Morning is my favorite.  I love the light and the quiet and peace of the morning.  And though I am an early riser… I love to savor the morning and begin slowly.  It doesn’t always happen. But, this morning Tim got up before me and put eggs on the stove to boil and proceeded to get ready for work.

As I walked into our living room, the sunshine was streaming in the windows.  The sky… brilliant blue… everything looked extraordinarily crisp and clear.  And then I noticed it… the sunflower in the vase… it was facing the sun.  Its petals glowing. It was a moment.  Could I call it a holy moment?

 

Why Settle for Ordinary Living the Abundant Life is Waiting for You

 

I wanted to savor that moment, so I grabbed my camera and positioned it, attempting different settings in hopes of capturing the feeling of the moment.  Tim went ahead and ate his hard boiled eggs and fresh picked blueberries while I took photos. He was okay that we didn’t sit down at the table together because he knew this moment wouldn’t last.

How many times do we rush through our days… rush through those moments… so busy that we actually miss them?  How often do we regret that we have exchanged the hectic for the slow… the frantic for the free?

We may feel productive, important, or necessary as we moving quickly through the day.  But at what loss?

One of the most life-changing verses in the Bible for me is John 10:10

I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.

There are minutes, hours, days, when we need to move quickly.  When our list is long and it requires us to get going and doing.  The thing is… we often find ourselves in that pattern of constant movement, day after day. It becomes our modus operandi. It’s our way of life.

Ask yourself… “Is this what Jesus came and died for?  Is this the abundant life he has for me?”

We both know the answer to that question.

 

Living in the moment - abundant life living

 

The other day I was on Instagram (I now have an active presence there so I’d love for you to join me on IG.) and saw a meme… “If it’s important to you… you have the time.”

It kind of hit me.  How does the way I spend my time show others what’s important to me?   Or for that matter… what am I doing with the 24 hours or more accurately the 15 hours/900 minutes I’m awake each day?

And… if I use John 10:10 as my filter… how do the ways I spend my minutes and hours stack up against it?

Is “this” what Jesus meant when he said that we might have life in all its fullness?

I’m not going to presume anything for you.  Each of us is accountable to God for how well we live our lives.  (Though to some degree we are accountable to each other, too.)

I know a mom’s job is constant even as kids become independent at 6, 16, and 26.  And then there’s work inside our homes, and work outside our homes where someone else is in control of our time. Plus all our other relationships and responsibilities. Whew!  It’s a lot!  Yet… somehow we really do, for the most part, find time for what important to us, don’t we?

 

Jesus came to bring us life--abundant life

 

Often we read this scripture…

but I came to bring them life, and far more life than before. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd will give his life for the sake of his sheep.
John 10:10-11

and think of the eternal life that Jesus has made a way for us to experience.  I believe that is true… but there is so much more.

There is often a disconnect between the idea of living forever with Jesus and what that life should look like and coming to grips with the understanding that Jesus has already brought his kingdom to earth for us to experience as his followers.

I merely focused on the second part of John 10:10… let’s now look at the beginning as well…

The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness.

Every single day, you and I face a battle… a battle for our souls, our hearts, our minds, our time.

If I don’t purposely plan my day… plan time for taking the start to my morning slowly… plan God time… plan time to be with the people I love… plan time to do the specific tasks of my job… plan time to go to the lake and sit on the sand, arrange flowers, eat dinner slowly, and go to bed on time…. I lose.

If I don’t have morning time, my spirit withers, if I don’t plan my work I accomplish little, if I don’t sit on the sand with Tim or play with my camera or go to bed on time I allow the good to be yanked from my life… I’m left with regret, sadness, and fatigue. Certainly not the life Christ desires for me.

 

Feel like the life has been sucked out of you Jesus came to give your real life -- full and complete life -- want to know more Click here

 

This week… let’s be purposeful… let’s use this verse as our filter or the ruler we use to measure what’s before us… and then choose wisely.

Jesus came to liberate us from bondage.  You know what makes your spirit soar… purpose to soar as you were created to soar.

Seize your life and live it with all the fullness Jesus has for you.  He paid a big price for us.  Let’s not be guilty of squandering his gift.  At the same time don’t take up any guilt from the past or daily failures at living abundantly.  Instead… get up and ask HIM to help you live HIS way.  He will.  One step at a time… abundantly.

