Living For Others

“Nothing in nature lives for itself.
Rivers don’t drink their own water.
Trees don’t eat their own fruit.
Sun doesn’t give heat for itself.
Flowers don’t spread fragrance for themselves.
Living for others is the rule of nature.”

— Amit Gupta

Fire and Ice by Larry Smith

There are times when we are faced with situations where there is no good choice; dammed if we do and dammed if we don’t. What then?

I was looking at this capture of extremes and wanted to discuss indecision with my wife. So, I asked what she thought about the subject. She answered, “I haven’t thought about it”.  I had to laugh at the point made.   

It was mild the morning this picture was taken , but the sunrise colors were warm, contrasted against a cool background. Kicking back in a warm tub feels so good, but life often calls for extremes. The angel of Revelation 3 had a message for Laodicea, the last of the churches. “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation‬ ‭3:15-17‬).

Then verses 18 and 19 give the solution to slothful lukewarmness; “Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent” (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3:18-19).‬ ‭ These symbols require further exploration.

Trust, Hope, Love

Guess Who

Can you guess the name of this sweet little church member? These are her results from last week’s scavenger hunt activity with Shanti.

(It’s Ellie Weaver! Great work, Ellie!)

Some Ideas to Help You Survive & Thrive Through the Epidemic

Thanks to Brian Starr for sharing this list in the HSM email!

1. Declutter your house. Is your clutter getting out of control because of your busy life? Use this time to get organized. Go through the papers and unnecessary objects in your house and sort it and get rid of some detritus. It will feel so good. It’s you taking control in an uncontrollable situation.
2. Learn a new language. It has so many benefits. It not only improves your brain, but it also connects you to a different culture and that is a good thing in today’s world.
3. Write. Writing, no matter what kind you do taps into an expressive, thoughtful part of your inner self. Have you had an idea for a novel or a memoir? Is there a part of your life that you would like to remember? Some unprocessed painful memory? Write about it.
4. Clean the small spaces in your home. You know those little corners behind furniture, under furniture, window sills or the tops of windows and doors? Now is a great chance to attack those. You’ll feel so good about it.
5. Improve your cooking. Cooking is a form of creativity and it’s also a way to practice self-care.
6. Explore new music. It’s easy to fall into a rut of listening to the same artists or styles over and over. Get yourself out of it and try something new.
7. Sharpen a music interest or talent. Always wanted to learn the guitar or how to sing in tune? Now’s your time.
8. Improve your relationship with an important person. This might be anyone who you’ve always wanted to have a better relationship with. Amazing progress can be made when you have the time and energy to focus on it.
9. Practice and learn meditation and mindfulness. This will help you find your center better and control your own brain, both of which are helpful when dealing with stressful situations.
10. Make a list of the strengths that got you through previous life setbacks. I know you have some. Being aware of them allows you to consciously call upon them when you need them.
11. Be grateful every morning when you wake up healthy and alive. Be grateful for the lives and health of your loved ones. Gratitude has been found to be a major contributor to life happiness. No matter what is going on around you, there are, without a doubt, some genuine things you should still be thankful for.
12. Think of a goal that’s achievable now that could not have occurred to you in the pre-Covid world. This might be anything positive and healthy.
13. Reach out to someone you cared about before but lost track of due to hectic life. An old childhood friend, a cousin, aunt or uncle, or a college buddy. Reconnection is enriching and enlivening.
14. Practice or learn a new skill that applies to your career. Take an online course or read a book. Or simply practice what you already know to get better at it.
15. Choose an intimidating exercise you can do at home and do it every day. For example, 10 push-ups or pull-ups/day. Tailor it to your own body and abilities.
16. Give. Find a way to help in person or online and offer to help them. Like gratitude, research shows that helping others makes a person happier.
17. Let your mind wander. There is a great shortage of this simple pleasure in today’s world. Just sit. Ponder. Let your mind go. It’s good for you, I promise.
18. Read a challenging book. This could be any book you’ve wanted to read but haven’t had the time or energy for.
19. Reach out to someone you wronged in the past and apologize. Virtually everyone has a nagging sense of guilt about having behaved in some negative or harmful way in the past, even if unintentional. This is your opportunity to wipe your guilt away by offering an explanation or apology. Or, if you cannot reach out to the person, think it through, learn a lesson from it, and put it behind you.

Musical Inspiration: 'You Will Be Found'

“ I count myself lucky, having long ago won a lottery paid to me in seven sunrises every week for life.”

— Robert Brault

Golden Glow of Pismo by Larry Smith

There are two “golden hours” each day for photography; the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. There’s something special about the warm, horizontal light during those hours.  But, you can take a picture anytime. Photographers like to have their camera with them all the time because unique photo opportunities can occur anytime. That’s a big advantage of the iPhone camera. It’s almost always with you. Photographers live life in pictures.

There are other things we should always have with us, or always do. . . like breathing. We pray at certain golden times, and we are admonished to pray without ceasing. It just becomes a part of who we are. You live prayerfully. A positive attitude is a good lens to look through. . . one of the be-attitudes. Wake up on the right side of the bed and walk on the sunny side of the street.

Consider this: “From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!” Psalms‬ ‭113:3-4‬ ‭

Have a cinema day holding goodness in view as you practice social distancing and enjoying the joy of the Lord.

Larry Smith