I am always attempting to be open to God's refining and inch my way closer to the balanced life He calls all of us to live. During this season of life though, I have been experiencing what must be, for lack of a better explanation, hormonal changes that manifest in a feeling of high-anxiety stress.
Eating better is one of my efforts to combat this...but I've also learned that weight loss is greatly hindered by stress. Essentially, too much stress means you are fighting a losing battle. Among the measures I am taking to combat stress, I have researched meditation. Don't worry that I am going all "eastern religion" or anything. But there is substantial, significant research into the benefits of meditating. Richard Foster even writes about the Christian discipline of meditation as practiced by our ancient church ancestors in his book, Celebration of Discipline.
I am now, on most days, taking at least a little time out for myself...aside from my prayer and Bible reading time...just to sit and relax. I even found a free app for my Kindle Fire that has multiple sounds that range from nature to Gregorian chant that I can listen to while I unwind.
While the baby we're caring for is napping, I thought I'd come hang out on our patio and listen to something on my app and take in the cool, 60°F morning and soak up some Vitamin D too. But as I put on the headphones and searched for the perfect water sound to relax by, Holy Spirit whispered: "Now that's just downright silly. Listening to recorded birds and water, when there's a fountain on the pond and the red-winged blackbirds, robins and others are singing to Me. The trees are blowing and the sun is coming around to shine on you too." While I've typed this, the bullfrogs have even joined in the chorus.
All of this made me stop and ask myself a question though: How often am I settling for the "canned", manufactured copy of pleasure, joy and fun...when the real thing is just outside my back door?
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