Merely A Vapor
“Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen in your life tomorrow. [What is secure in your life?] You are merely a vapor [like a puff of smoke or a wisp of steam from a cooking pot] that is visible for a little while and then vanishes [into thin air].” -James 4:14 (amp)
My primary desire in beginning this blog was to encourage others to strip things down and focus on what matters most in their homes, families, work and most importantly, their relationship with God. We can complicate multiple things in our lives daily, especially when faced with constant noise and clutter barreling toward us from all directions. This creates mental and emotional fatigue, resulting in a desire to just burrow into our bedrooms, completely content with hours of Netflix.
We must fight against the pull to just “check out", especially in today’s culture when distraction is so readily available at our finger tips. The soft glow emanating from screens, both large and small, beckon its viewers to slip into thoughtless wonder, promising a false sense of peace.
Dear friends, we do not have the time, to waste a second. Our lives pass so quickly; no one is promised another day or even another moment. I have been convicted lately, within my own life, to be diligent on remaining focused and fight against the temptation to just mindlessly scroll or waste time in other ways. The Lord is skilled at emphasizing our convictions and gently bringing us back to center when needed.
It all can shift with one call. A single ring and vibration from our cell phones, can change the total trajectory of not only our day, but our entire lives. Last week, my husband came into the house from the barn to let me know my brother had been trying to call me. Busy with dishes and preparing supper, my phone was on silent in the other room, so I was not aware he had been attempting to reach me.
“Your mom is taking your dad to the emergency room.”
“Why? What is going on?”
“Your brother said he was having chest pain and began to break out into a cold sweat.”
I stood frozen for a moment, hands in a pan of soapy, warm water, and just stared at my husband’s face as I processed the message I had just received. I quickly rinsed the suds away and dried my hands. Running to the bedroom, I grabbed my phone, which showed multiple missed calls. After speaking with my brother, I called mom. They were on their way to the hospital, my father’s pain not easing.
A multitude of thoughts race through your mind as you try to recover from the whiplash troublesome news gives you. Grabbing clothes, throwing on shoes… don’t forget to put the ground beef you were just about to cook for dinner, back into the fridge. In the rush, remember to breathe and pray.
ER room number ten was a flurry of activity, as nurses started IV’s, hooked up monitors, administered meds, drew blood and asked questions. Worry clouded my mother’s face, while my father looked pale. Glancing at the beeping, heart monitor, the seriousness of the situation sank in when his blood pressure reading came back 223/113.
Sitting in the Heart Cath surgery waiting room, time seemed to drag as we chatted together, nervously waiting for the phone to ring with the latest progress report. As I looked around the room at the faces of my husband, mother, brother, uncle and the kindly, hospital Chaplin who stopped in to bring comfort, I marveled at how quickly my night had shifted. The growing emptiness of my stomach, reminded me dinner had been abandoned.
“It’s all so fleeting and fragile.” I thought to myself.
We can make plans, but it is God Who orders our day. (Proverbs 16:9). The older I get, the more I come to understand this with crystal clarity. With the minuscule moments we are given on this globe, make the most of them.
What has God been asking you to do? Whether grand or something unseen, do it with haste and work as unto the Lord.
Your family is your primary mission field. Love hard, teach truth and lead them in the paths of righteousness. Call forth the greatness in your children. Lift up and edify your spouse. Make your home a sanctuary of peace and a refuge from the evils of this world.
The neighborhood where you live is not a coincidence. You have been placed with those individuals as a divine appointment. Pray for them, reach out to them and shine the light of Christ.
Our workplaces can sometimes feel like a battlefield, and we are war, torn soldiers. I promise, if we take the time to look beyond the end of our nose, we will find others hurting, broken, scared, depressed and barely hanging on. Become a neutral sounding board, offer the love of Jesus and keep a positive attitude even in the mist of negativity.
Take time to enjoy all the goodness God has given us. Laugh with your family and friends. Watch the sunset and be thankful for each sunrise. Take in the melodious singing of birds, squirrels and other creatures. Marvel at the breaking waves, mountain peeks, rolling hills, deep canyons, flowing streams, snowy fields and heated deserts.
Soak it all in. Take nothing for granted and hold nothing back. Slow down, breathe in deeply and exhale. Hug tighter and longer.
Dance with abandon like King David.
Find joy in the little things.
Forgive quickly and often
Praise God, my father was able to return home after a few days in the ICU; but it was a much needed reminder to keep all my attention centered on what matters most. I don’t have to tell you how quickly our lives can change. We all have had those phone calls that overwhelm us with sorrow.
I’m simply reminding you, the days that deepen the laugh lines on your face; cherish them. Offer hope to others, when tears are falling. Keep your eyes Homeward, Heavenward… and help as many as you can reach those golden streets with you. This, dear friends, is Living Beautifully Simple.