Recently I had a truly thought provoking discussion. I was catching up with a friend and we were discussing all of the changes in peoples lives right now. (Translation A: We were commiserating. Translation B: I was whining.)
Seriously, everyone I know right now, myself included - has at least ONE (if not more) circumstance(s) that have them on the road to either a rapid change...or the slow - you have NO control over it- painful, drawn out kind of change.
For me, (a self proclaimed "control freak") at moments it is a bit unnerving. Other times, when I'm well rested and peaceful...I catch the scent of opportunity. Like a pendulum, I find myself swinging back and forth between the two - more often than I'm comfortable admitting (even to myself).
In the middle of our discussion, she posed a question that has been bouncing around in my brain since the moment she said it. Have you ever heard someone say something and the ring of truth makes it echo in your mind - over...and over...and over? Well that is what happened to me last Thursday.
Her simple sentence? "Do you want to survive? Or, do you want to flourish?"
Profound. Challenging. Inspiring.
What does "survival" look like in my current situation? What does "flourish" look like in my current situation? At a moment when control doesn't really seem to be an option in a specific circumstance, this very question empowers me. While there are a number of things I cannot control. There are also many things that I can control. The real question is what do I want to get out of these moments?
It brings me back to some basics that somehow, in all the busYness, I've gotten away from.
Life is like a checkbook with a set amount of money in it. While we don't really know HOW much money (time) we have, we do know that we've got to make the most of each penny (minute) that we use up. Each one should be an investment in others or in myself. Something that at the end of my journey, I can look back on with pride and a smile.
This challenges me to take stock of my journey. Where I am. Where I've been. Where I'm going. Am I prepared for survival? It seems I'm always prepared for that. God's gifted me with a good dose of common sense and it's carried me far. But, am I prepared to flourish? That is the thing that has captivated me since our discussion last week. What does FLOURISH look like in each scenario/opportunity/door that lies before me? What steps or resources do I need to identify and invest in to ENSURE that I'm moving FAR above and beyond survival?
For now, I am busy exploring these things. We all have seasons in our lives that call for some soul searching and an evaluation of our goals and plans. It's healthy. It's necessary to ensure that we do in fact, FLOURISH. It's a Winter of sorts. The good news is that Spring always follows Winter. Where I'm from, "April Showers bring May flowers". I can't wait to see a gorgeous array of blooms.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.
Seriously, everyone I know right now, myself included - has at least ONE (if not more) circumstance(s) that have them on the road to either a rapid change...or the slow - you have NO control over it- painful, drawn out kind of change.
For me, (a self proclaimed "control freak") at moments it is a bit unnerving. Other times, when I'm well rested and peaceful...I catch the scent of opportunity. Like a pendulum, I find myself swinging back and forth between the two - more often than I'm comfortable admitting (even to myself).
In the middle of our discussion, she posed a question that has been bouncing around in my brain since the moment she said it. Have you ever heard someone say something and the ring of truth makes it echo in your mind - over...and over...and over? Well that is what happened to me last Thursday.
Her simple sentence? "Do you want to survive? Or, do you want to flourish?"
Profound. Challenging. Inspiring.
What does "survival" look like in my current situation? What does "flourish" look like in my current situation? At a moment when control doesn't really seem to be an option in a specific circumstance, this very question empowers me. While there are a number of things I cannot control. There are also many things that I can control. The real question is what do I want to get out of these moments?
It brings me back to some basics that somehow, in all the busYness, I've gotten away from.
Life is like a checkbook with a set amount of money in it. While we don't really know HOW much money (time) we have, we do know that we've got to make the most of each penny (minute) that we use up. Each one should be an investment in others or in myself. Something that at the end of my journey, I can look back on with pride and a smile.
This challenges me to take stock of my journey. Where I am. Where I've been. Where I'm going. Am I prepared for survival? It seems I'm always prepared for that. God's gifted me with a good dose of common sense and it's carried me far. But, am I prepared to flourish? That is the thing that has captivated me since our discussion last week. What does FLOURISH look like in each scenario/opportunity/door that lies before me? What steps or resources do I need to identify and invest in to ENSURE that I'm moving FAR above and beyond survival?
For now, I am busy exploring these things. We all have seasons in our lives that call for some soul searching and an evaluation of our goals and plans. It's healthy. It's necessary to ensure that we do in fact, FLOURISH. It's a Winter of sorts. The good news is that Spring always follows Winter. Where I'm from, "April Showers bring May flowers". I can't wait to see a gorgeous array of blooms.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.
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