Someone said to me yesterday ‘I have a life and I have a responsibility to live that life’. Now as you read that, what does it mean to you? Are you thinking ‘Well, that’s flippin’ obvious – isn’t it?’ But it was in the context of what we were talking about that made it stick so much in my mind.
I had a fabulous day. To start with it didn’t involve going to work (good start), I’d spent a very enjoyable evening with friends the night before, stayed overnight and had been made a huge fuss of by a very excitable young man called Tommy. No, contrary to what many of you may be thinking right now I haven’t found myself a toy boy. Much better – he’s a gorgeous black and white cocker spaniel who insists on giving me lots of frenetic attention whenever I visit my friend. We did discover, however, a laptop and Tommy first thing in the morning is not a conducive combination. It’s never taken me so long to check my emails! He’s so lovable though he knows I’ll forgive him anything.
Then it was off to Southampton for the day with someone else to see our artist friend. I’ve only recently met her but as we said on the phone the other night there are some people you meet in life you just know are always going to be friends. You might not see them often, you may not speak to them from one month to the next but somehow you know they will always be a part of your life, and you’ll be part of theirs. This was my first trip to her house and I was excited to see her, meet some of her family and see where she works and produces her amazing prophetic pictures – oh, and meet Mr Duck.
It was a wonderful day, it was great to see everyone and relax in the garden with a cuppa, bask in the sunshine and swop stories. Needless to say there was an abundance of laughter as well. Despite lots of distant quacking Mr Duck never did put in an appearance. Perhaps he overheard me saying crispy duck is one of my favourite dishes??? He was quite safe though as I hadn’t packed my chef’s knives (that reminds me, I must remember to take them next time I go Mmmmmmm........) - before I get a barrage of comments I am joking folks, honestly. It’s obvious from the mansion size ‘duck house’ complete with ramp down into the pond this is a much loved family pet so I think they may be a tad upset if I suggested serving him up with pancakes and shredded spring onion!
After a fabulous day, including seeing another painting from a collection currently being produced (breathtaking) we said our farewells, disconnected the sat nav (we were pretty confident of getting back OK...more or less, and as I said he hadn’t faired too well on the way down) we set off home. It was on the journey back we started talking about how some people, despite years of trying to deal with an issue because they recognise it’s affecting them negatively seem, almost, to hold on to it. Like some sort of comfort blanket. Its part of the baggage they carry around and despite their and lots of other peoples efforts, whether friends, family or professionals they still can’t ‘move on’.
And that brings me back to the statement I made at the beginning of this post. On the return journey we were talking in general terms about ‘life baggage’. I’d been talking about the fact I could think and even dream about my first husband without it affecting me negatively now because he passed away 30 years ago. I thought of him on the day my daughter got married, obviously, but I remember the day as being such a wonderful joyous, laughter filled day. But there was a time when it was still very hard, very painful to think about him. Believe me, I know what it is to grieve, to feel abandoned, to be angry, frightened, worried. To feel lonely and as if nothing is ever going to go right again or I’m never going to be happy again. I know what it’s like to be scared of the future, of stepping out, of ‘going it alone’.
But each day I wake up and it never ceases to amaze me - I’ve been given a brand new day. This day has never happened before in my life and never will again. It’s unique, uncharted territory, stretching out ready to be experienced. Certainly the last couple of weeks I’ve woken to warm, vibrant sunshine pouring through my window. My relatively good health (baring the hot flushes and the dodgy knees!) means although I don’t exactly leap out of bed I can get up early, make my cuppa and settle back to start each brand new day full of expectation - ‘Where is God going to take me today?’ It might be just through an average day at the office or it might be one of those extra special days like yesterday full of friends, laughter and fun. It might turn out a day full of problems which I’ll be relieved to see the back of.
But as I sit drinking my tea – at that point in time – I don’t know. And at that moment I know ‘I have been given a life, not just an existence, and I have a responsibility to live – and I mean LIVE that life. To the best of my ability, keeping others in my heart and prayers, helping people when I can, being grateful for the abundance of my life whether it’s jetting off on some exotic holiday (not too likely....) or sitting in a beautiful garden just spending time with others; to live this life, today here and now with positive expectation and a grateful heart.
