Cut Off From Your Power?

What gives you strength? Power? Motivation?

What takes away your strength? Power? Motivation?

When I have a "down day," my analysis gene kicks in to high gear? Why? Why am I down? What source of power have I been cut off from? My first go-to answer is sleep. I have needed eight hours (nine is better) all my life, even as a hyperactive young person. So question #1 is "Did I have enough sleep?"

Question #2 is "Have I had too much or not enough socializing?" As an extrovert, I need a large dose. As an aging (don't ever tell anyone I admitted that.) extrovert, I need less than I used to. Getting the exact amount of socializing is tricky but necessary for maintaining my strength, power and motivation.

Question #3 is "Have I had appropriate spiritual nourishment?" I can get out-of-whack if I haven't had my spiritual cup filled through worship (see yesterday's post about constitutes worship).

Question #4 is "Have I exercised?" This one is tough for me. I don't like exercise. I have never liked exercise. I'm not likely to fall in love with exercise in the near future. I have admitted, however, that exercise is essential to my well-being.

Question #5 is "Have I had some fun?" Fun of late consists to a large extent of being with grandchildren, Tristan and Payden. For years now, I have been able to acknowledge that I have to have fun in my life to maintain my equilibrium.

What is your source of power? Are you plugged in?

I Worshipped Today

I worshipped today.

Yes, the morning began at church and, fortunately, today the worship also began at church. It doesn’t always.

I sang in the choir today. The very act of singing is often access to the sacred. Today it was.

Keith Dean offered the most transcendent part of church today. Keith is one of the few young university singers who “beef” up the choir full of us regular singers. Keith is a big African-American man with an even bigger voice. He sang My Tribute by Andrae Crouch. More famously sung by Elvis Presley, this old standard was also sung by little Brenda Sims when I could not even see over the pulpit. At no time and by no one has it been sung more spiritually that Keith sang it today. And I worshipped.

We also experienced a moving sermon by Elizabeth King McLaughlin. Elizabeth’s sermon constituted worship for me because it called me to be a better version of myself and assured me of God’s love for me in my current state.

Relationships are always worship for me because I believe when we move closer to each other we move closer to God. I have experienced this closeness of relationship at church but not always and not only at church. Today this form of prayer and exultation came at a photography exhibit.

Husband John’s exhibit opened today at the Woodford County Library and the turn out of friends who love and support his art and his passion created a moment of worship. Thank you, dear friends, for sharing in our joy.

Art, frequently, brings reverence into my life. Today, as on many occasions, the coming together of John’s phenomenal photographs and the emotion and storytellling they evoke from others played out before my eyes and I called it worship.

Thanks be to God.