Sometimes God has to hit me over the head a few times to make his point...this morning I finally "got it" about one I believe he has been trying to make for a few days.
*Sigh*
There is one thing about staying at the tree house....the master bedroom. Aaaahhh... The master bedroom is on the third floor, quite literally in the trees (hence the nickname tree house), and it looks out not only into and through the trees but over into a bird sanctuary. Needless to say, it is not unusual to see lots of birds and squirrels from this vantage point.
Yesterday as I was slowly waking up, two squirrels caught my eye. They were racing through the trees, leaping, rolling, and overall having quite the time. It made me smile. I didn't think much more about it. This morning...the same thing. This time, I laid in bed and watched them.
What I saw was pure joy in motion. Fun, spirited play...playful joy.
It got me to thinking...
I work...hard. I play...hard. Is there true joy in either of them?
Let that sink in...I still am.
Do you really want to be happy?
In the past 48 hours I have had two separate friends say to me, "I have to decide whether or not I want to be happy." Really?! You have to think about it? Really?!
Do you think an animal ever has to say to another animal, "I have to decide whether or not I want to be happy..." before doing x, y, or z. Doubtful. I have watched too much Animal Planet with Jon...way TOO much. They aren't asking..themselves or each other...they are too busy living.
Now...let that sink in...
One of my nearest and dearest friends (Class XX Rocks!!!...inside joke) said to me the other night, "He (speaking of someone we know) is so afraid that he is going to be hit by a bus (and what happens when he does) that he isn't living NOW therefore it doesn't matter what happens after he gets hit by the bus."
Now...let THAT sink in...
Back to the squirrels...
Have we lost the pure joy that IS living? Have we not only lost it, but lost it to the point that we have to have a debate, or hire a consultant firm, or do a market study before we can choose to do something joyful or move in that direction? Sadly, I believe a lot of us have...and in some ways (or areas of our lives) we all have. *Sigh*
John Eldredge, in one of his AMAZING Podcasts, talks about the story of Adam and Eve and how they chose the Tree of Knowledge and how they "got the wrong one"...it was the Tree of Life we needed....now I am not going to preach (if you want to hear a great non-sermon on this...I recommend Eldredge...not me). His point...we need LIFE. We (often secretly) want LIFE.
Whatever your religious beliefs (or non-religious beliefs)...and I have dear friends of ALL beliefs...we all (I have found) want the same thing...LIFE...and all that entails. Period.
Oh yeah...there is a "but"...BUT...they/we are all scared of LIFE.
Holy CRAP (sorry Treva)!
I just had an epiphany.
*Sigh*
It isn't the death we are afraid of...it is the living...or not living as the case might be (and in some people's lives that I know...it is...one of those might be the one I find in the mirror).
"We are what we repeatedly do." ~ Aristotle
What are you repeatedly doing Every. Day.?
Worrying? Stressing? Whining? Complaining? Denying? Sticking your head in the sand?
OR
Loving? Playing? Sharing? Giving? Trying? Risking? Living?
Boys and GIRLS....it is time to play. It is time to play infused with JOY. It is time to love, play, share, give, try, risk, live...LIVE.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." ~ Proverbs 4:23
Everything...good/bad, fear/joy, stress/confidence, love/hate, dreams/denial...EVERYTHING. Period.
I don't know about you, but I have to get going...it is time to PLAY. :)))
Sunshine Dreams to You ~ Today and Every Day! :)
