Mindfulness?
The first time I heard the word mindfulness, my feelers went up. In the world, I wouldn't have been surprised, but this was from a professing Christian. I didn't question the term, but rather went to my friend, Google, to see what it was all about.
Mindfulness is about being in the present. This is a Christian concept - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Pay attention sometime to your own thoughts. How many of them are rehearsing the past or projecting into the future? Of course, we can learn from our past mistakes, and having a vision and planning, involve the future. But, we live in the present. Or do we?
How often are you involved in a simple task and your mind is a million miles away? Sometimes, at least as women, we pat ourselves on the back because we can multitask. So, I might be driving my car to a familiar destination, but I can be planning the next social event at the same time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but if our mind is always racing at a million miles a second, I think we need to literally stop and smell the roses.
Mindfulness is about just that - slowing down to pay attention to the sights, the smells, the texture of something, and just being in the present. In it's truest form, mindfulness incorporates no judgement. Here is where things break down for a Christian. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. As a Christian, our antennae need always be in operation. We can't very well shun evil if we don't judge what is good, righteous, and wholesome.
For me,it is going about simple things in life and not being distracted by my own thoughts. I think Ann Voscamp has it mastered. She wrote One Thousand Gifts A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Her list of gifts is very descriptive, very sensual. Try this simple exercise sometime today. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Mindfulness is about being in the present. This is a Christian concept - Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Pay attention sometime to your own thoughts. How many of them are rehearsing the past or projecting into the future? Of course, we can learn from our past mistakes, and having a vision and planning, involve the future. But, we live in the present. Or do we?
How often are you involved in a simple task and your mind is a million miles away? Sometimes, at least as women, we pat ourselves on the back because we can multitask. So, I might be driving my car to a familiar destination, but I can be planning the next social event at the same time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but if our mind is always racing at a million miles a second, I think we need to literally stop and smell the roses.
Mindfulness is about just that - slowing down to pay attention to the sights, the smells, the texture of something, and just being in the present. In it's truest form, mindfulness incorporates no judgement. Here is where things break down for a Christian. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. As a Christian, our antennae need always be in operation. We can't very well shun evil if we don't judge what is good, righteous, and wholesome.
For me,it is going about simple things in life and not being distracted by my own thoughts. I think Ann Voscamp has it mastered. She wrote One Thousand Gifts A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Her list of gifts is very descriptive, very sensual. Try this simple exercise sometime today. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
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