Kids - A Mama Never Knows
A mother never knows what a day will bring. Honestly, a mother never knows what will happen from moment to moment. In the flash of an eye, or faster, everything can change. All might be going blissfully well then turn to traumatic tragedy without warning. Then again, it can happen the other way around too. Tragedy can turn to triumph in a miraculous moment too. Consider Joseph being in prison one minute and standing before Pharoah the next. Before the day's end he found himself second in command only to Pharoah. Now that's a suddenly turnaround type moment.
That's the adventure of being alive, not knowing what the next moment will hold. Being an individual who finds security in steady rhythms and routines, it has taken many years for me to see the unpredictableness of living as adventure. I haven't always found it such a pleasant reality. Honestly, I haven't always found reality pleasant. Pretend was much more satisfying to a shy little chubby girl growing up in the Midwest. No wonder reading was a favorite way to spend my days. How wonderful it was to read the non real adventures found within the pages of novels. Novel characters are much less risky to engage than real live living human beings a.k.a. people.
Escapism was a means of coping for years and years. Reading was perhaps one of the greatest avenues of escape I used throughout my growing up years, through part of my adult years too. When reality became too messy, a book would chase away the bad or at least provide a temporary refuge of fiction to hide behind for a few hours.
Please don't misunderstand. I still enjoy a good novel. They are a welcome change of pace, and I enjoy learning truths from God's Word through a carefully told story in a book written by a Godly author. I learn best from stories. Guessing most of us do since Jesus told so many of them when He taught.
Since it isn't the novel itself that was the source of me not engaging reality, the issue turned out to be much more close and personal. Me. I was the one at the root of that nasty escapism habit. It was a choice. An unknowing one, but a choice nonetheless. Thankfully, God gently leads and instructs. He is transforming me by the renewing of my mind, just as His Word says He will.
Now I appreciate the adventure of real life and am gradually learning to embrace the unknown, the unpredictability of this life God has me living. Notice, I said gradually learning. Life is a process after all. Learning to be actively engaged in living life for real has been another unforeseen result of choosing intentional realness. 2013 is drawing to a close. Unlike last year when there was a definite urging towards intentional and real, 2014 hasn't whispered anything in my heart's ear yet. I'll be listening closely these next few days though. Certainly don't want to miss the new of the New Year.
Maybe the new is already here. Maybe it is going to be a continuation of being actively engaged in living. Living life for real, so to speak. Maybe that's where intentional and real take a person, to living actively for real. Faith is known by its works. Faith without works is dead. So, maybe this being actively engaged in life is the works of choosing intentional and real by faith. Definitely thinking on this some more.
Thinking on real living as the year ends and another begins anew,
Abundantly Blessed @ Abundance House
That's the adventure of being alive, not knowing what the next moment will hold. Being an individual who finds security in steady rhythms and routines, it has taken many years for me to see the unpredictableness of living as adventure. I haven't always found it such a pleasant reality. Honestly, I haven't always found reality pleasant. Pretend was much more satisfying to a shy little chubby girl growing up in the Midwest. No wonder reading was a favorite way to spend my days. How wonderful it was to read the non real adventures found within the pages of novels. Novel characters are much less risky to engage than real live living human beings a.k.a. people.
Escapism was a means of coping for years and years. Reading was perhaps one of the greatest avenues of escape I used throughout my growing up years, through part of my adult years too. When reality became too messy, a book would chase away the bad or at least provide a temporary refuge of fiction to hide behind for a few hours.
Please don't misunderstand. I still enjoy a good novel. They are a welcome change of pace, and I enjoy learning truths from God's Word through a carefully told story in a book written by a Godly author. I learn best from stories. Guessing most of us do since Jesus told so many of them when He taught.
Since it isn't the novel itself that was the source of me not engaging reality, the issue turned out to be much more close and personal. Me. I was the one at the root of that nasty escapism habit. It was a choice. An unknowing one, but a choice nonetheless. Thankfully, God gently leads and instructs. He is transforming me by the renewing of my mind, just as His Word says He will.
Now I appreciate the adventure of real life and am gradually learning to embrace the unknown, the unpredictability of this life God has me living. Notice, I said gradually learning. Life is a process after all. Learning to be actively engaged in living life for real has been another unforeseen result of choosing intentional realness. 2013 is drawing to a close. Unlike last year when there was a definite urging towards intentional and real, 2014 hasn't whispered anything in my heart's ear yet. I'll be listening closely these next few days though. Certainly don't want to miss the new of the New Year.
Maybe the new is already here. Maybe it is going to be a continuation of being actively engaged in living. Living life for real, so to speak. Maybe that's where intentional and real take a person, to living actively for real. Faith is known by its works. Faith without works is dead. So, maybe this being actively engaged in life is the works of choosing intentional and real by faith. Definitely thinking on this some more.
Thinking on real living as the year ends and another begins anew,
Abundantly Blessed @ Abundance House