The Adventure of Life

A life of adventure is ours for the taking, whether we are seven or seventy.  Life for the most part is what we make of it.  We have been given a responsibility to live it fully, joyfully, completely, and richly in whatever span of time God grants us on this earth. ~Luci Swindoll 

Do you need to make a course adjustment to live this way?  I know at times, this world can easily take the joy out of living for me.  I have to make course and attitude adjustments to get back on track to living a life of joy.  

My life adventure has a travel guide that never leaves my side, and I just need to rest and  trust in Him.  Sometimes, easier said than done, but I am working on it.  Jesus never leaves me.  He is with me on this adventure of life, He goes before me, and He knows the outcome. My job, trust.  I can say I trust, but I think I trust best when I can control things.  Obviously, my travel guide says to me to trust Him, loosen my grip, and let the fear, the anxiety go because He is in control.  This week, I am going to work on it more than I have for awhile.  Will you join me?

Stop

Stop.  

Put your phone or tablet down.  

Step outside.  

Take a deep breath.  

Now, look around.  

Do you see it?  

Do you see the flowers, the clouds, the green grass, maybe a butterfly or bird flying by?  

Don't miss the beauty that surrounds you, everyday. 

Relax.  

Take it in, and let the stress of life go as you breathe in the simple, yet oh so complex, 
beauty of creation. 

Let. It. Go

Worry strips away joy.  Worry puts us in a false reality, often making things worse than they truly are.  Worry destroys our lives.  

Today, decide to let worry go.  Push it out of your life, and close and lock the door behind it.  Work hard to keep it out of your life.  As soon as you find worry creeping back in, actively take steps to overcome it, and send it out of your life.

Focus instead on joy, love, laughter, and gratefully live every moment of this life you are given. Live with purpose and passion, and leave loving footprints on the lives of everyone you encounter.    

Christmas Challenge

Christmas weekend is upon us.  I would like to issue a challenge for all of us from now through Christmas night: disengage from social media, engage in real relationships.  Disengage from staring at a screen, engage in staring at loved ones faces, because you don't know when this will be the last Christmas you are together.  A friend of mine buried both of her parents in the past six months.  I know she doesn't wish she had a few more moments this past year that she could have spent on Facebook or Pinterest.  No, she wishes for a few more precious moments with her parents, to hug them, and tell them she loves them.  She did plenty of it while they were alive, but as she said "can we ever really tell those we treasure in our lives that we love them enough?  Can we ever really spend too much time with those who are precious to us?" REAL relationships matter.  

Disengage from playing online, virtual games and engage in real relationships by playing a card or board game. Laugh together, have meaningful conversations, give hugs, go for a walk, enjoy life.  Be thankful. See the beauty that surrounds you in creation, in people.  

REAL people, REAL relationships are what matter.  Take the next few days to deeply invest in real relationships, face to face.  

Merry Christmas!

Life Story

Tomorrow starts a new 365 day book for our life stories. What will your story be? Will you live a joy-filled life, filled with love for those around you, no matter what may be going on in our country, our world, and life in general? We choose the legacy we leave behind each day, so choose wisely and be the change you want to see in the world. One person can make a difference.  Will you offer hope, love, joy?  Will you care about those around you and not just focus on self, and the problems that face us each day?  Hope and love can change us, can change those around you.  Choosing joy, real deep down inside us joy, can get us through difficult times, and enhance good times.  What will you choose for 2013?  What legacy will you leave, not just in the year 2013, but each and every day?  Each day matters, each moment matters.  How will you choose to live the precious moments that God gives you?  Will you offer hope to a hurting world? Will you love?  Will you be a light shining out, offering hope?  Take time to write out a life story that others want to be a part of, and will be blessed to walk the journey beside you through this coming year.  Blessings for a new year.