Pause and Ponder

Busyness Is Not A Destination

I began a new women's study group last night.  Our leader brought up how we get so busy.  We all agreed.  Then she brought up how the majority of the miracles Jesus performed would not have taken place if he would have lived at our pace.  He would have been too busy.  He wouldn't have felt the woman touch his robe, as she longed to be healed.  He would have just kept rushing through the crowd, going about his own business.  Instead, he stopped, looked at her, cared for her, and healed her.  

How often do we rush by someone who is bleeding, whether figuratively or physically, because we are too busy?  We have schedules to keep, things to do, Facebook to check.  

How often are we the ones who need healing, who need to just stop and rest, rest at our Savior's feet, but we don't create a pause, white space, time in our schedule to be still, rest, and get restored?  We keep running and running, until we fall down exhausted.  Sometimes we are truly very busy.  Sometimes, we stay busy to avoid the hurt, the problems, the grief in our lives because if we stay busy, we don't have to think about it, or deal with it, we just keep running.  Exhausted.  Empty.  Yet, we run.  

I am just as guilty of this at times in my life as anyone.  I have been running at a pretty high pace lately with work, family events, basketball games, life in general.  I realized last week how fast I have been going, and have taken a couple days to intentionally slow down, rest, disconnect from social media.  

If we did an honest evaluation of our time, many of us would see we spend much too much time on social media, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or playing games, we spend too much time there, often longing to connect with someone.  What if we took that time and called someone on the phone and made plans to meet at a coffee shop or go to lunch or for a walk, and found out how that person is doing face to face?  We long for community, but true community cannot be found online.  True community means being intentional, intentionally being with people face to face in a real relationship.  Real relationships are messy, but they are also beautiful.  When is the last time you took a couple hours and sat with someone and spoke to them in person?  

We all need to pause, we all need community.  We need to not be so busy that we miss those who are reaching out to us, who need an encouraging word, who need someone just to notice them.  

Each of us needs to intentionally create downtime in our schedules.  Time to be quiet, to read, to rest, to pray, to listen.  

What will you eliminate that is not so important, to slow down?  What will you do to connect face to face with someone and truly care about them?  Can you walk away from social media for the weekend and connect with real people, connect with yourself, connect with your Creator?  

Etch Your Legacy In Others Hearts and Minds

What legacy are you leaving behind?  What will others remember about you?  Will they remember you were loving, caring, giving or will they remember the opposite?  If you are reading this, you are still breathing and have time to make changes right now.  Don't wait to tell someone you love them, you are proud of them.  Don't wait to lend a helping hand, a kind word.  Decide right now to live the life you want etched in the minds and souls of others.  Life is short.  Live it out.  

Winter Scenes

“nothing is more calming than connecting with god through nature his beautiful creations, gifts and blessings we should never take for granted but enjoy”Rachel Sazon-Reyes

New Year, One Word

One Word!  

Maybe instead of a long list of resolutions, you can choose one word.  

One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you. It will become the compass that directs your decisions and guides your steps.

Discover the big impact one word can make.

One word. 365 days. A changed life.

Check out these websites for more ideas on the one word.

http://oneword365.com/

http://myoneword.org

Joy To The World

Joy to the world, Jesus came for all. 

He offers grace, love, and forgiveness, we have to seek Him and trust in Him to find it. 

John 3:16-17 says that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not be lost, but will have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but to save the world through Him. 

Jesus came for you, He came for me, out of the purest place of love. 

It's our choice if we accept that. 

He's there.  Grace, love, peace for our lives is always found in Him.  Turn to Jesus and find what your life is missing this year. 


Merry Christmas!

Your Worth

Has anyone told you lately what a great job you're doing?!

And you are safe & wanted & loved & carried & secure.

And when all your value, worth, joy, & riches are in the greatest of gifts -- His uncontainable, unrelenting, unwavering love for you -- 
you are free to exhale & enjoy & just lavishly give away your gifts!

When you unwrap your worth in the Gift of Christ -- you release your grip on all the other gifts & you, yourself, simply become the gift...
the most beautiful, unbound, unafraid, unstoppable gift of joy!  ~Ann Voskamp

Through The Fog

Blessed to be at the right place at the right time to see the freezing fog lift off the trees.  

God shows up all over our lives, if we look for Him.  

Oh Christmas Tree

Give Thanks

Speak thanks, make it a part of your every day life.  

Let your life reflect gratitude, in all things.  

Good days, bad days.  

Be thankful.

Remember on this Thanksgiving to put your family and loved ones first, not food, not football, not shopping.  

People.  

They are what truly matters.  

Time with them is precious.  Make your moments count. 

Life is short, appreciate and be thankful for the moments you are given.  

Psalm 100 Living Bible (TLB)

 Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth!  Obey him gladly; come before him, singing with joy.  Try to realize what this means—the Lord is God! He made us—we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  

Go through his open gates with great thanksgiving; enter his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.   For the Lord is always good.  He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation.

Colossians 2:7New Life Version (NLV)

 Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.

Hebrews 12:28The Voice (VOICE)

 Therefore, let us all be thankful that we are a part of an unshakable Kingdom and offer to God worship that pleases Him and reflects the awe and reverence we have toward Him. 

Gray Day Color

Day 1:  Color despite the gray, foggy, rainy day.