April 17, 2008 Smell The Rose

Smell the Rose

It is absolutely amazing that our days are filled with wonder and beauty and we let it pass us by as stress and the frenzy of our lives put us on auto pilot.

Stop and smell the roses, look at the beauty around you in the midst of turmoil and loudness in our work pile up, city traffic pile up, laundry pile up, whatever fills up your day, whatever stresses you out, stop in the midst of it all and thank God for the beauty in it all.

Okay, here's a couple of scenarios.

Think about every car that passes you, in each car is a person that has been created in the image of God, precious in His sight going through similar stresses you go through. Every single one of them. Look at the highway as a desitination to something, in this situation use it as an analogy of the destination to 'life'. We are all searching for 'life', some in a trap of their frenzy and turmoil. All created by God. Look at them (of course not too long while driving, but you get the point), think with your heart. Then when you are cut-off, honked at in impatience you will be at peace in the midst of the stress and your frenzy will diminish.

One more - let's pick laundry. Maybe for me it represents life regardless of whose it is. Whether scattered garments or in a pile, colors, textures, sizes, spills, tears, all of it, like us, really. Stop and look, this is your life!! Represented in an analogy of how our lives are lived day after day. Your family, you!! And every piece represents someone in your life. Stop and think, this is no longer a pile of colors and garments, each represents a person created in His image. Your family, then thank God for them, each one of them, they are your special gifts, both spouse and children, and extended family. Thank God for the spills and tears and textures, they represent more than garments...they represent lives and all that comes with life.

Stop, and 'see' the rose in the midst of frenzy and turmoil.

You create the next scenario.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Video & Song
'With All I Am' by Hillsong
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=related