International Version (NIV)
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Scatter the seeds
I am watching my garden grow each day. With some warmer weather now and a few showers of rain, I can actually see various plants coming up. Growth! I am also watering my flowers and I even picked a lilac bouquet from my neighbor’s tree to admire on my kitchen table. I am also noticing a few green shoots in some dirt where I threw a handful of seeds from a package that came in the mail.
The beauty of nature is like our thoughts. We learn, we gain knowledge, we grow in wisdom and through time, we see the results of the nurturing and the care. Sometimes we borrow ideas from others and keep them for ourselves. Sometimes, we randomly throw out thoughts to the the universe, prayers to the Almighty and admire or wonder at our own creations. How surprising and pleased we are when they show as blossoming colors and flowers; yet, there are times when the flowers wilt or don’t pop through the soil. These seasons in our lives are also for growth. Sometimes it’s a time just to rest, to wait, to watch for the new possibilities and opportunities that will be there.
God wants us to grow in our faith. What new learning are we reaching for? What new insights can we glean from his Word? What areas of our life are we working on to improve ourselves? How can we gain wisdom? If we are stagnant and never reaching for the light, our growth will be stunted. Jesus tells of the Parable of the Sower that is mentioned in three gospels: Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:4-15. Let’s be the seed that understands and believes. Let’s keep growing in our faith.
Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
Mixed Bouquet
Mixed bouquet of e-motions.
I’ve always believed that you should have a variety of people in your life to keep you balanced. I also know that they say opposites attract. We have Type A’s and Type B’s. As a teacher, we always used contrast and comparison to show students various concepts to help them better remember. So, just as there are various types of individuals; there are also a myriad of emotions in our lives. And just as opposites attract, they can also repel. So where does that leave us in terms of balance?
Today as I read the news, my social media pages and have discussions about racism, justice, hatred, reconciliation, retaliation, and protests, I am amazed at the unwavering line that people stand on. How do we balance the love and forgiveness against the brutality and hatred that are so blatantly displayed on our TV screens of our homes? How do we balance the kindness of strangers during this pandemic and yet see the injustices committed in the name of justice? It is black and white. You either believe or you don’t. Take a stand.
There are countless stories in the bible to demonstrate murder, kidnapping, hatred, defiance, adultery but all of them end in forgiveness and love. From Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25 - 33) to Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37-50). From David and Mephibosheth (quite the name!) in 2 Samuel 9 to the prodigal son in Luke 15. We even have the adulterous woman in John 8. Every story of hurt, hatred and horrendous act needs to be balanced with love, kindness and forgiveness. It’s our choice to stand on the better side of the line of humanity.
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Mood Color
Color your world with e-motions.
What’s the color of your world today? Is it sunny yellow optimism with splashes of promising sky blue? Or is it dull grey downness with blobs of brown mist to cover your tears?
There are jobs where individuals and teams brainstorm potential color names based on trends, goods and even personal preferences to sell products. I know that I would have a few new ones to add that their lists. I also know that we can get up to a foggy, rainy or cloudy day and have the weather dictate how we are feeling. The early morning sunshine with birds chirping and green leaves blowing on the trees can lighten our mood as we crawl out of bed too. Our job or role in life is to be someone’s light - someone’s color in his or her day - to lighten life up when the going gets rough. Even - yes, even when we don’t feel like we have it in us. Asking the Creator of the universe for help is a great idea. After all, just look at nature to see every color in the oceans to the forests to the rivers and the valleys. And then we can be thankful and share that joy of creation.
So whether it’s smokey trout or firecracker red, we can brighten our mood by thinking positively when our mood dictates the opposite. How do we do that? Simple: by changing our mind and thoughts. Mindfulness or minding, as I like to call it is moving your color palate from the dreary browns and dismals to the neon pink and flashing yellows of hope.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.”
Minding
We share our lives on social media and in real time. We are influenced by an array of emotions. How do we respond to the world around us?
They call it mindfulness, but I would like to think of it as minding. As in, the element that enables a person to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think and to feel. Those are all words I can identify with when I am thinking about minding. Minding my manners, minding my own business and minding my emotions. When I’m feeling down; I need an up.
When I want to encourage, I want to identify with people through shared experiences or emotions. I also know that I lean toward the positive - the sunny-side up - even when the clouds are grey. Hey, don’t think I don’t shed my tears, feel frustrated or disgruntled. I am not always able to stay motivated and I don’t profess to have all the answers, but one thing I do know is that after lots of practice, maintaining a positive mindset requires work and rewiring one’s brain. The choice is simply ours.
And, I choose to think positively. I will not let negative emotions, situations or people keep me from feeling and experiencing the positives. How do I do it?
Stay with me and find out. I take one emotion at a time and for every negative, there’s a positive. I’d rather be smiling in the garden and smelling the flowers than filling my fists with thistles and weeds. What about you?
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” ”