I have been hugely blessed with a great summer. I’ve loved the sunshine, outdoor times with my boys, our family holiday, relaxation and more. I trust you had a good one too!
It always puzzles me how as soon as the children start their new school year in September, we step into the unwritten rule where everything is back to ‘normal’. We literally step back onto the hamster wheel and pick up from where we left off walking that wheel which goes around and around and around incessantly. What amuses me is that even the weather seems to change at exactly the same time, marking a distinct difference.
But what is ‘normal’ and why does life seem to feel different in the summer months than it does from September? I’ve been reflecting on this and came to the conclusion that in the summer, days feel longer and it seems that we ‘consciously’ make the most of every waking moment enjoying the freedom that comes with that. We ‘intentionally’ make sure we schedule into our days, even if it’s after a tiring day at work, all those things we love to do with those we love. Going for long walks, sitting out in the garden, laying out in the garden at night watching the stars, family holidays, spending time with family and friends, days out and so much more.
Then September comes and it seems that whilst we consciously step back onto the hamster wheel, we tend to tread it in an unconscious way. What do I mean? Well, the wheel of life goes around and around but often we can tread through each day, week, month not intentionally thinking about what we are doing or making the most of each day. Before long, time has flown by. The wheel of life for each of us will be different. For some it will be going to work, coming home, sorting the kids out, cooking dinner, sorting the kids out again, going to bed. For others it may be different but often the same monotony day after day, week after week.
I for one am determined that I achieve that same feeling of freedom I get in the summer where I live life intentionally, to flow through into September, October, November and so on. If not, I feel I’ve ignored the high price that was paid for me to be able to live in that freedom. ‘Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you’. (Galatians 5:1 MSG).
It is absolutely Gods intention that we enjoy living in freedom. In fact, it is His intention we live life to the absolute full. ‘I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]’. (John 10:10 AMP).
How do we live in that freedom? How do we live life to the full? Well, we take small steps towards learning to live intentionally, learning to be present in the here and now. It’s so easy to do that job you’ve done for years day in day out, iron those clothes week after week, wash the bathroom and not be living in the present whilst we are doing those things.
Choosing to live in the present means hanging the clothes out on the line but making a choice not to see it as mundane. Instead, seeing the benefit we and our loved ones have in us doing that. As we hang clothes up, peg by peg, we take in each moment and smell the softener, feel the wind on our faces, hear the birds singing, the leaves rustling in the wind, touch those clothes worn by our loved ones.
How about the job we do Monday to Friday, week in week out? We can choose to just ‘do it’ or we can choose to ‘intentionally’ do it, being present in the here and now. Being curious as we do it, remembering who we are doing it for and the benefits that are experienced by others as a result of us doing what we do.
We’ve got this! Starting small but increasing until we are living out of a place of intentionality. In turn, bringing us to a place of living in freedom and living life to the full, exactly as God intended for us.
Love
Angelina x
Inspiring Radiance 