Oh, Well!

I sent a lengthy email to a friend, bearing my filled-with-concerns soul, but being the optimist soul that I am, I was pleased to add my resolutions to the concerns also. In reply, my friend said, "You are way too concerned about little things. Stop overthinking!" I needed that bold admonition.

Truth and wise counsel was well taken, especially when I picked up my "Jesus Calling" daily devotional book for yesterday and also heard God's voice telling me the same thing: "Try to see things more and more from My perspective. Let the Light of My Presence so fully fill your mind that you view the world through Me. When little things don't go as you had hoped, look to Me lightheartedly and say, "Oh, well." This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations. If you practice this diligently, you will make a life-changing discovery: You realize that most of the things that worry you are not important. If you shrug them off immediately and return your focus to Me, you will walk through your days with lighter steps and a joyful heart."

"Oh, well." What wise words for those of us who take life way too seriously. We get all tied up and knotted up about such trivial matters. Oh, well! We find ourselves questioning ourselves about whether or not we said the right thing or not. Oh, well! "I completely blew it when I forgot that appointment! Oh, well!" "The cinnamon rolls I made for the church bake sale didn't rise! Oh, well!" "No one complimented my new haircut. Oh, well!" "I overcooked the meat loaf! Oh, well!" I had to send my child to school in a wrinkled shirt! Oh, well!

Maybe, today, you're worried and concerned about many things, too. Jesus said those words to Martha in Luke 10:41. I think He was probably wanting her to say "Oh, well! I'll just sit right down here at your feet, leave the meal and the dishes, and let you be my worry-and-concern-bearer." That's what I'm doing! Oh well!

What SUPPLEMENTS Do You Take?

From the looks of this photo, you’d think I am a supplement and vitamin junkie. Well, I guess I am and this case of pills and capsules proves it. Many years ago I realized the health and nutrition benefits from a regime of daily supplements that include vitamins, minerals, herbals, and fish oils. Most recently, at my doctor’s advice, I added cranberry tablets (I learned I needed that one from two UTI bouts) and a probiotic (I needed that one for IBS). Thank God that they’re all natural supplements and I don't have to be on any kind of drugs or medication. I was dramatically healed from a diagnosis of osteoarthritis when I was told that I would forever have to only control it with pain meds. I never had that prescription filled because I discovered nutritional products that gave me what I needed. Thus, those supplements have been my mainstay for over 16 years. I’ll admit my meal selection isn’t always the most nutritional, so supplements help with balancing out what I missed.

Supplement: something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.

This post was inspired by a scripture I read a couple of days ago. It was 2 Peter 1:5-7 “ For this very reason, make every effort to SUPPLEMENT your faith with virtue (moral character) and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance godliness, and godliness with brotherly kindness, and brotherly kindness with love.”

It’s a habit and daily ritual for me to take my supplements. I know how much they add to my overall well-being and health. If I fail to maintain that daily habit, I feel it in a lack of energy and little aches that creep in. And, in adding the SUPPLEMENTS mentioned in this scripture to my FAITH diet (virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly kindness), my ability to overcome fear, anxiety, worry, envy, selfishness, anger, weakness….is strengthened. When I do my part with the SUPPLEMENTS, then I am growing stronger in body and spirit.

Night before last I attended a meeting of about 15 people and we were all given the opportunity to offer a praise report for what God had done in and through us over the last week. Each one of us had something to share about God’s goodness. I left that meeting realizing my life had been SUPPLEMENTED with a celebration of gratitude. My daily devotion time with God SUPPLEMENTS my spiritual growth. Mentoring and being mentored SUPPLEMENTS my desire to grow in God and help others to do so, too. Bible Studies and prayer groups SUPPLEMENT our faith and fortify it to grow stronger.

Peter, in that scripture above, gave us some wise counsel about growing in faith. We won’t grow without deliberate discipline and effort. Isn’t it interesting that Peter, known for being impulsive and reckless, gave us a deliberate, disciplined SUPPLEMENT to our spiritual growth? If Peter, that impulsive fisherman could become a disciplined, fearless, godly man, then so can we.
Having a healthy physical AND spiritual life is a daily process of intentional and purposeful action – like a diet or exercise program. It only shows results when we practice it consistently and stick with it over the long haul. If we’re not making health or spiritual progress, then we’re not taking our SUPPLEMENTS.