The start of 2009 has been a bit tough for me. End of year financial issues, taxes, health issues for family and friends. Its all a bit depressing. I go to God with the issues and stresses of each day asking for help and insight into the masters plan. Each day starts and ends and my spirit gets deeper and deeper into the muck and myer.
I have been feeling especially alone and isolated from friends, family and even the Savior. Today, I decided to change some simple things to "REFOCUS" my day and as a result, my life.
1. Spend less time with the TV. I like getting the News and especially like Fox News.... so I do watch most days... but today I decided to limit the time to around 1 hour.
2. Spend time (taken from former TV time) on God. Thinking about what things are happening now and what direction He wants me to take.
3. Pray. If a bad thought comes into my mind, Stop. Pray and leave that thought right where it started. Then move on with the day.
4. PRAISE - both God and the one's around me. Our world is FILLED and I MEAN TO THE ABSOLUTE TOP with hate. Everywhere you turn, someone is shouting something HORRIBLE, or giving terrible looks, or hand signs out of HATE. Sure it can be choked up to lots of things... but when you strip it down to the base reason... it's hate. It strips your soul of the light. We are to be SHINING citys on a hill... not shadow casters.... SO I am going to try to praise as much as I can each day. I am very guilty of casting shadows ... and also very tired of it. I want to SHINE!!!
5. Invest into my family. Spend more time with my loved ones. I have always liked the idea of spending more time with my family playing games, telling stories... and laughing, but have always filled up the day and night with JUNK. Well I'm cleaning out the junk. SO watch out!
That's my plan. what made me think about this... was a newsletter that was E-mailed to me from my sister-in-law Brooke. She probably didn't know I was feeling isolated and alone... but the story on the front page of the newsletter from Northside Christian Church in Tulsa hit home with me. I wanted to share it because it might hit home with you too.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN 2009. And - CLEAN OUT YOUR JUNK!
The Quiet Sermon
A member of a church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.
After a few weeks, the minister of the church decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The minister found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his minister’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair
near the fireplace and waited. The minister made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the minister took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent.
The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow, and then its fire was no more.
Soon it was cold and dead.
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The minister glanced at his watch and
realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it
back in the middle of the fire.
Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the minister reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank
you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday."
We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few
listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.
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