Enjoy even the most mundane parts of life
"I came that they may have and enjoy life."
- John 10:10 (AMP)
I'm not sure about you, but in years gone by January was my least favorite month. The weather was cold, snowy, and many days the skies were gray. The holiday excitement was over and things seemed boring and routine.
As I grew in my faith, I realized how precious each day really is, even if it is routine. I discovered God wants us to enjoy life even when routine or adverse.
Our outlook is that we can only enjoy life when we have enjoyable circumstances, but that is not the biblical view. Enjoyment of life is not founded in the fun things - it's an attitude of the heart we decide to accomplish. It's a decision to enjoy even the small, insignificant things.
I think it's one of the major things God is trying to teach us. Even the mundane days are important in the whole scheme of things.
Like many of you, I have had some very adverse times in my life. One of my worst was when I was housebound for eight years with an illness. That was when I learned to change my perspective about life.
Each day was mundane, sometimes frightening and confining. But in the midst of the hardship, I made a decision to change my attitude and enjoy what I could.
Here's some of the ways I found to help get us through the blustery January days.
Take time to rest. If there's an opportunity, sit back and relax, set the guilt aside, and re-energize. Jesus took time to rest, and since he is our model we should rest, too.
Rest can rejuvenate not only our physical bodies, but our emotions as well. When we get emotional rest, we clear our heads and emotions and can handle issues better.
The balance of rest is exercise. This doesn't have to be taken to the extreme, a simple walk can do. I enjoy vacuuming. It gets me moving and I get the results of a clean house.
Get some sun. This is not only a summer activity. On the sunny days, take a short walk, or sit in a chair by the window. Sunshine gives us vitamin D. Sometimes in the winter, we suffer what health experts call SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a depression due to lack of sunlight.
Discover something new such as a book, T.V. program or class. Color - even adults can relax their nerves by coloring or putting together a puzzle.
Read a Bible verse each day and let it renew your thinking.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She is available to speak to your church group or business. Contact her for information about her Saturday conference in January, "Writing for fun and profit." Contact her at Annettee Budzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413. Visit www.annetteebudzban.com.