OK, I am definitely not used to this much ice. Now, a dusting of snow is always beautiful, but not when the hardened slick, scary ice still lies below. Then it's just plain, well ... yikes! Those of us in Super Bowl country are now on DAY 3 (and counting) of whatever cold system the Steelers and Packers managed to bring our way. Hard to believe we were a balmy 70 degrees just a few days ago.
I will say this, though, I have taken advantage of this hibernation period to read, pray, and spend quality time with Deb and our beloved "Boys," our beagles, Yogi and Deuce. (Check out my tweet with photo of them looking sharp in their jackets.)
This downtime led me to think about how this truly is a blessing from God, just telling us to slow down, to spend more time doing the things that are important in life. Looking back on the last few days, did it really matter that you weren't able to go out to eat? Or that your child's sporting event was canceled? Or that you weren't able to make it to one of those Super Bowl events?
This has been an excellent opportunity to pause. In my booklet Pause: Resting In God Instead Of Stressing Out, I write about how far too many of us have chosen to live life too fast, too stressed:
"The good news is that another option exists. We can stay inside our stress, or we can move to the place called pause. Psalm 23 paints a compelling picture of what the place called pause is all about. The words are well known--descriptors like 'green pastures' and 'quiet waters' and a life lived without fear--but the enjoyment of these realities is not. We know a peaceful existence is possible; we're just not all that good at living it out....
"We pile too much onto each day, we rarely take time to relax, and then we wonder why we feel so tense. We hop on airplanes every week, hit three cities in four days, sleep in strange beds and eat strange food, and return home absolutely fried. Or we shuttle our kids from activity to activity with no down time in between, race home for sixteen minutes to eat dinner before heading to the next practice or event, and fall into bed exhausted and unfulfilled....
"We are under too much pressure, too much stress, and we're getting eaten up as a result...."
So, today, I encourage you to stop complaining about the sub-20 temperatures and the cabin fever... And enjoy this place called pause.
Pause to pray, pause to praise, and pause to gain perspective.
How are you spending your time at home?
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6 comments:
Pastor...Excellent words for us all. It's sad that it takes ice and snow to slow down our lives. We work so hard the whole year just to pay for a vacation so we can rest. Sounds backwards when you stop and think about it. Hopefully we can all remember our restful time this week and remeber to pause...
Amen.
This "pause" has been Heaven sent. It has caused me to slow down, get some much needed sleep, get a small bit of work finished at a non-frenetic pace, and to spend quality time with my daughter. I feel so refreshed! Letting things go is difficult, but it's so freeing.
Add to that the beauty, peace, and quietude that the snow creates and this has been a very blessed week.
Thank you Pastor Jack for reminding us once again about what is important. How nice it has been these past few days to spend time with my hubby just relaxing. Our land line phone was out and that was even more peaceful. God is truly telling us to slow down in our lives.
Amen!!! Working from home but spending time with family. for me, this has been a "Super" week.
To have a nice warm home, food to eat, family and pets to spend time with, extra hours to read, pray and rest, how wonderful!! Time to count our abundant blessings, and pray for those who don't share the same comforts.
Pastor Graham, I am so sorry about all the snow and ice ya'll have recived since the Packers and Steelers arrived to town. One question? Are you going to cheer for the Packers or the steelers?
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