After writing Day 1: Checking out the sunlight! my daughter Kathleen (the young lady in the photos above) walked into the room and asked if we were going anywhere, so, as I had just written the blog, I figured heading off out into the sunshine was the thing to do... as you can see in the photos.
And, yes, it was extremely peaceful! :)
I focused a lot on the sunlight and urged the kids to appreciate and feel it as well, but what left me with more peace was a sudden awareness of how fortunate I am that my children have learned to value family. I mean, think about it, how many 17 and 19 year old boys these days willingly hang out with their mum and kid sister? :) And, no, they don't take a mobile phone or the internet with them... :)
As this thought reached my heart, gratitude arose from the depths of it and, on embracing that gratitude, new peace flooded my soul.
So, :) today's challenge is to find something in your life that you are grateful for. Even if you believe your world is falling apart right now, steal five minutes of your own time back and focus on gratitude.
Your household may be a busy one, but somewhere in the course of this day, even if it's while driving or while taking a shower, take a few moments to be grateful. All your worries will be there on your return. However, sometime (soon, hopefully) in the midst of finding peace, you will start to see that the "worries" in your life aren't going away just because you're stressed... but they will be more manageable when you hold peace in your heart; you will see more clearly because of peace and, therefore, make wiser decisions in how to handle your worries... and, through it all, you'll find an "addiction" to peace. :)
That's what happened to me. I became addicted to peace... which meant I got sick of worrying. I became fed up with angst. I wanted as much peace in my soul as I could get, no matter what - and God opened my eyes to the fact that peace comes from within, not from the circumstances of our life. And, peace, I've found, is stolen from us in the midst of worry; worry solves nothing but often causes more trouble; trouble is always on the lookout for us but I don't have to invite it into my heart or home through the door of moodiness.
Peace is a gift we need to unwrap. One of its forms is in the shape of gratitude. Unwrap gratitude, today. Steal five minutes if you have to; go for a walk in the sunshine; find a favourite spot in your home or yard and have a cuppa - no phones or internet allowed. :) And, while there, look into your heart, look beyond your worries - they will keep - and find something to be thankful for.
Me, I give my gratitude to God for all the good in my life - and not because it's the "religious" thing to do, but because I have witnessed Him move in my life in order to bring beauty from ashes - those three children above, for a start...
You may have to go back many years to recall something you're grateful for, or you may find that just having five minutes of peace is reason to be grateful. Whatever gratitude you find in your heart today, note the peace that comes with it... When you find ways for your soul to embrace peace, you will soon start to search it out again in the most troubled times of your life. You will see that peace is the strength you need as the muscle to solve your problems, not angst, not worry, not annoyance or any other form of negativity. The addiction will kick in, and your worries will fade in the light of that peace...
Try it... :) And, by all means, feel free to share your moments of peace, or your words of gratitude, here, in a comment... or email me on [email protected] if you'd like to share them with someone.
Until tomorrow, know that you are not alone, and the sun will shine again...
Peace to your soul,
Love, hugs and blessings,
Donna. :)
xxxx
And, yes, it was extremely peaceful! :)
I focused a lot on the sunlight and urged the kids to appreciate and feel it as well, but what left me with more peace was a sudden awareness of how fortunate I am that my children have learned to value family. I mean, think about it, how many 17 and 19 year old boys these days willingly hang out with their mum and kid sister? :) And, no, they don't take a mobile phone or the internet with them... :)
As this thought reached my heart, gratitude arose from the depths of it and, on embracing that gratitude, new peace flooded my soul.
So, :) today's challenge is to find something in your life that you are grateful for. Even if you believe your world is falling apart right now, steal five minutes of your own time back and focus on gratitude.
Your household may be a busy one, but somewhere in the course of this day, even if it's while driving or while taking a shower, take a few moments to be grateful. All your worries will be there on your return. However, sometime (soon, hopefully) in the midst of finding peace, you will start to see that the "worries" in your life aren't going away just because you're stressed... but they will be more manageable when you hold peace in your heart; you will see more clearly because of peace and, therefore, make wiser decisions in how to handle your worries... and, through it all, you'll find an "addiction" to peace. :)
That's what happened to me. I became addicted to peace... which meant I got sick of worrying. I became fed up with angst. I wanted as much peace in my soul as I could get, no matter what - and God opened my eyes to the fact that peace comes from within, not from the circumstances of our life. And, peace, I've found, is stolen from us in the midst of worry; worry solves nothing but often causes more trouble; trouble is always on the lookout for us but I don't have to invite it into my heart or home through the door of moodiness.
Peace is a gift we need to unwrap. One of its forms is in the shape of gratitude. Unwrap gratitude, today. Steal five minutes if you have to; go for a walk in the sunshine; find a favourite spot in your home or yard and have a cuppa - no phones or internet allowed. :) And, while there, look into your heart, look beyond your worries - they will keep - and find something to be thankful for.
Me, I give my gratitude to God for all the good in my life - and not because it's the "religious" thing to do, but because I have witnessed Him move in my life in order to bring beauty from ashes - those three children above, for a start...
You may have to go back many years to recall something you're grateful for, or you may find that just having five minutes of peace is reason to be grateful. Whatever gratitude you find in your heart today, note the peace that comes with it... When you find ways for your soul to embrace peace, you will soon start to search it out again in the most troubled times of your life. You will see that peace is the strength you need as the muscle to solve your problems, not angst, not worry, not annoyance or any other form of negativity. The addiction will kick in, and your worries will fade in the light of that peace...
Try it... :) And, by all means, feel free to share your moments of peace, or your words of gratitude, here, in a comment... or email me on [email protected] if you'd like to share them with someone.
Until tomorrow, know that you are not alone, and the sun will shine again...
Peace to your soul,
Love, hugs and blessings,
Donna. :)
xxxx
NOTE: Meek can be seen in a few different ways, but to know Christ is to know meekness is born of humility and NOT to be mistaken as humiliation. :)
Meek: patient, long-suffering, or submissive in disposition or nature; humble
When we are grateful, our heart softens; we are humbled... Some may deem that as weakness, but when you stop and think about it you realise that it takes great strength to love, to be tender, to be humble, and all that is good. Anger and worry and all forms of negativity is easy to obtain; getting the negative things into your heart and mood and spitting them at others does not take great strength. Negativity functions quite well in the midst of weakness. But it takes great strength to stand up against the negativity inside you. It takes great strength to love, to embrace peace, to be meek, to do good, and to be grateful in a world that is quite willing to spit its angst at you... And your reward, as noted up above, is great. :)
Psalm 37:11
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.