January 25

“Let’s just acknowledge that as far as real life is concerned we are only one step away from dealing with dysfunction.  So what are we going to do about it?  We can stop waiting for life to become perfect and start working with what we’ve got to make it as satisfying as we can.  We can accept, bless, give thanks, and get going.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach, SA, 1/25

Amen, Sister!  The only thing I can say after such a rousing speech is to look at myself in the mirror and own up to the fact that I’ve been my own worst enemy.....waiting for life to become perfect.....So, where do I come off thinking that life CAN be perfect AND that I should HAVE a perfect life?  This is the power of Sin for sure.  Sin (Satan) also wanted to have the perfect life--to be equal to God.  Yikes!  When I say it that way I can’t even lift my eyes to look into that mirror!  I don’t have to evaluate my life very hard to discover just how good I have it.  It’s not perfect, but then perfect is not attainable.  Why waste my energy and especially what time I have left striving for perfect?  I think I will just go for experience.   And if I make my experience with God my number one priority I can be sure that all the other experiences will be worth my time and my energy.  It’s a win/win scenario. Yes, I think I will post a little sign on my mirror as a reminder that I should “accept, bless, give thanks, and get going!”

“I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”  2 Corinthians 11:3

January 23

“Over the years I have discovered that much of my struggle to be content despite outside circumstances has arisen when I stubbornly resisted what was actually happening in my life at the present moment.....What happens when we accept our circumstances?  Well, first of all, we relax.  Next we change our vibration, our energy pattern, and the rate of our heartbeat.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach, SA, 1/23

Sarah also tells how she arrives at acceptance.  It comes when she realizes the circumstance is what it is meant to be right now.  In acknowledging that she is enabled to say “All right, You lead, I’ll follow” and “Everything is going to turn out all right.”  Perhaps this was the missing ingredient as I applied my “step aside” plan.  Yesterday when I first put this plan into practice I noticed an immediate mood shift for the better.  But the next time and each time afterward I noticed it became harder to step aside.  What this is telling me about myself is that in stepping aside so that the Holy Spirit could express Himself through me I was hoping He’d make the outcome to my liking.  No wonder I resisted stepping aside the next time.  I really must get it out of my head that things have to be rosy at all times.  Some times things have to get mucked up a bit before they can get cleaned up.  Life is messy.  The sooner I accept that the sooner everything is going to turn out all right.

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28