hello, everyone!
i suppose you were wondering why there wasn't a post last wednesday. Well, spring break happened (have you had it yet?) and I took some time off. i've been learning a lot about photography this week (which i'm very grateful for! Thanks for your advice, ms kelley!) and then, for spring break, we-- - made cookies for st patricks day - had a st patricks day concert in the rain - went to cloudland canyon for the first time--the hike was hard, but the waterfall was amazing! we also got to look at the geology in the park (it's got limestone, sandstone, chert, and other rocks). Also, I have a shark tooth from the souvenir shop. :) - got vaccinated (not pictured) but my dad got his first dose and I'm going to get mine tomorrow! i am researching the biotechnology of the vaccine and i'll let you know if i turn into a large purple elephant. : ) have you had spring break yet? what did you do? 🌙 priscilla
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I struggle with gratitude. It’s so easy to forget all God’s faithfulness and blessing in the loud voices of anxiety, greed, and distraction. So...here are some reminders for that help me focus on gratitude. 1. Take time off distractions. Okay I NEED to know. Does anyone else start rapidly refreshing social media whenever they feel anxious? Or just look for a stimulating video distraction? It’s natural to distract ourselves when we’re nervous. But I think that clouds our ability to see clearly--to see our problem clearly, and to see our blessings clearly. 2. Ask God. If it’s too hard to detach yourself from distraction or remember anything to be grateful for, I would talk with God. He’s the one who gives the spirit of gratitude. Ask for it. He provides faith if you ask, too. 3. Celebrate. One time at CRU, one of the leaders mentioned the struggle to remember God and his faithfulness in the midst of blessing. Do you know what God prescribes so we can remember him with gratitude? Celebration. They celebrated Passover, Purim, Hanukkah--all memories of God’s faithfulness. Are there areas you’ve seen God rescue you? Speak? Work in your life? Find a way to celebrate it! I think that’s important to remember. God wants you to be happy. He wants you to have fun. I often think I have to hide my desire for fun when I’m with God, but like--that’s not who he is at all! I think it would be neat if you were to make a list of places you’ve seen God work in your life and celebrate with a special treat. 4, Quiet. Even for a few minutes, stopping to thank God and pray before you move onto the next task has provided peace and joy for me. Small moments might not seem like they matter, but they do. 5. Know what you love and what you don’t. Life is short. Do what ACTUALLY brings you joy and gratitude instead of filling your time with things you don’t actually like. We might think we like loading instagram for the 44th time, but I find when I examine myself, it brings more hopelessness than fulfillment. When you’re tempted to worry, examine yourself. Ask what the real reason is. Ask why you’re not trusting God. And hey, we can be grateful for anything. Right now I’m going to stare up and be really grateful for the tree outside my window. I like looking at it. It balances the bubble of sunlight on the left and the blue sky on the right. One last note: don’t think gratitude is something you MUST achieve on your own. Don’t think that. God founded your faith, and he’ll perfect it. He can provide the gratitude you need. stay inspired, priscilla 🌙 some things to be thankful for: sunsets, clouds, trees, flowers
All right. I intended to write about "gratitude" today, but I've been so worried lately, I thought I'd share a few thoughts I've been having on the subject of Worry.
I wish i could say i was 100% calm all the time, but i’m not. And when life looks like it’s going to change--especially in a big way--it’s like internal chaos. It seems like a lot of worries go back to a Few Major Anxieties. And then our brains just multiply the anxieties by examining all the crossroads and the Anxiety grows into a way bigger deal than it actually is. For instance: I’m nervous about my math test. If I don’t get an A, I’ll fail the whole class. If I fail the class, I’ll lose my scholarship. Then I’ll be in debt! I'll never have a real job. I'll be homeless. I'll be a burden. I'll never be happy. What will I be, if I fail? Does that sound familiar? There’ll be a worry--maybe about money, self-worth, belonging--and it’ll branch into a million fragments. Like branches on a tree, it grows from a root. Worry. He’s probably visited you today. Maybe he’ll come again tomorrow. Some days it’s worse. I want to say: solving worry isn’t simple. Remember those roots? Worry branches from the roots of a major anxiety. Is it hard to uproot a tree? Yes. It’s kind of impossible, too, if you don’t have the right tools or knowledge. And those roots might go deeper than you think. And if they do, it’ll be harder to uproot them. Not only that, but worry is something that comes back every day. Do you have a moment where you say, “Okay God. I forgive my dad.” But then when you see him the next day, anger swells again? And you have to go back and forgive all over again. Worry is like that. It’s never a one-and-done problem. If the voices quiet, don’t be fooled--they aren’t really gone. Keep watching. This thought is something i’ve only had a few moments ago, but there’s some things i’m wondering about.
🌙 priscilla |