Vol. 22 No. 13 | March 30, 2020
Finding myself with a little more time on my hands this week, I started listing things that didn’t seem to matter as much as they did a few days ago.
- Email offers for discounted golf balls
- Airlines offering great travel deals
- Ads like, “Be secluded in the perfect vacation hideaway.”
- Road sign: Guardrail damage ahead. (Not Covid-related, but I’ve never understood why we need to know this information.)
- Shaving and the need for a haircut
- Church leaders who are still pondering: “To Cancel or Not to Cancel: That Is the Question.”
- Opinions – mine and yours
- Arguing
- My ego
- Yesterday
- Tomorrow
Then I started listing what matters most and always has.
- Relationships – family and genuine friendships
- Good healthcare
- Men and women who have the courage and compassion to use their skills to take care of others
- Birds – flying, singing, and just being birds
- Words- those that I use to bring joy and encouragement to others, and those that bring joy and encouragement to me
- Living in this moment
- Being quiet and still
- Music
- The ability to walk
- A nice breeze
- Good neighbors
- God’s constant and abiding presence
These are just simple lists to keep track of the way I’m adjusting my thinking to stay mentally and spiritually healthy during a time of uncertainty and dramatic change.
In a way, these lists are simply counting my blessings. But they are also helping to calm my soul and remind me of what is really important and what isn’t.
May I encourage you to do the same. Start with your family, friends, faith and God’s faithfulness. Pay attention to the world around you. Clear your head and listen to your thoughts, listen to your heart. Pause. Reflect on what matters.
Then, when you finish making your list, sing these words:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2020 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved