M.I.A. - Selah~ (Part 1 of The Cup Series)

James 4:14 " Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

While cleaning up around our home and the woods surrounding it, I stumbled upon something partially buried. I thought I recognized it but I wasn't 100% sure at that moment. It had been so long ago. You see, when you have 3 small children scattering about, a lot of miscellaneous kitchen items can end up MIA  (at least that's my experience) - they end up here, there and everywhere without busy Mom ever realizing it. I stooped down and dug into the red, Georgia clay to unearth this particular find. Sure enough, it was a once-upon-a-time, in a land far away...pretty, floral tea mug I once identified with a quick moment of "mommy pleasure". I reluctantly dug it out and wiped the wet clay away.

Thinking...do we sometimes lose ourselves, just as I did my cup, in the hustle and bustle of our busyness? Or do we find pleasure in pausing long enough to enjoy watching our children play just outside our kitchen window? Do we stop long enough to take a breath of refreshing, clean air following a summer thunderstorm? Do we sit long enough to savor and appreciate the flavor of food we intake? Do we give ourselves breathing space when we realize we are getting overwhelmed with daily tasks? Are we even aware of the many things God has made available for our enjoyment? In nature. In relationships. In spirit. I'm afraid, just like my cup, much of that becomes MIA too.

You see, this cup is now broken and permanently, dark-orange tinged with the color of the clay it was buried in. The fact is, cups can be replaced, lives cannot. My friends, we can't afford to allow the busyness of life to bury us and cause us to take on the color of our surroundings. This world is evil and will suck every bit of abundant life we are able enjoy right out of us if we aren't on our guard.

There's nothing wrong with setting the To-Do list aside for a few hours of fun in the sun or taking some time to enjoy playing with a grandchild. An afternoon with someone special, something out of the norm, a trip to the bookstore, a date with a spouse, a walk around the block, or a visit to the park...these are gifts from God we often don't open. Do we think about that? They're vital. Last but not least, we can't forget time spent in God's Word, praying, and communing with our Savior. (It's true...those things won't make time for themselves...we have to consciously plan it.) We cannot and must not deny ourselves the privilege of setting aside time to spend with Him. We are cheating ourselves! Plain and simple.

If you feel like you're buried in busyness or MIA, today is the right time to be found...dug up. Slow down and give yourself a Godly break, (Yes, even that thing which seems to have nothing to do with your spirituality does. Our busyness infects our spiritual beings.) This cup has become a constant reminder to me of how easily we can lose something and not even realize it. Why? Because we're too busy - distracted - doing stuff that won't even matter in the end. It's a gentle reminder that there is a time to cease from striving and working...a time to rest and refuel with God and others. We matter. People matter. God matters. Don't allow it to go MIA! Stop. Let's enjoy this life God has given us...it will all too quickly pass. Selah~