Tag Archives: self help

affirmation, choices, Control, Enlightenment, journey, life, Rest, sabbath, self improvement, spiritual enlightenment, Uncategorized

What Is A Sabbath And Why Do I Need One?

The Bible commands us to remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. The concept of the Sabbath, a day of rest and reflection, is deeply embedded in various religious traditions around the world. In the Abrahamic faiths, particularly Judaism and Christianity, the Sabbath holds immense importance and is an important part of the foundation that everything else is built upon. Today I want to talk about some of the reasons behind God’s establishment of the Sabbath and spend a little time thinking about the sabbath’s enduring relevance, especially in the hustle and bustle of the contemporary society we live in today!

Sabbath Commemorates Creation

One of the primary reasons God instituted the Sabbath is to commemorate the creation of the universe as described in the Book of Genesis. According to the Bible, God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day. By observing the Sabbath, believers are reminded of God’s creative power and the sanctity of all life. Rest is not a bad thing, it is a necessary thing. All of us should build rest into our lives. Rest allows time for the resetting of our mind, re-energizing of our body and revival of our spirit.

Sabbath Is A Time For Spiritual Renewal and Reflection

The Sabbath provides a designated time for individuals to disconnect from the demands of everyday life and focus on their spiritual well-being. It allows meaningful time for introspection, meditation, and a deeper connection with the Divine. This period of rest rejuvenates the soul and fosters a sense of inner peace. Our lives discover their greater meaning through the discipline of a sabbath.

Sabbath Helps To Build Community & Strengthen Family Bonds

The Sabbath encourages getting together for worship and growing family togetherness. It provides an opportunity for families and communities to gather, share meals, and engage in meaningful conversations and meaningful fellowship. This communal aspect strengthens social bonds and nurtures a sense of belonging, which all of God’s creation needs.

Sabbath Teaches Us To Resist The Tyranny of Work

In a world driven by productivity and materialism, the Sabbath serves as a counterbalance. It reminds individuals that their worth is not solely determined by their work or achievements. Taking a day of rest acknowledges the inherent value of each person and their need for spiritual and emotional nourishment. It is one of the greatest ways to take on and take out the attack of our ego.

Sabbath Promotes Physical And Mental Well-Being

Regular rest is crucial for physical health and mental well-being. The Sabbath encourages individuals to prioritize self-care, allowing them to recharge and face the challenges of the week ahead with renewed vigor. It is very possible to burn yourself out and then you are literally good for nothing.

Sabbath Encourages Us To Practice Gratitude

Observing the Sabbath fosters a sense of gratitude for the blessings in one’s life. It prompts individuals to reflect on the abundance they have received and acknowledge the source of their blessings. This gratitude cultivates a positive outlook and a deeper appreciation for life. The old Gospel hymn says to count your blessings and name them one by one…

Sabbath Sets a Moral and Ethical Standard

The Sabbath emphasizes the importance of ethical behavior and justice. It calls believers to reflect on their actions and consider how they can contribute to a more compassionate and just society. This moral reflection extends beyond the Sabbath, influencing daily conduct. It is amazing how just slowing down and getting quiet will allow the mind to find solutions that were there all along.

The establishment of the Sabbath by God carries profound spiritual, communal, and ethical significance. It serves as a timeless reminder of our connection to the divine, the importance of rest and reflection, and the value of human relationships. In a fast-paced world, the Sabbath stands as a bright light of tranquility and a continual source of spiritual nourishment, offering respite and renewal to all who take the time to observe it by putting it into practice.

Blogroll, emotions, Growing, Healing, journey, life, Uncategorized

What To Do When Life Gets You Down!

I love alone time, just sitting by myself, having time to think through the things I am facing. Slowing down and being by myself takes time and is sometimes very hard work. It’s good work, because it grows me so that I may grow through whatever life happens to throw my way.

I’ve noticed that every now and then, life throws me a curve and no matter how many positive practices I’ve put into place, sometimes it all just tends to get to me. Those negative emotions begin to flow in and start taking up space in my head, heart and life.

The negative emotions of sadness, shame, guilt anger, fear, regret and hate come flooding in and battle for control. When the negativity begns to overwhelm me and I find that my mind by itself is not strong enough to overcome and give me my freedom, then I have to resort to other discipliines.