 

Note: Today’s scripture appeared in two versions: Good News Translation and J.P. Phillips New Testament.  I really enjoy using the parallel translation option at Bible Gateway to enhance my understanding of the Bible.  Hope it helps you, too.

 

Abundant Life from Jesus - JoyDay!

 

It’s JoyDay!

 

Let’s take a few minutes to put into practice 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Always be joyful… Whatever happens, give thanks,
because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this…. 
 giving thanks by counting seven ‘things’ from our week.  It’s something God really wants us to do and when we do… he rewards us with joy. The very thing he wants us to have at all times.

I’ll start….

God, I’m thankful

  1. for a wonderful quiet Sunday with Tim.
  2. for extra work this week and work that we could do together.
  3. for a supermarket that carries fresh from the field locally picked flowers.
  4. neighbor children who love to hang out with us (even if it’s not convenient for us).
  5. knowing that you love us more than we can imagine.
  6. for sunshine and flowers and a camera to capture those beautiful moments you’ve created for me.
  7. for Your goodness, Lord, and grace so richly infused through every moment of our days.

Okay…it’s YOUR turn!!

Scroll down to the comment section…Share Your Extraordinary Thoughts….and list your ‘seven.’  I can guarantee it will change how you see the world around you.  It’s the best!!

Thank you for stopping by and leaving your sweet thoughts.

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Comments

  1. I too like the morning. The time just before the Sun rises. I am not sure but this time truly has the magical touch–silence, purity, and power.

    • I totally agree, Liz. 🙂 Thanks so much for popping by to leave your thoughts. Have a blessed day!!

  2. Nancy says

    Thank you for your kind and loving thoughts. It feels so peaceful to be reminded of God’s love for each one of us.

    • Your words of affirmation mean so much to me, Nancy. 🙂 Thank you for spending time here and sharing your kind words. May your new week be filled with God’s love, joy, and peace. {{hugs}}

  3. Minnie says

    Happy Sunday my sister in Christ,
    Here we go,
    1. The sound that moving water makes
    2. Fog, love to walk on a foggy night
    3. The smell of pine trees
    4.My granddaughter is 2 and she calls me Memaw Minnie Mouse. I know all to soon she will stop but for now I gobble it up
    5. Classical music, always calming in the background
    6. The happy wag of dog tails
    7. You Diane. Our Lord showed me you via Pinterest. Thank you for allowing him to work through you
    Blessings to you,
    Minnie

    • Isn’t it amazing, Minnie, in this great big world how our loving Father draws us together? He is so good!
      I love your “seven” and I too enjoy the smell of the pine trees, especially after the fog or rain. Just remembering that aroma refreshes my spirit.
      Praying your week is filled with unexpected God-moments! xo

  4. Bonnie Ralyea says

    You are using the gifts God gave you and giving them away. Living life with purpose is what we try to do ,but yes, it’s easy to get distracted sometimes. I am grateful for your little nudge of inspiration.Thank you for sharing Diane.

    • My dear sweet friend, it is such a joy to see you leave your kind words here today. Thank you, Bonnie, you have encouraged me in return! Hope your week is blessed beyond imagination! xo

  5. Gwen says

    How did I miss Joy Day?? This is also a favorite Joy Day you’ve shared. How neat that you discovered for us that even a cut ? follows the sun! I needed to hear a “sermon” on Jesus giving His life to give me life more abundant. Abundant life. I’ve lived so much of life with me listening to the false lies of others who said that God would not want me to have that very thing –and I’m not really talking material stuff here. That can be included but there’s so much more to a life abundant.
    1. Curt’s way of showing me love despite my disabilities or with my disabilities
    2. God removed serious danger from my presence
    3. I saw a bird just now!!
    4. I saw a butterfly right now!!!
    5. A gift of four friends calling me
    6. My dear aunt I can call anytime
    7. A sweet visit with my far away sister in law on the phone

    • I’m not sure how you missed this JoyDay! Gwen, but I’m so blessed to know that this was something that encouraged your heart. This verse, John 10:10 was life-changing for me and I continue to return to it… it is what is behind the name of the blog, too.
      May your weekend be filled with many unexpected God moments. xo

  6. David says

    These words made my day! May your new year is filled with the abundance of Good luck and happiness.

Please Share Your Extraordinary Thoughts!

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