Finding Peace in Imaginary Chaos

I am grateful I made it to work early this morning, at 5am the building was empty and the silence was golden, it is amazing how quick I forget what true peace is like, my body gets jittery and moves around and tries to respond as if everything is chaotic; like I am so accustomed to it that when experiencing the opposite I crave the chaos and even try to create it. Peace is a worthy pursuit and is easily attainable though hard to quantify when my mind works so hard to break that peace in total silence.

Dear Lord,

Please help me to remember to stop to slow down, to breath and to enjoy the peace that I have in my heart knowing that I will spend eternity with you.

Amen

Planned Spontaneity

If you plan on being spontaneous does it still count as spontaneity? Webster defines being spontaneous as arising from a momentary impulse. So if I block out a few days on my calendar saying I will step out the door and do the first impulse that comes to mind am I still being spontaneous?

I think so; I won't only be being spontaneous but I will be improving my ability to be spontaneous.

I don’t believe that spontaneity has to be spontaneous itself but it definitely can be. Like any desired behavior, spontaneity can be formed with practice.

Ways to practice spontaneity:

• Set a block on your calendar to do the first thing that comes to mind
• When driving, pick a route never taken, put a note on your dash that says something like “Take a new route” or “go the long way” or “try an unknown road - if you don’t know where it goes, the better” the worst that can happen when taking an unknown route is you have to turn back.
• Go through the phone book and pick a local store, restaurant, park, etc that you have never been to. Either go then or make a note on a free block on your calendar.
• When you pray make a point of praying for random people, places and things that come to mind.
• Write the first thing that comes to mind
• And my favorite, spontaneously plan, pick the first free weekend on your calendar and commit to doing the first interesting thing that comes to mind by writing down that you will do it on your calendar, make it fun, make it daring and don’t think just plan. For example I see Saturday is free on my calendar and the first thing that comes to mind is hiking so I typed go hiking.

There are lots of other ways to be spontaneous but when it comes down to it, do it, beat resistance and do something daring, the key to being more spur of the moment is to fight resistance. Fuel your inner explorer and hit the unknown at any moment and importantly don’t think, do. As you do this more, planned or not, this will come more naturally so planned spontaneity will spawn spontaneous spontaneity.

My challenge to you, plan something spontaneous and commit to it in a comment here.

Obedience Prayer

My devotion today (http://www.lhm.org/dailydevotions.asp?date=20100806) talked about entering the narrow door (Christ) and asking God for help to remove temptations.

Here is the prayer it ended with:

Heavenly Father, remove us from the temptations and bad influences going on around us. Help us to lead others on the right path, walking with You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

My Prayer:

Dear Lord in Heaven please fill my heart with your holy spirit so full that nothing is left, overflow through my every pore so that no sin can be left within in, break me down Lord no matter how much it hurts and take that sin away and whenever I need it please help me to be willing to be torn down again because you are worth more then any temptation to me. Dear Lord, please give me the strength to pray this prayer and ask you to take my will away whenever I stray, dear lord please fill me up and allow me to honor your holy sacrifice by spreading your word, and loving you by doing your will in complete obedience.

Please Give me the will to fill my life with your word and your love.

In Jesus name,

Amen