So I have this great devotional for women "100 Days of Praise" and towards the end of 2011 (yep... over 6 years ago) I started reading and blogging along each day. And even though I've had over 2,000 days to complete the 100 days of praise... I only blogged about 9 of them. NINE! Yikes. So here we go in a new year and my goal is to pick this book up and give it my focus and attention. It's so much easier to feel positive when you take a moment to give thanks for the good things in your life. My life is more fulfilling when I include God in it and make time for Him. And I'd like to thank a recent conversation with a lifelong friend of mine who pointed out that it's silly as heck to let my issues with a certain subset of Christians get in the middle of my relationship with Christ. So while I'm not entirely sure where I stand with organized religion and I'm on very shaky ground in my spiritual life... I am looking to repair much of that. Baby steps.
Today's point of praise: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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. My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30) Day #10
Life is not a cake walk. It's a balancing act. It's about balancing responsibilities with fun. About balancing rest with work. Balancing who I am as a mother with who I am as an individual outside of that role. Trying to find balance in the amount of money coming in with what we spend every month. It's about balancing all kinds of things. On one side of the spectrum is over-commitment and the other there is under-commitment. When we give in to fear we often attempt too little in life and when we let our pride take over we attempt too much. When we attempt too much we stay busy and sometimes so busy that we bite off more than we can actually chew. It's an overwhelming pace. When we attempt too little we often regret the opportunities and moments we missed out on which can cause sorrow or guilt.
In my life I often let fear into my heart and head and it often takes a front seat with full reign over my life. There is fear of rejection. Fear of germs. Fear of injury. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear of judgment. And when we let our fear take over we lose. We lose the ability to try or to even just put ourselves out there. We take away our own potential happiness. Because of those fears we often don't even attempt the things we want for ourselves. And the same goes for those of us who err in the other direction. When we fail to listen to the messages God is sending for us we may be missing out on the balance we need. And we miss out on living our best, most rewarding life.
It's easy to get comfortable and complacent in our daily lives. The uncomfortable is more difficult, more complicated, and often requires personal growth - which is often accompanied with growing pains. Who wants to willingly welcome pain? Who wants to let the messiness of being our most authentic selves in?
What sounds better - an easy day or a difficult day? Kind of a no-brainer. Easy wins just about every time!
Now think about your most rewarding days... were they easy days or difficult days? Did that super important day require work to get you where you ended up? Were all the "growing pains" worth it? Absolutely.
When we include God in our everyday journey - through prayer/reflection - and when we trust in Him we have a better understanding of what contentment and balance looks like in our own life.
Today's point of praise: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, 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. My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30) Day #10
Life is not a cake walk. It's a balancing act. It's about balancing responsibilities with fun. About balancing rest with work. Balancing who I am as a mother with who I am as an individual outside of that role. Trying to find balance in the amount of money coming in with what we spend every month. It's about balancing all kinds of things. On one side of the spectrum is over-commitment and the other there is under-commitment. When we give in to fear we often attempt too little in life and when we let our pride take over we attempt too much. When we attempt too much we stay busy and sometimes so busy that we bite off more than we can actually chew. It's an overwhelming pace. When we attempt too little we often regret the opportunities and moments we missed out on which can cause sorrow or guilt.
"To do too much is as dangerous as to do nothing at all. Both modes prevents us from savoring our moments. One causes me to rush right past the best of life without recognizing or basking in it, and the other finds me sitting quietly while life rushes past me."
Patsy Clairmont
In my life I often let fear into my heart and head and it often takes a front seat with full reign over my life. There is fear of rejection. Fear of germs. Fear of injury. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear of judgment. And when we let our fear take over we lose. We lose the ability to try or to even just put ourselves out there. We take away our own potential happiness. Because of those fears we often don't even attempt the things we want for ourselves. And the same goes for those of us who err in the other direction. When we fail to listen to the messages God is sending for us we may be missing out on the balance we need. And we miss out on living our best, most rewarding life.
It's easy to get comfortable and complacent in our daily lives. The uncomfortable is more difficult, more complicated, and often requires personal growth - which is often accompanied with growing pains. Who wants to willingly welcome pain? Who wants to let the messiness of being our most authentic selves in?
What sounds better - an easy day or a difficult day? Kind of a no-brainer. Easy wins just about every time!
Now think about your most rewarding days... were they easy days or difficult days? Did that super important day require work to get you where you ended up? Were all the "growing pains" worth it? Absolutely.
When we include God in our everyday journey - through prayer/reflection - and when we trust in Him we have a better understanding of what contentment and balance looks like in our own life.
Lord, let your priorities be my priorities.
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