When Trains Collided

Trains of thought collided on my mental track this morning, and I paused long enough to take note.  I had written a response to Susan's Home Decorating Fun in Fall  saying:  I enjoy seeing how other people decorate for holidays, too! (Personally, I find myself doing less and less and enjoying what others do more and more!) It was a seemingly innocuous and true statement.

I proceeded to browse a few other favorite blogs, using my sidebar to alert me to postings within the past twenty-four hours.   I basked briefly in the delight of Jan's French Tangerine's october pinspirationI chuckled as I identified her prior post chuck full of ideas and ending with a photo of her single pumpkin and the explanation, "Here is the fall decorating I was able to muster up this year".

I think that's when the trains collided.  I realized with specific and personal clarity that while it may be harmless to live in the realm of pinspiration in the decorating category, it is NOT alright in the spiritual category!

Life doesn't fit neatly into categories like "decorating" and "spiritual".  In fact, all of life is basically driven by the "spiritual"--the very real but but essentially invisible life originating in Him who to know is Life Eternal--life that is not fueled by Pinterest boards and blog posts or nurtured and sustained by bread alone.

I continue to find much enjoyment in the photos of other peoples' decorating while doing less and less around our place, but I refuse to let this practice spill over into my daily experience of  my life in Christ Jesus.  Awareness is the first step in resisting the tendency to live as a spectator or curator of inspiring thoughts.  Then comes deliberate attention to communication (prayer) with the Father and frequent intake of His Word.  This awareness and attention will significantly impact my daily activity.  And though I may never garner notice or fame in THIS life, there remains that promise of "much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world"  (I Peter 1:7).
Awareness
Attention
Activity

People cannot live by pinspiration alone....

7 comments:

  1. Amen! Others' relationship with Christ may inspire us but we must nurture our own.

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  2. Beautiful post and great pumpkin with the Thanks to God inscription on it.

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  3. Wonderful, thoughtful words here, Rebecca. I agree. And your simple decor of the little crow and pumpkin are so sweet.

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  4. Oh, my.....this really brought some things into perspective for me. Thank you!

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  5. Never thought of it this way. Pictures are for our enjoyment. The Bible is to follow with our feet, actions, hands, heart. ...

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  6. Wonderful message! RB bought me fall flowers and I'm ashamed to say that plus the scent of pumpkin/cinnamon candles is my "fall" this year. Thank you for the triple As!

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  7. I am in Agreement that the rest is Meaningless and Frivolous if a Relationship with our Creator is not a Meaningful part of everyday Life! I'm so Glad that my conversations with Him are Effortless and a part of every day... He already knows me and every hair on my head... but it is in me getting to know Him that the Relationship flourishes and fully blooms in Faith and in Fellowship with my God! At this Celebratory time I am all the more reminded of how Important a Grateful Heart is and of expressing our Thanks for the Gift that is our Lives! Happy Thanksgiving from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

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Writing a Song a Week #3

Writing a Song a Week #3
♪ I wait for the Lord; my soul waits and in his word I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning ♪ (Psalm 130:5-6)