I can analize my depression all day long and if I am not careful, I will just dig the hole even deeper. Sometimes I need more than positive affirmations, encouraging words and “attaboys” to pick myself up off the floor and get back to this thing called life.

Sometimes I need God to pick me up, dust me off, hold me close and wisper in my ear that everything is going to be okay. I need God to brush my hair out of my eyes, wipe away my tears and breathe His courage and strength into me.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10

While I do my best to avoid these times of negativity, there are days that they cannot be avoided. They just have to be lived through faced, learned from and dealt with. I have discovered a few disciplines that assist me in getting my life into alignment with God’s Spirit and help me recover, learn and grow at a greater pace.

1. Take And Make Time To Write! When I write, I think through things, I look at things from different perspectives and I work my way through to the best place. Writing is release! Sometimes I write, draw, paint, craft or plant. All of these are forms of self expression which help me to get in touch with who and what I am. Release is a powerful and beautiful thing, but it does not happen my accident.

2. Serve Others! When I do something for someone else, it helps me to take my eyes off of myself, which actually helps me to see things from a much clearer perspective, which helps me to get real with myself and others. It may be writing a hand written note of encouragement, giving something special to someone to let them know I am thinking about them or just lending a helping hand…

3. Practice Gratitude! This one tends to end up on every list, because it really is a great big difference maker. Take time to make a list of all the things that you have to be grateful for. If you do this right, then you will have a very big list, because even when life is though, we are still a very blessed people. Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves of how blessed we are…

You have a greater power than you realize and when life gets tough, you just have to take the steps to remind yourself of just how powerful you are. You’ve got this, because He’s got you…

Blogroll, complaining, Condemnation, Criticism, enemies, Uncategorized

Three Big “C” Enemies!

There are lots of different enemies that work to pull us of off track, away from our goals and out of the blessed life, but three of the biggest and most detremental are: Criticism, Condemnation and Complaining.

Criticism, condemnation and complaining is disapproval of someone or something based on the perception of faults are mistakes. They work against us in a couple of different ways. There is the criticism, condemnation and complaining that comes from others and is expressed toward us and this can impact us in a very negative way, especially if taken in the wrong way. And there is also criticism, condemnation and complaining which comes from ourself and is expressed toward others, which can distract us from what really matters and hurt our ability to work as a team with others for everyone’s blessing and success.

Criticism, condemnation and complaining can be productive and positive or destructive and negative based on how it is delivered and received. The key to overcoming The Big “C” enemies is learning to deliver and receive in a constructive way, with the goal of making things better and more effective. The problem is that most people in the world today are often selfish and ego driven and use the Big “C” enemies to tear up and tear down, rather than build up and make better.

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” -Galatians 6:1

You cannot decide for anyone else, but you can decide for yourself. So here are a few tips to help you overcome the Big “C” enemies in the giving and the receiving:

1. Ask Yourself The Important Questions: 1.) Is it true? 2.) Does it matter? 3.) What difference does it make? To gain real clarity ask and answer this question honestly: What will this matter a year, 5 years, 100 years from now???

2. Learn what you need to learn about yourself and about others. Allow the Big “C” enemies to open your eyes, ears and heart to what is going on around you and you will be better equipped to handle whatever life decides to throw your way. Remember: That which does not kill you, makes you stronger!

3. Do your best to cut the Big “C” enemies out of your life as far as it depends on you. What good does it do you to criticize, condemn or complain about someone else? If you are honest with yourself, then it might give you a good feeling, but that good feeling is only temporary and doesn’t do anything to really lift us up to a better place, but it can do a lot to push us and others down. If there is a problem, confront it in an honest, up front and meaningful way – with the goal of making things better for all involved and don’t wait, do it when it needs to be done, so everyone can move on to better as soon as possible. If someone criticizies, condemns or complains about you, then be honest with yourself about it’s legitimacy or illegitimacy, learn what you need to learn and move on.

The Big “C” enemies are ugly, but not really all that powerful, unless and until we make them that way. So fight the good fight, learn, grow and overcome. You will be glad you did…