Good Morning, soul - We Need to Talk

 I heard this recently while praying: 

"Put your phone down and look at me." 

--Jesus

Without question I woke up and listened. That was it. Just that. The day began and from that beginning flowed the following thoughts.

There are life seasons where a person looks back and thinks, 

"Oh my goodness!!! How am I this old?" 

Then, if they look back far enough, the dull film of daily-living thins out and many things become startlingly clear. Things like,

 "When did I quit doing this, or that? 

When did I start allowing those?

 Where did all of this stuff come from?

 What???"

 Some of the changes have been good. Others not so much. After pondering over life's situation for awhile, the good old question of "Now what?" settles in for a visit. And just as if an overflowing closet or drawer were in need of a sort and purge, the time to "get to work" begins. Only instead of a physical space being cleaned out and organized, it's the soul being emptied out, scrubbed clean, and put to rights. The mind, will, and emotions are sifted through with intentional care.

Decisions concerning what thought patterns, habits, and perspectives are true and which are products of immaturities, trauma, and experiences long gone can be tiring to make. 

"Is that perspective true?

Does this opinion make me look old?

Has the way I see people limited my relational abilities?

What should I keep? 

What must go?

 Where do I need to grow? 

Are there any areas lacking maturity? 

Does this way of thinking serve me well? 

Will this method of processing take me down a road of goodness that lasts?"

 All of these questions require an answer, and all answers require time spent in brutal honesty with none other than me, myself, and I. Exhaustion creeps in if a generous amount of grace and wisdom aren't applied during the process.

It's time dear one; time to clean out and purge our soul of all that is dead, rotten, and no longer useful to us. Today's season needs us to be fresh and clean so that we are ready to receive new instructions, methods, and strategies for living life well. We are NOT the people we used to be. The way we have viewed and understood things thus far probably won't provide the results it used to. 

We've been given a rare opportunity to enter a brand new season that has NEVER been lived before.  NOONE has EVER experienced what we are going to experience. It's the awakening of a new day! A new day filled with new people and situations has begun! New days, new people, and new situations mean new conversations, experiences, and relationships. New conversations, relationships, and experiences will require new ways of thinking, seeing, and living. We have some serious getting ready to do, and NOW may be the best time to do it. It's almost as if one needs to sit down across the table from one's self, with God, and with loving firmness say, "Good morning, soul. We need to talk."