Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Make Room for Unexpected Happenings


Is your life so jammed that you have no room for unexpected happenings?
Yesterday you were exhorted to clean out your cupboards and pantry.  Throw away the spoiled, organize the food stuff still waiting to be eaten, and plan for its use.

Purposeful living is just like that too.  Periodically we need to throw away those things that jam up the flow of good, simple living.  Maybe it is your schedule that is jammed.   Maybe it is unrealistic expectations.   Maybe it is your attitude.

Today I want you to be aware of having margin in your life.  Do you remember the lined notebook paper that you used in school?  There was a red line at the left side and a blue one at the right that showed you where to begin and end your writing sentences so that you would have margin around your paper.  We need that same margin in our lives.  Think of a bumper zone where that little bit of cushion prevents bang-ups.

Now I know that with school beginning most of our lives at this time of year get so busy we feel in a whirl wind.  School lessons, chauferring, piano lessons, soccer games.  Some of us have needy toddlers and babies, constant dirty dishes, doctor's appointments, and a multitude of other activities beckoning our presence. 

Try- just try- to schedule if you can some time when you and your family does not have anything to do.  You will be most pleasantly surprised how that time will get filled up, and it certainly will.  Maybe with a spontaneous stroll with your husband or child that you do not usually get one on one time with.


I also need to remind myself about my expectations.  Having expectations so high for myself and others does not allow room for mess-ups and even failures.  We are all human and bound to disappoint one another many times this side of heaven.  Allow some room for falls to be done gracefully so that they (or you) can get back up.  Nothing stifles and smothers like judgement.
 
And lastly for today allow some room in your attitude that there is always more to learn and more wisdom to be gained.  No one likes a know-it-all.  Keep the humble attitude that there is always more room to grow.  Like Paul who professed, "Not that I have already obtained...or been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus as took old of me....I press on....all of us who are mature should take such a view of things."  -Philippians 3:12-15 (in part) NIV
 
Dear sister make room in your life for unexpected happenings and see what good things await you.
 
 
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