Today I once again realized how much of my life story is in photos; not just a click of a camera or phone camera, but of setting up the photo so it conveys a message. At least that is my hope. I take photos every day from various parts of my day. Don’t get me wrong, that isn’t ALL I do, but it certainly is a part of all that I do. But it sure helps me be present in the moment!
You might say, “What’s the big deal?” Well, in my experience, I have found that often times our kids don’t really hear what we have to say. That isn’t just in this present day either. I often times wish I would have listened more to my elders, asked questions to see if on the right day I would get the answers. I didn’t think about it then. I do now. So I hope at some point when I am not a round to wait until they ask the questions, they will one day see them in my story of photos. We are more of a light to others by how we live than talking or pushing them in a direction. I so agree with that. So my photos will be a legacy to them at some point in their lives and I hope that they will come to know me even better through that legacy of photos.
Let’s think about that for a moment. What can we offer to those who are around us in our sphere of influence? Are we walking in the fruit of the Spirit, or are we walking to impress someone, be known, or be in the middle of the crowd for attention? Is it really about the house we live in, the car we drive, the sports our kids are a part of, how good they are in those sports, our clothes, our looks? Really? Is that what we want others to see? Or do we want to invite others into our home to share hospitality with them, use our car to help get someone to a place they need to go, allow SOME sports for their education and teach team efforts, or look at our closets and see if we can share some of what we have, or let the beauty from within shine from within? I am learning that lesson everyday given all the surgery on my nose and face. I believe that more than ever before, we need to exercise our spiritual muscles now, so that, we can carry what God has for us to carry later on. We never know when that heavier load will come upon us.
So today as I think about these things, I have my “YES” glassybaby burning on my desk to remind myself to say “yes” to God again at the beginning of each of my days here on earth. I want to say yes to where He wants to take me, say yes to His teaching through His word, say yes to the nature around me and say yes to get on track to put myself in the best position I can to do what He asks of me. Simple? Well…yes it can be. We just need to say, “I surrender”, to God on every level of my life. Empty every room of our spiritual house. Simple? Maybe not so simple if you have been living for yourself more than living from a place of surrender each day to His will. I choose to wake up with a good morning to God, with a surrender of my day on my lips, and a request for Him to lead and guide me this day. What joy can come from those simple steps. I am committed. I’m even changing my sign off here on the blog this year! I believe that each moment in life is precious. So catch a hold of it it and use it for change for His purposes, and He will use it for yours!
I’m saying a resounding YES to Him today! Are you? Can you? I’m cheering you on!
For the love of the moment…
~JoAnn
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