Hypothetically, In Reality

What if you woke up and decided to be thankful for everything you have? What if you were thankful for not having the things you think you really need or want? What a feat that would be!

It seems that people generally wish for more. It's human. We all want to go to the next level in life. We all want to have the next thing: the most popular toy, the newest gadget, climb the next rung on the corporate ladder, keep up with the Jones' (marriage, childbirth, uhhhh what's next?). We are a progressive creation. I don't believe by any means that we were created to sit and mold and be complacent. I don't believe we were made to accept things that we know can be changed for the better. I for one, am not a person to sit back and allow the world to keep turning without getting in on the next hot topic. I don't necessarily have the means to always keep up with it all, but I can at least relate to it.

For some reason, our culture has ingrained in us that we aren't good enough being happy with our personal snapshot of life; life as it is right now. The mainstream media, hype, whatever you want to call it, has programmed our minds to believe and actually react to the fact that if we don't have the next thing or if we aren't in the next phase of life like everyone else, then there is somehow a bad connotation.  Obviously, that is all relative to who you are and your frame of reference. But generally speaking, that's the norm in our society. I find that plumb stupid.

Why do we bow to that heap of nothingness? Why do we fall into that trap? So many reasons. I'd venture to guess that many of us do so because we are too weak to say NO.  No to the fad-induced norms. No to the ridiculous ideas. This absurd mentality irritates me because kids will grow up believing this to be REAL and it's the furthest thing from the truth. Say YES to the fact that good things truly come to those that wait and prepare. Good things come to the diligent, not to the "cool".

Why not take a stand against what our world calls normal and stay the course and become who you are supposed to be?

As I was praying one night I was asking God to bless us, bless our finances, bless our marriage, bless this, bless that .... the obvious things we all want. The Bible says ask and you will receive ... I was just putting it into action! *smile* However, I really felt like God spoke in the middle of that prayer and He stopped me in my tracks. He said, "Why don't you become thankful for what you have and where you are? I have always blessed you and always will, but a true thankfulness of where you are and what you have is where the biggest blessings begin."  Oh. Oops. I realized I had taken the foolish lead of my world, my surroundings and just asked for things. No, I didn't ask for a new car or heaps of money. I was just asking for the regular things in life. I've never been one to want all the new things that people flock to; but, I guess in my own heart I had forgotten that what I do have and where I am right now is where I need to be. 

Sometimes we need a good, old-fashioned re-calibration in our minds. We need to forget the hype that surrounds us and be ok with the now, the present. It's a part of who we are and it's also a part of who we will become. So, hypothetically, what if we were thankful for our reality? Life is not a snapshot, no, but until we can embrace each snapshot, we will never be able to fully grasp or grow into our full potential. What if?

"Count it pure joy ..." NIV James 1:2a

Simple Gift

Going away from home always makes me think. Let me backtrack. I think a great amount anyway but leaving somehow makes me think more.  I'm grateful for such a generous family to have flown me literally across the country on their dime. Makes for a very humbling experience.

I loved getting away and seeing the simplicity of life. Even before I left, I had a brief chat with a friend about the little things. The small things. Those things that so many of us take for granted regularly.  The buzzing hummingbirds, the smell of laundry, the lavender scented candles ... ahhh. What a breath of fresh air to really soak in the important things.

I challenged myself to get closer to those seemingly insignificant things in life and I'm slowly transforming into my reality. No one else can be in my shoes nor can they enjoy or bask in my little moments - only I can. And the same goes for each of us.  I've come to grasp that my family is the most important thing to me - disclaimer, God will always be at the top of my priority. (That was for any naysayers that dare stop by!) Immediately after God comes my family. If we don't spend the time and build our families, we have nothing. We can work endlessly and labor, but if our families aren't strong, we are nothing. The families are what makes up God's church, and we must be strong.

I've been overcome with a sense of gratitude for my life. The fact that I get to do laundry - that makes me happy. I have someone's laundry to do! I have someone that depends upon me and my judgement in many ways. To me, that is a gift and calling like no other. I'd rather cook dinner for my dear husband than go to a fine restaurant. Why? Firstly, because I know where my hands have been! haha (think about it) And secondly, because I've been given this moment, this life, this marriage for only such a sweet time as this.  It will all fade away and be filled with regret unless we can somehow harness that sweet scent of joy ... it really is all around us.

Accepting that reality is not always the popular choice. It is sometimes scoffed at and made for fun; maybe even has caused reason for debate. That is also a simplicity that we must accept. Choice. We should not be ashamed of who we are nor of what we stand for even when it is seemingly silly to those that don't yet grasp the concept.  Some things just don't really matter. I am soaking up the simple things in life. I don't want one, tiny second to get past me again. I want to be present for this gift of life.

That's Just Me

There are so many things in life to complain or jabber about. I could make a mile long list of things that annoy/intrigue me. Then, I could turn around and tell you how I annoy myself.  I could blab on about a piece of literature or tell you my perspective on organ donation or even tell you about the tiny, insignificant details of my waking life. I suppose I could tell you what emotions I'm feeling or I might even be able to dig up the protocol for blogging. Maybe I could convince you that dark roast coffee beans are better flavored than light. Hmmm soo ...

... I was thinking, complaining/jabbering isn't that bad . Just as long as complaining doesn't become a daily habit. Jabbering. Hmm, well, that can be addicting too. Just try to keep it at a minimum, k?   

Here I sit, a little blank, a little blah with absolutely nothing to complain about. NOTHING! Ok, ok ... sure I could, but, I don't want to. You know? There are days! I had one of those days last week, but that's old news. So, what's the news today you ask? Hold on, I'm looking for it ... it's here in my notes *shuffling papers* ... hmmm, I know I seem to have stuffed away some things to complain about, some things that wildy aggravate me ... hmmm, no ... not here ... *drops all papers and watches them fly away with the wind* Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot you were waiting on me ... see, I'm a bit of a klutz and I'm terribly scatterbrained and do you ever get those little brown specs that float around in your line of vision? One just floated by on my left eye. Weird. Oh. Focus, Rebekah, focus. Yes, my news. Ok, here goes.I'm still searching ... give me ... yes, yes, I see it now ... the news for today is: Be thankful for everything! Remember to stop and smell the coffee ... or, um, roses! Whichever is your cup of tea! Remember to be happy that your body has air to breathe and that your mind can function so that you read these words. Oh, Rebekah, you're being facetious. No, blog-reader-person, I'm not! I mean that from the bottom of my soles to the tip top of my head. Don't forget what you have. Things can come and go right before your eyes. Savor life. Enjoy life. SMILE EVERYDAY. Fake it if you have to, what's wrong with that?! What could you possibly LOSE? I'm so thankful for my life. No one can quite know but ME. The same goes for you. Get everything you can from this 'vapor' that so quickly fades ... life.

So, see? I could have rambled on about something intelligent.  Now that I think about it, that would make me look pretty good. I do need to look good. Snap out of it, Rebekah!  What is life if you can't enjoy it? What is life if you can't savor your time alive? What is life if you're not LIVING it? Nothing. 

Your life, for the grand majority of it, is your choice. You choose where your life goes. Make the difference and get all you can out of it. Well, what about if you're stressed out? What if you're depressed? Or lonely? Take a happy pill. NO! It's only human to feel those emotions, but you've gotta pull yourself out of that deep hole and see what life is all about. No, I'm not talking about being irresponsible and foolish. I'm talking about making the best of something, this precious gift we've been given, called life. You only have one. That's just me though.

RDW