We are experiencing the snowiest season on record here in Minnesota. Those who know me can testify that my patience is wearing thin. I am not a winter lover. It’s cold, damp, freezing and icy. I’m cold all the time. I hate driving on the ice and if I could be a bear and hibernate for 4 months I would. We are just coming off of the snowiest February on record and now it is mid April and we are in the middle of yet another blizzard. This is crazy! I often wonder why I still live here. I was born in California and my blood yearns for a warmer climate.
As I write this it is snowing, blowing, thundering, lightning and yes, even hailing outside and we are looking at it lasting another day or two. I must admit though when you are inside snuggled up by the fire watching the snow fall down through your window, it is a beautiful sight. I woke up this morning to a beautiful frosty scenery. As I sat with my cup of hot chocolate I began to think about the condition of my heart. There are times, too many times, when chaos engulfs me and I lose priority over what’s most important in my life. This is so easy to slip into when days turn into weeks of one thing after the other. Pretty soon we find ourselves on autopilot allowing life to run our lives instead of God. I have found in times when the unexpected happens and life turns crazy to take a step back, breathe and ask God to step in and calm the storms of life. When I do this I immediately feel a peace surround me and the strength to handle the tasks before me. Soon I find myself calming down and able to look at things in a different light. This just happened today in fact. I think God intentionally uses the distractions in our lives to get our attention to remind us who’s really in control. But sometimes I have also experienced the crash that sometimes occurs when I don’t take that moment to recognize what is truly most important in our lives and make the adjustments needed.
I have a war room at home. It contains a prayer wall of all the things I am praying for and quotes that encourage me to stay focused. One of the quotes say, Your Life is a Reflection of Your Heart. How true is that. If we allow the chaos and distractions of our lives control us what does our life reflect? Usually impatience, rudeness, crabbiness and we end up hurting the ones we love. Instead how great would it be if we filled our lives with the peace, patience and kindness that God can breathe into us when we are feeling overwhelmed. Then we could definitely be the example to those around us whom we love. Being intentional during the times when it may be the most difficult truly can bring joy that can only come from Christ. And isn’t that exactly what we want our lives to reflect?
Blessings to you today as you handle the things that you weren’t expecting and turn them into opportunities to step back, take a deep breath and ask God to breathe His life into those moments.
Stay safe & warm,
Krista
