LIVING IN THE NOW~

I was spending part of the morning playing with my four year son Joshua, putting together a marble game. It took us about a half hour of building. When we were done, he played the game twice then went to do something else. While we had a great time together, my adult mind reasoned that we should take more time playing with what we had just spent time creating. We reached a goal, now we should enjoy it. Joshua had other ideas in mind.
Later that day, I was spending time with The Father, asking Him what He wanted to teach me/say to me today. This simple, yet profound truth emerged as my object lesson of the day:
"Just as you were spending time with Joshua putting together his game, so I want to spend time with you. Did you notice his excitement in building with you? It was the process of building with you that thrilled him... The finished result was great for a sense of accomplishment, but it was the process of building with you that thrilled him most.
This is what it means to enter in like a child. A child is not concerned about tomorrow. A child doesn't even comprehend tomorrow or next week, or next month. All a child understands is now. Ask a child what they did earlier in the day and they will answer concerning what they just did. A child has no concept of yesterday or tomorrow, only right now.
This is what I am returning you - living now. What happened yesterday has helped shape you, but in terms of now it is not relevant anymore. Tomorrow is yet to be revealed. What you have before you is now. Enjoy now.
You have spent so much time trying to relive yesterday and longing for tomorrow that you have missed today; you have glossed over right now.
I am returning you to live in the now. Now is where the joy is. Now is where the peace is. Now is where I Am. Live with me now.
When a child is sad now, they cry now. When a child is happy now, they giggle now. When a child is sleepy now, they nap now (or fuss because they need to nap :-). When a child is hungry now, they eat now. When a child is in the mood to play now, they play now. A child lives in the now. So shall you.
Our time together is always now. I am with you always. Whatever now is I am there... Our time together is about living, about being together just being you. You are who I long to be with, you - as you are!
Wherever you are, whatever you do, I am with you. We can always enjoy now together. Now is where we live. Now is what we have. Now is life. Now is joy. Now is peace. Now is prosperity. Now is love. Now is.
It is the process of us being together now that brings us life and joy together. Let's enjoy now, always..."

After this, I tested it out. I asked Joshua, "What did you do yesterday, Joshie?" He quickly answered, "Went to school?" He actually didn't. "That was the day before buddy." I then asked, "What are you going to do tomorrow?" He looked up at me puzzled, "You tell me." I then asked, "What are you doing now?" He quickly answered, "Playing with you!"
It is so true, a child lives in the now.
What is next? I do not know. But I am learning to really enjoy living in the now!
What about you?
Enjoy The Journey - now!
Bart

WALK LIKE A BIRD!

What do you do when nothing makes sense, and the only things that do make sense seem foolish? Ever been there? It seems I live there anymore. My address might as well be 123 South Foolish Street, because it is where I am living anymore! There is not much I am doing these days that makes conventional sense. Yet, despite that, I feel more peace than I have in years (when I allow myself to rest in it, and not beat myself up with anxiety and fear)... It is an odd time.
This morning I was looking out my back door, just contemplating and quietly praying. About seven birds landed before me - two older Cardinals and five little ones. They were peacefully strolling along the ground pecking for food. Off to the right, a squirrel joined the party, prowling calmly along the ground. He found a nut, perched up on the fencepost and peeled the outer shell and nibbled on the nut within.
As I observed their world, it struck me how simple it was. Each day, they just do what is natural to them. They do not strive, strain or worry about where there provision is going to come from. They don't even consider tomorrow or even ten minutes from now. They live in the moment, at peace, doing what comes natural to them.
I thought about the words Jesus spoke, recorded in Matthew 6:25-27, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
That's it right there. For about seven months now I have been on an intense training course on the subject of faith and trust. For at least 4 months, we have not known where our next month's provision was going to come from. Yet by the end of every month, there is always enough.
Jesus says look at the birds... I did. They were peaceful. They did not seem to have a worry in the world. They were provided for. They did not concern themselves with tomorrow but rather knew how to enjoy today.
I would imagine that I am not the only one out there who is going through financial struggles (I read the paper sometimes). It's tough out there. The system we once relied upon -ourselves- is not so reliable these days. There has to be a greater way...
It seems in days like today, that anxiety has a very loud mouth, and worry and fear can roar like a massive lion. Perhaps we can take a lesson from the birds: tune out those loud voices and get back to a quiet place of peace and trust, knowing that our Father cares for us. There is a greater way. It's called trust, faith, rest, peace...
I have recently heard that an Eagle goes through a process called Moulting. It is a time when the Eagle begins to loose it's feathers and grows very weak. Typically this time is spent sprawled out on a large rock, in the sun, sitting in a weakened and vulnerable posture, dependent upon other Eagles to tend to their needs - A difficult time for a strong and powerful creature to endure. When this process is complete, the Eagle grows new feathers, stronger wings, and more keen eyesight. Once complete, the Eagle can soar to greater heights empowered to see with greater vision.
Perhaps you too can relate. Be encouraged, the time will come when we too can soar to greater heights, newly empowered with greater strength and vision.
When all else fails, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
Isn't it about time we too learn to walk and fly like a bird?