I don’t know about where you are but here, it’s going on two weeks of 90+° and very little rain. Surprisingly our garden is doing well. We’ve got lots of tomatoes coming on, herbs popping through, and even a zucchini! Because it’s been so hot and dry either Dad or Bradley has had to water the garden each night and we water the potted plants each morning. They’re especially sensitive to the heat and if they don’t get watered they look awful droopy.
We’ve also made sure to check on the bunnies. They’re not big fans of the heat. So, we added shade to the hutch that gets the bulk of the sun and have a fan blowing on them. We’ve also placed some water bottles in the freezer for them to curl up next to and cool off.
As I was thinking about all that we’ve done to make sure that our garden and animals are well cared for especially during this heat it got me wondering about us. Our preacher made the comment several weeks back in a sermon about different places taking your temperature as you arrive to make sure that you don’t have a fever. “Are we taking our spiritual temperature? Are we paying attention to our spiritual health as much as we are our physical health?”
I know that this is hard. Many people are still out of work, others are dealing with restrictions, and for some, it’s just hard not to be near people. As a hugger, this is especially difficult for me. Add to that the unknown of it all and well that makes it all that much harder.
Just like we’ve taken a few extra minutes a day to check on our animals and water the garden, are we investing time in our spiritual health?
I’ve struggled with this too, more than I’d like to admit…Are we running to God in prayer, casting all our cares on Him or running to Facebook to try and figure it all out? Are we really trusting in God and His plan or are we placing our trust in those in authority?
There’s a few things that I’ve found in recent weeks that have helped me that I’d like to share with you:
- I quit taking notes in Church. Since about the time I could write I began highlighting and taking notes in my Bible/notebook. I’ve found that for now, I’m actually getting more out of the service strictly participating. Singing the songs, focusing on what’s really important, and listening to what’s being said.
- Reading fun/inspirational books. I’m not incredibly good at picking up a book each time I reach for my phone but I have been trying to read a little more than I used to.
- Getting outside more. Seriously, it works. Just a simple walk through the garden or saying hello to the bunnies makes a world of difference. It’s actually kind of fun to go out and see how much things have grown.
By doing these things will our spiritual health instantly be better? Nope. The older I get the more I realize that life IS hard and unfair, and at times downright ugly. I’m learning that being a Christian doesn’t always make life better on this side of heaven. But you know what it does mean? It means that the God who created the entire universe in 7 days loves me. That He cares for me enough to DIE an unfair death on the cross because of MY sin! That same God is with me each and every moment of my life; watching over me and caring for me even when I’m sleeping…
The knowledge of WHO He is, what He is capable of, and the love that God has for me should give me a peace. That even in this crazy upside down world that we find ourselves in it’s all going to be okay…Eventually.
Until next time,
Bailey Sue
