Yes, two blogs in one day. I'm inspired. That's why.
Surely the devil and his minions conspire against a man and his wife taking a long drive whilst singing James Taylor tunes. At sunset. It makes for joy, and joy infuses a spirit with strength for the coming year.
I'm a big fan of C.S. Lewis' "Screwtape Letters". In these "letters", we get insight into the wiles of the devil, and all the various and incredibly prosaic ways in which he seeks to devour us. And the biggest way he seeks to destroy us, is to steal our simple pleasures. I think long walks, long drives to nowhere in particular, soul-healing music, and kissing your spouse, are a few things the devil fears most - if a believer indulges long in these, he or she may find joy in the journey, and thus become wildly strong in the Lord.
I watched the sun set on the very first day of 2009. And I watched it while taking a long drive to nowhere in particular with my Dearest One, both of us singing "How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" alongside our digital troubadour, James Taylor.
We came home feeling so refreshed. So strengthened. We came home, convinced that we are so deeply and profoundly creatures of spirit. And we didn't even try to be spiritual.
A C.S. Lewis quote: "Many things--such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly--are done worst when we try hardest to do them."
Three things that are the most important to our quality of life - sleep, love, and healthy, Godly choices - are best done without trying to do them. This reminds me of what Oswald Chambers said, "All true holiness is unconscious holiness."
In 2009, I want to let the music play. I want to take long walks and long drives, with no particular agenda. I want to kiss my husband and love my family without guile and affected affection. I want to be a non-manipulator of my loved ones and my circumstances.
I want God's life to live large in me, unhindered by my puny efforts. I want to live in grace - that place, where all the best things are best accomplished when I don't even try hard.
This is my anti-resolution New Year's Resolution.
4 comments:
I am in-love with this post momma! Let me just say, that everytime I read one of your posting I have in my minds eye the picturesque (sp?) scene of our beautiful home, a sense of a breath of fresh air and the wonderful scent of a clean spring day.
Yours posts are just absolutely joy-filled and refreshing!
Happy New Year - you inspire me with your writing!
Thank you, Hannah and Donna Jean.
DJ, I eagerly await your father's new book he wrote. VERY, very exciting days for him, I am sure, seeing the "birth" of this long-held vision to be a part of the rescue of the "throw-away children" of the nations. I will be posting a blog about it, once I read it.
"I want to live in grace - that place, where all the best things are best accomplished when I don't even try hard."
Amen, I love that, it's so true!
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