Enjoy Life!

Alright my friends, I've been continuing my quest to understand what it is to be light in darkness.  Being a fairly simple girl, I really want these to be practical things that I can actually build into my life and daily habits.  Several years ago I was sitting in church listening to our now retired pastor, Bill Hemenway, preach the Sunday sermon.  I don't recall the overarching topic, but I will never forget one simple thing that he said which changed my thinking in a profound way.  I suspect that he wouldn't even remember what he said if I mentioned it to him, probably because contextually-speaking it was a side note in the sermon.  But I can still feel how those words pierced into my heart and changed it. 

So are you dying to hear what he said?  Alright, I will tell you.  To paraphrase, he said, "God created this world for us to enjoy.  He made nature and other beautiful things to bring us joy.  So why are we Christians prone to being mopey and sad and overburdened with the cares of this world?  God made us to enjoy the life He gave us.  So let's start looking like it."

This seems like such an obvious thing, but it was as if I had never thought of this concept before.  My God is the creator of the world.  He is all-powerful, almighty, and gracious.  He made birdsong and sparkling snow, and the smell of newly cut grass in large part to bring us joy.  And I'll bet it brings God great pleasure to see us enjoying the world He made in the same way that parents feel great happiness to watch their children open their presents on Christmas Day. 

So I think a great way to be a light in darkness is to simply appreciate and enjoy our world and the people I come across every day.  I want to open my eyes to the blessings that God has showered all around me.  I want to put a smile on someone's face who is having a bad day.  Being light can be as simple as a smile at the cute old grandpa walking down the sidewalk, joking with the cashier at the grocery store, or dropping extra change in the tip jar at the coffee shop. 

It's usually the simplest things that can bring the most joy and profound change.  I love that a side note in a sermon gave me a whole new way to look at things.  Time to live abundantly!

Here's a little food for thought from John 10:  "[Jesus said] I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."