Be Present

Happy Tuesday!

I love words.  These words, BE PRESENT, NOT A PRESENT have been marinating in my thoughts for a few days now.  Let's jump into my reflection about them.  Have you ever thought of yourself as a gift or present to others?  You give of yourself for the benefit of others.  This is not a bad action but what about when all you do is GIVE OF YOURSELF? I recently had a come to Jesus meeting with me.  I didn't plan this meeting, it kinda happened.  During the meeting, I came face to face with myself.  On the table of reflection were my past, present and future.  There are oftentimes many experiences from our past that are interwoven into our present.  Let's stop there. These experiences can be good, bad or outdated and in need of discarding.  Why do I say this? Because, the outdated ones have very little use and are taking up space that should be reserved for what helps us to progress in life.  Stay with me.  The outdated AND bad experiences both serve a purpose but not the purpose of propelling us forward.  It is important and valuable to extract lessons from the outdated and bad and use those lessons as building blocks to help us in our present state of awareness.  I believe that this is one of the ways in which we develop wisdom and finesse when handling the issues of life.  What was once designed to rob us, is now being used to make us more well rounded.  We need to let go of the past and that which is not useful. How many of us are still holding on to what needs to be discarded? When we let go, our present is enlivened, happier, becomes more joy-filled, peaceful, filled with self love and the ability to indulge in moments that are meaningful.  Aristotle says, Happiness depends upon ourselves.  We become PRESENT.  In this presence, we are fulfilled and not depleted.  In this presence, we learn to be grateful and not ungrateful.  In this presence, we become visible to ourselves. In this presence, we become, intentional, focused, sober minded, self disciplined and happy, in a festive type of way.  All of this helps our future.  How? I am glad you asked. Our future is helped because we become a designee of the direction in which we are supposed to go.  God can tell us all day long, what we are supposed to do, but WE are the ultimate decision makers in grabbing hold to His instructions, revelation, guidance and wisdom, no matter what we are faced with in this life. God is the tap that keeps our lives neatly packaged and wrapped.  There is a time for us to give ourselves to others, but we FIRST need to give ourselves the GIFT of being our authentic selves.  When we commit to this, we can be fully present in the moments and in the lives of those with whom we are called to.  Do not show up or live your life under the guise that you do not need to be filled with the beautiful aspects of life or wrapped in the loving care of God - we all need this.  Take the time you need to obtain this treat.  Be present when God calls for your presence.  Do not let the world or your life's demands keep you from obtaining the treatment that you need.  I heard a quote today and it says, "Be in the now, to experience the new." Let's practice this.  There are people who look really pretty, handsome and well composed on the outside but are in pieces internally, God wants to heal you.  He is able to repair us from the inside out, He has a way of doing so, so that the beauty within can radiate more than the external beauty. Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. This goes for men too.

Beauty is the gift from God ~ Aristotle

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Be blessed and be present,
Tanika