Too often we can let that baggage, which lets face it, we all have to one degree or another, so drag us down, so obscure our view we forget we’re on a journey. And a journey by its very nature will take us from one place to the next, with different sights, sounds, people and experiences. And sometimes we’re so focussed on the destination, especially when we think once we're there, finally we'll be happy, contented, 'sorted', we don’t realise it really is the journey which is the most important thing. It’s the journey which often is the time in which we learn, grow, experience something significant and become who we are meant to be. And it’s on that journey we have the opportunity to ditch the baggage.
So, we can choose to either concentrate and in some cases insist on lugging our baggage around and miss out on the abundant life we’re meant to live – or we can choose to say ‘You know what, today, just for this moment, just for now, I’m going to put that baggage down, sit on top of it and drink in the view’.
We may go on our journey having picked the baggage up again, but tomorrow, or next week , or next month we may put it down for a bit longer. If we approach each day, week, month with the same attitude, with help from those we meet along the way, from those who love us and want to help us, one day we may be able to leave that baggage behind – then just think how much of the journey we’ll really be able to experience. Free from the weight, fears, anger and soul destroying power of our personal demons.
It’s not easy. Most of us can’t do it on our own and in our own strength. We need help from others. We need help from the God who loves us beyond all measure. We need to be willing. It is possible – but only we can make the decision to let go of the baggage, which needs to happen before the healing can start. Before we can look at the view and say ‘Wow!’
I’ve shared before how I love sitting here in the mornings, with my cuppa, with my bible, spending some time with Jesus and letting my mind wander. It’s been one of those lovely times this morning and this week I received a couple of emails from people reading my blog saying how much they’ve enjoyed them. So I’d like to say a big thank you for that encouragement to me. As you know I’ve always enjoyed reading and only started writing seriously in the last few years and sharing my thoughts publicly so if others are enjoying and getting something from those thoughts then I’m grateful God has laid this on my heart to do this and to continue doing it.
Well, I’m off later for lunch with friends so need to leap (OK, fall) out of bed and get ready. I’ve got dinner tonight at my daughter’s with the family, including my grandsons and I’m playing at church tomorrow morning. My daughter has also just rung and invited me to join her for the day in June at the ‘Good food show’ in Birmingham.
Abundant life ??? – I couldn’t have a more abundant one if I was the Queen of England!
Remember, if you’re carrying around a lot of baggage today why not try and pop it down for a few minutes, clamber up on top and take a peek at the view. You may be pleasantly surprised...........
Blessings to all as ever
Luv Jules xx
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| Tommy as a puppy (he's considerably bigger now!) |
Then it was off to Southampton for the day with someone else to see our artist friend. I’ve only recently met her but as we said on the phone the other night there are some people you meet in life you just know are always going to be friends. You might not see them often, you may not speak to them from one month to the next but somehow you know they will always be a part of your life, and you’ll be part of theirs. This was my first trip to her house and I was excited to see her, meet some of her family and see where she works and produces her amazing prophetic pictures – oh, and meet Mr Duck.
So, off we set. It was the most gorgeous sunny day and we spent the next 2½ hours talking – virtually non stop! The sat nav really didn’t stand a chance......... And yes, we managed the same all the way back as well!
It was a wonderful day, it was great to see everyone and relax in the garden with a cuppa, bask in the sunshine and swop stories. Needless to say there was an abundance of laughter as well. Despite lots of distant quacking Mr Duck never did put in an appearance. Perhaps he overheard me saying crispy duck is one of my favourite dishes??? He was quite safe though as I hadn’t packed my chef’s knives (that reminds me, I must remember to take them next time I go Mmmmmmm........) - before I get a barrage of comments I am joking folks, honestly. It’s obvious from the mansion size ‘duck house’ complete with ramp down into the pond this is a much loved family pet so I think they may be a tad upset if I suggested serving him up with pancakes and shredded spring onion!
After a fabulous day, including seeing another painting from a collection currently being produced (breathtaking) we said our farewells, disconnected the sat nav (we were pretty confident of getting back OK...more or less, and as I said he hadn’t faired too well on the way down) we set off home. It was on the journey back we started talking about how some people, despite years of trying to deal with an issue because they recognise it’s affecting them negatively seem, almost, to hold on to it. Like some sort of comfort blanket. Its part of the baggage they carry around and despite their and lots of other peoples efforts, whether friends, family or professionals they still can’t ‘move on’.
