Day 62 Making every moment count

Day 62 - Making every moment count 

 This morning the clock has been set back an hour, daylight savings time has ended. My internal clock has kept going and I am awake before 4 am. I love morning. It's quiet and no one else is awake. I make my coffee, get my devotional books and Bible and have my quiet time. Today the emphasis was on what role our thoughts have in determining who we are. How the focus of our thoughts can determine to what degree our lives reflect the nature of Christ.

Well, that's a tall order for me for sure. As a mother who has raised seven children my life has been much of making sure the kids had what they needed, and were where they were supposed to be. At times, jobs, school, church and relationships intruded into that central focus. Being "selfless" wasn't always easy to do, and was in fact, sometimes, not my focus. Most of the time, however, instinctively I sought the best for my children. Praying, hoping that their lives would end up happy and blessed. Now as the last of the children reach adulthood I realize by in large who they continue to become is on them. My job is done.The good things, the bad things, the not quite good enough things I did as a mom are unchangeable.

In my life now, with the majority of my time spent with people who are angry, confused, manipulative, addicted, my role is to be a professional helper. To provide comfort, encouragement, guidance as they are willing to receive it. Often I am at best, a listening ear, allowing them to speak and process the memories of events painful and traumatic. I try to act in their best interests all the time. To act as if each one of them will recover, will quit using drugs, will quit committing crimes. I help them rekindle hope of a better future. And then, above all I pray and ask others to pray. And then, I let them go; back into the world to sink or swim trying to continue their journey towards new life, faith and recovery.

At the treatment center where I work we are blessed to have a retired couple, Mary Beth and Al, come every week to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They have been donating their time for over two years. They conduct a church service every week. The local church they attend also hosts a weekly Celebrate Recovery meeting, where food, fellowship, music and preaching give further opportunity for men to be presented with the choice to ask Jesus Christ into their hearts and lives. This opportunity is one that I cherish and know many of the men do also. It is another building block they can use to rebuild their lives.

Another point one of my devotionals made this morning, is that God hears the weakest prayers, and once made the power, peace and presence of the living God flows into the heart, mind and soul of that person. A miraculous change occurs and that individual is passed from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Do people still relapse who have accepted Christ into their lives? Yes, they do. Like the probation officers who have to email me the sad message of another clients journey back into heroin, or meth and crime; I have to face that addiction is not always cured by finding Christ. It is sometimes a slow, painful process that involves trial, error, success, failure, and trying again. It is in that part of the equation that I have to let go, emotionally, spiritually, and realize my part is to help provide a plan to recover; their part is to follow that plan.

And so, today, is my Sunday. Now just 5 am I relish the fact I have 16 hours ahead of me before I sleep again. My plans are to attend Sunday School and church. But in between those hours, about 4, I have free choice to do what I want. No longer the sweet golden days of fall, the wet winter rains are upon us. Do I want to run away to the ocean and brave the storm to drink in the cold, fresh wind, and allow the vista's of sky and sea to wash away the cobwebs that 19 long days of work created? Part of me says, "Yes!" And the visions of hot coffee and cocoa pop into my mind along with thoughts of campers stew cooked over a cook stove in one of the shelters nestled near Coffenbury Lake at Fort Stevens State Park. Hmm.... need to think a spell as to whether or not that's something I want to plan for.

Need another cup of my wonderful, freshly brewed coffee. I'm using the last of my fragrant coffee beans and I cherish the wonderful aromas of newly ground coffee beans brewing into coffee. Way back when, when I was a Home Economics major at the University of Washington I remember studying how many different aromas coffee actually had, and the scientific breakdown of those scents. It was truly amazing. For me, I know the luxury of having real coffee beans is something I allow myself now and then.

Well, coffee in hand I made a steaming bowl of hot oatmeal. A survey of the freezer indicates hot dogs at the coast might be a better option than camper's stew. We'll see. I only live an hour away from the ocean and I know once there the walking will do me good, just making the plans, bundling up and going will be the challenge.

I'll let you know how the day turned out. For now, I'll enjoy my coffee and oatmeal and start my day.

P.S. Update; went to the coast. Oh so beautiful. Walked on the ocean beach for 2.5 hours. Not cold, not wet just wild, free and oh so awesome.
 

Wherever you are, may this day be for you, a day of new beginnings. If you don't have a church home, and can't quite make the challenge of attending a service, turn on your TV.* Find a service that ministers to your soul and seek the Lord. May you find joy and hope in believing. My prayers go out to you this morning, keep looking up!

* I like, In Touch, with Charles Stanley.