Uplifting Teaching

Photo shoot in Kutztown, PA
on Oct. 13, 2012

Do pressing responsibilities crowd out important activities in your life? Things that demand our attention smother our opportunities to stop and chat with our child, drink in God’s awesome creation, and reflect on His Word.

The fireworks-painted leaves beckoned me, “Come bask in our beauty.” Unable to resist their cry, I dropped everything and did a photo shoot. Got some good pictures, but none could capture the breathtaking beauty that stopped me in my tracks. All I could do was stop and stare. Wishing the moment could last forever.

It was like a massage for my mind. So relaxing.

But it wiped me out to walk from one rainbow-splashed tree to another God-painted panorama. I knew I’d pay for it. Anyone like me, with MS, would know there’s a limit to energy. We can’t walk for hours without ending up exhausted.

I knew I’d pay for it, but it was so worth it.

I recently wrote a devotional about the need for rest. It’s kind of ironic that my devotional was posted just today…as if I’m chastising myself. Vicki, you still haven’t learned to slow down. You should know better. Now, it’s time to stop and rest.

As I argue with myself, I rationalize, “Yeah, but doesn’t everybody overdo it? Wouldn’t everyone wish they could stop and smell the roses? Just once?”

You can find that devotional on Rest Ministries website. It’s entitled “Help Wanted: One Who Will Need to Rest” and was posted October 13^th.

Visit Chronic Illness Pain Daily Devotionals (Rest Ministries) to read that devotional (and find more devotionals written by other people with chronic pain or illness).