And that brings me back to the statement I made at the beginning of this post. On the return journey we were talking in general terms about ‘life baggage’. I’d been talking about the fact I could think and even dream about my first husband without it affecting me negatively now because he passed away 30 years ago. I thought of him on the day my daughter got married, obviously, but I remember the day as being such a wonderful joyous, laughter filled day. But there was a time when it was still very hard, very painful to think about him. Believe me, I know what it is to grieve, to feel abandoned, to be angry, frightened, worried. To feel lonely and as if nothing is ever going to go right again or I’m never going to be happy again. I know what it’s like to be scared of the future, of stepping out, of ‘going it alone’.
But each day I wake up and it never ceases to amaze me - I’ve been given a brand new day. This day has never happened before in my life and never will again. It’s unique, uncharted territory, stretching out ready to be experienced. Certainly the last couple of weeks I’ve woken to warm, vibrant sunshine pouring through my window. My relatively good health (baring the hot flushes and the dodgy knees!) means although I don’t exactly leap out of bed I can get up early, make my cuppa and settle back to start each brand new day full of expectation - ‘Where is God going to take me today?’ It might be just through an average day at the office or it might be one of those extra special days like yesterday full of friends, laughter and fun. It might turn out a day full of problems which I’ll be relieved to see the back of.
But as I sit drinking my tea – at that point in time – I don’t know. And at that moment I know ‘I have been given a life, not just an existence, and I have a responsibility to live – and I mean LIVE that life. To the best of my ability, keeping others in my heart and prayers, helping people when I can, being grateful for the abundance of my life whether it’s jetting off on some exotic holiday (not too likely....) or sitting in a beautiful garden just spending time with others; to live this life, today here and now with positive expectation and a grateful heart.
Too often we can let that baggage, which lets face it, we all have to one degree or another, so drag us down, so obscure our view we forget we’re on a journey. And a journey by its very nature will take us from one place to the next, with different sights, sounds, people and experiences. And sometimes we’re so focussed on the destination, especially when we think once we're there, finally we'll be happy, contented, 'sorted', we don’t realise it really is the journey which is the most important thing. It’s the journey which often is the time in which we learn, grow, experience something significant and become who we are meant to be. And it’s on that journey we have the opportunity to ditch the baggage.
So, we can choose to either concentrate and in some cases insist on lugging our baggage around and miss out on the abundant life we’re meant to live – or we can choose to say ‘You know what, today, just for this moment, just for now, I’m going to put that baggage down, sit on top of it and drink in the view’.
We may go on our journey having picked the baggage up again, but tomorrow, or next week , or next month we may put it down for a bit longer. If we approach each day, week, month with the same attitude, with help from those we meet along the way, from those who love us and want to help us, one day we may be able to leave that baggage behind – then just think how much of the journey we’ll really be able to experience. Free from the weight, fears, anger and soul destroying power of our personal demons.
 |
| Wonderful waterfall |
I’ve shared before how I love sitting here in the mornings, with my cuppa, with my bible, spending some time with Jesus and letting my mind wander. It’s been one of those lovely times this morning and this week I received a couple of emails from people reading my blog saying how much they’ve enjoyed them. So I’d like to say a big thank you for that encouragement to me. As you know I’ve always enjoyed reading and only started writing seriously in the last few years and sharing my thoughts publicly so if others are enjoying and getting something from those thoughts then I’m grateful God has laid this on my heart to do this and to continue doing it.
Well, I’m off later for lunch with friends so need to leap (OK, fall) out of bed and get ready. I’ve got dinner tonight at my daughter’s with the family, including my grandsons and I’m playing at church tomorrow morning. My daughter has also just rung and invited me to join her for the day in June at the ‘Good food show’ in Birmingham.
Abundant life ??? – I couldn’t have a more abundant one if I was the Queen of England!
Remember, if you’re carrying around a lot of baggage today why not try and pop it down for a few minutes, clamber up on top and take a peek at the view. You may be pleasantly surprised...........
Blessings to all as ever
Luv Jules xx
