Quote of the day:
“The best things in life are nearest: breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson Reflection: The following article is from Amanda White taken from Activated Magazine. The other day I was listening to a Christian radio program on the way to the gym. Each day they ask a question for their listeners to respond to, either via phone or their Facebook page. The topic that day was: “What do you look forward to?” The answers that listeners were sending in were simple, yet refreshing. For example, one woman said she looked forward to having a cup of tea at night once her children were in bed. It got me thinking about the simple things in life. Essentially, that’s what we all generally look forward to—the little things—a hug after a long day, a cup of something hot in the morning, the sun shining again after a rainy patch enabling us to finally hang our laundry, a comfortable bed to slide into at night, a refreshing shower, a freshly mowed lawn, a meal out. I like to see these small things as being as much a part of God’s love for me as the bigger gifts He sometimes sends my way. Sure, sometimes we look forward to big and exciting things, like an upcoming vacation. But more often than not, it’s the simple day-to-day things that bring us joy and put a smile on our face. I’m reminding myself that I need to think more about those things, appreciate them more, as they get so easily lost amidst the craziness of life. It’s not a new realization by any means. It’s just one of those principles of life and happiness that easily fade out of focus when so many bigger and more stressful things are obstructing my view or weighing me down. I decided to start small. I took that woman’s advice on the radio. I set aside a few minutes to relax with a cup of tea that night after the kids were in bed, and I enjoyed every sip! Are you thankful for the simple things in life? Why not start a praise journal and see how many simple things make you happy.
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Vitamins for the Soul
A quote a day helps you remember what’s important. Here are this week’s quotes on enjoying moments.
Quote of the day:
“With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Reflection: The meaning of living in the present moment, neither retreating to the past nor anticipating the future, is wonderfully illustrated by a Zen story: A monk was being pursued by a ferocious tiger. The monk raced to the edge of a cliff, glanced back, and saw the growling tiger about to spring. The monk spotted a rope dangling over the edge of the cliff which he grabbed and began shinnying down the side of the cliff out of the clutches of the tiger. What he didn’t notice was the two mice nibbling at the rope before grabbing the rope. The monk then looked down and saw a quarry of jagged rocks five hundred feet below. He looked up and saw the tiger poised atop the cliff with bared claws and the two mice nibbling at the rope. What to do? The monk then saw a strawberry within arm’s reach, growing out of the face of the cliff. He plucked it, ate it, and exclaimed, "Yum, That's the best strawberry I've ever tasted in my entire life." If he had been preoccupied with the rocks below (the future) or the tiger above (the past), he would have missed the strawberry God was giving him in the present moment. This story is extreme and not realistic, but still a good reminder not to focus on the tigers of the past or jagged rocks of the future but only on the strawberry in our here and now. Quote of the day:
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year” — Ralph Waldo Emerson Consider: What would you feel if you knew it was your last day to live? While considering and reflecting on that question read this story about the novelist, Dostoevsky. He told the story of the time he was arrested by the czar, and sentenced to die. The czar played a cruel psychological trick on people who rebelled against his regime by blindfolding them and standing them in front of a firing squad. They heard gunshots go off but felt nothing, and then slowly realized the guns were loaded with blanks. The emotional trauma that went with the process of dying, without experiencing death, had a transforming effect on people. It certainly had an incredible effect on Dostoevsky; He talked about waking up the morning of his mock execution with full assurance that that would be the last day of his life. As he ate his last meal, he savored every bite. Every breath of air he took was taken with an awareness of how precious it was. Every face he saw that day he studied with intensity. He wanted every experience etched on his mind. As they marched him into the courtyard, he felt the sun beating down on him and he appreciated the warmth of the sun as never before. Everything around him seemed to have a magical quality to it. He was seeing the world as he had never been able to see it before. All of his senses were heightened. He was fully alive! After his captors removed his blindfold and he realized he had not been shot; everything about him changed. He became grateful to people he had previously hated. He became thankful for everything about life, but especially for life itself. What do you think your life would be like if you were sentenced to death, but then got your life back again? What kind of changes would you make in your life? Why wait for a life and death situation to change? Why not start making those changes now? Quote of the day:
“The things which the child loves remain in the domain of the heart until old age.” — Khalil Gibran Reflection: At some point in life, most adults have looked at a child playing blissfully and wished they could turn back the clock. Children at play look happy, carefree, and thrilled about life. They laugh a lot, are easily entertained, and get excited about the simplest things. Naturally, they have their problems and hurts too, but for the most part, children are resilient. Children live in the moment and generally spend more time being happy than adults do. Here are a few ways you can recapture this childhood magic.
Quote of the day:
“Yesterday's history, tomorrow's a mystery, today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.” — Babatunde Olatunji Reflection: Find value in every moment, and look for meaning in everything you do. Living in the past can lead to regrets, and living in the future can make us feel anxious. This moment, right now, is the most important time of your life. Don't forget what a gift it is to you. Like the above quote reminds us, it is a present. Enjoy the moment and rediscover the world around you. Take time to look closer at the things that surround you. When I do this, I find some of my favorite things are the dew drops on the grass that look like diamonds as they reflect the sunlight, the rays of the evening sun coming through the window which casts a soft golden glow around the room, the moon light shimmering on the lake, to name a few. I also enjoy savoring my food—even thinking about how my tastes have changed and how I enjoy trying new foods. These are simple ideas about how to enjoy the moment, yet there are thousands of other ways—as many as each minute of the day. Life is a mystery, as well as an adventure with countless things to discover and rediscover. Don't let it slip by you unnoticed. Take time to fully enjoy the gift of life by living in the present. |
AuthorThe goal of the blog is to provide interesting, motivational, soul feeding material. All to help remind us that God loves us all and wants a personal relationship with each of us and will take care of us in times of trouble. I aspire to be a force for good by providing you with positive input. I encourage you to share the blog with others. Archives
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