Hopefully, by the time you read this, I will be sailing away. Yes, my husband and I are heading on a much-needed mission to find tranquility. It’s called a vacation; honestly, I have never been good at those things. As a matter of fact, I know God left out the ‘relaxation’ gene when he made me.
When I go on vacation, I usually feel guilty or embarrassed because I should have done or forgot to do something before I left. When I finally wind down to enjoy the leisure, it is time to return home! How crazy is that?!
Furthermore, going on such a lavish adventure bothers me when many suffer from terror and turmoil today.
It begs the question, “Why am I so blessed?” If I’m cold, I turn up the heat. When I am hungry, I grab a snack in the kitchen. If I am sick, I call the doctor. It’s all so easy, isn’t it? Most of us are spoiled in our American way of life. It’s pretty cool to be us, but how and why are we the ones blessed to be us?
Perhaps God chose us to be the caretakers, the reminders, the kind ones who will promote goodwill. He endowed us with abundance to aid others without heat, little food, and no healthcare. The problem for so many is that we cannot remember we are blessed for the life of us!
Shoot, I get my feathers ruffled when I can’t find my glasses, the oven doesn’t heat faster, or my husband hangs his jeans over anything but a coat hanger. I want to yell when Amazon is late or guests arrive too early. I complain about the high cost of gasoline but think nothing about the high price I paid for the car, which requires expensive gas.
Ringing any bells out there?
Remember the old song, “When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep…” Sometimes, I sing that to my mind at night when tossing and turning accompanies me to bed. There, I lay in a warm bed, snuggled in clean sheets, a roof over my head, and fretted about whether I packed the right clothes for my vacation to tranquility!
I forgot to replace the worry with thankfulness for the shelter over my head and the warmth of a blanket. And how do any of us find tranquility when appreciation is missing? Impossible.
As we watch the wars rage in other countries with horrific scenes of death and destruction, we must realize that our pettiness has no place right now. Instead of complaining or arguing, let’s pause and praise God for the gifts He bestowed on this scraggly, often ungrateful group of people. Our fights are no comparison to the battles others endure and their hardships.
When we count our blessings, we subtract our worries and strengthen our spirits. We begin to trust God more, and His love is more evident. Understanding replaces stubbornness, and smiles replace frowns.
No, I have never excelled in taking vacations, handling time off, or resting. However, I may require watching the moon fall into the ocean or studying a cloud that floats in the sky. I may need to reflect on the presents the Lord gave me, taking the time to value them more.
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest,” Jesus said in Matthew 11:28
God must know I need to chill for a bit. He may have to tie me to a chair, but so be it. I, like many, must pause to reflect, pray, and count my immense blessings. And when I do, I will be more thankful for the jeans that still hang over anything but a coat hanger.
I know when we stop to smell the rose or breathe in the fresh air, we renew our souls and clear our minds. I just wish I could take the rest of the world with me to do the same.
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Lynn Walker Gendusa is a Georgia author and columnist. Her latest book is “Southern Comfort: Stories of Family, Friendship, Fiery Trials, and Faith.” She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.
