Be here now: living in the present

Image found at Design is Mine blog.

Living in the present can be a challenge in our busy task-based worlds. Think what it's like when you have an unexpected day off. Suddenly you have time to be in the moment, instead of thinking of what is next on the agenda.

This following excerpts from the book, The Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting; speaks to the gift of living in the present.

"Matthew 6:34 says, " So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

"We have to fight them daily, like fleas, those many small worries about the morrow, for they sap our energies. We make mental provisions for the days to come, and everything turns out differently. Sufficient unto the day. The things that have to be done must be done, and for the rest we must now allow ourselves to become infested with thousands of petty fears and worries, so many motions of no confidence in God... ultimately we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and reflect it towards others..."

I once heard that three consistent characteristics of Christian disciples are being:
Authentic, Affirming and Available.

It's interesting that all three of these characteristics best happen when the individual lives in the present. We are challenged to simply "Be here now." There are some spaces, the sad - the hurting - the weary - and the unknown, that we'd never really want to be in our "nows"; but no matter if we want them - they are times that we often live.

Author, Eckhart Tolle, says this on being a habitual waiter...

"Are you a habitual waiter? How much of your life do spend waiting? What I call "small-scale waiting" is waiting in line at the post office, in a traffic jam, at the airport, or waiting to someone to arrive, to finish work, and so on. "Large-scale waiting" is waiting for the next vacation, for a better job, for the children to grow up, for a truly meaningful relationship, for success, to make money, to be important, to become enlightened. It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living."

Are you a waiter or are you living in the present and each moment of the day? When you think back on the phrase, "Be here now" what insight or impression does this offer to your current circumstances?

"Living in the present invites us to relinquish worry, allows us to say "it is enough", and teaches us to be faithful in the small things."

"This week, when you know you will have a time of waiting, take that as an opportunity to "be here now" while you wait.

How does this exercise effect you and those around you."

How does active waiting effect your relationship with God?

To find a copy of this book, click here.

-Reflect on these questions and post your reply in the box below. I will respond to each post here. If you would like to see other discussion starters for the book "Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting", you can find them on the Facebook Group: Holy Conversations.

Sunny and rainy day friends

There are two kinds of friends in the world: Sunny day friends and rainy day friends. This is a statement that my Mom used to remind me of when I was in the midst of drama or conflict with one school friend of another. There are lots of people that we define as friends, but they are really acquaintances. Two men were out hunting in the northern U.S. Suddenly one yelled and the other looked up to see a grizzly charging them. The first started to frantically put on his tennis shoes and his friend anxiously asked, "What are you doing? Don't you know you can't outrun a grizzly bear?" "I don't have to outrun a grizzly. I just have to outrun you!" This story is funny, but it does help define the distinct difference between a rainy day friend and a sunny day friend. The sunny-day-friend is more concerned with watching out for their own health and wellness, than their friends' wellbeing. On the other hand, a rainy day friend is willing to take risks, work fo

FCE - Dog stroke in spine

Kahlúa is our 15 year old dog that we adopted from the Humane Society when she was four. She joined our family and has been with us for eleven years so far. This morning we found her laying on the carpet in the dining room and was unable to get up and go outside. After letting her rest for a few hours, I gave her some bread to eat and she got up. She was wobbly so I scooped her up and took her outside to go to the bathroom. She managed to remain standing for a few minutes, but was back down quickly. Her back legs did not want to support her even though she was trying to walk. By this point, she had begin to cry so I called the vet and they said to bring her in for an evaluation. My kids and I tearfully wrapped her up in a blanket and drove to the vet. It seemed as if we were sitting in the waiting room forever. The vet told me that her heart, eye function, and lungs were great - also taking into consideration her age of 15! The problem seemed to be FCE - firocartilanginous embolism: w

Gifts we have to give

So often people will think of the areas of life that they fall short or what may need some improvement. I think there is some wisdom in knowing where we need some work as humans, but I also feel it is equally important to learn, foster and use the gifts each one of us are instilled with. So here is the challenge or question that I'd like to present: "What gift(s) has God given to you that can be used in the care and ministry of loving others?" How have you seen that gift used in the past? How would you like to use it? If you dream big and I dream big together - how could God work in that big pool of gifts in the lives of others??? Let's share our gifts today and dream of what they can accomplish for God's purpose! 1 Peter 4:8-10 (New International Version) 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,

Uphill idealist

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