Learn to Appreciate Life and Others

I appreciate you, too, yes, I do! My 21 day challenge has ended, thank the Lord! Giving up sugar was so hard. I was craving it and then, obsessing about how I couldn’t eat it. Isn’t that just how we operate? I also lost another 10 pounds, which I didn’t need to do, so I am on a mission to gain it back. What a vicious circle this life can be! So thankful for friends and family and their support during my challenge. What would we do without other people in our lives? We need to learn to appreciate life and others.

This world would be a lonely place without others wouldn’t it? I know this isn’t a popular topic, because there’s already so much talk and division, but it’s been on my mind a lot lately and wanted to share: This virus has created so much division between people, when it should be drawing us together.

Divided

Fear is the dividing factor, my friends. People are afraid. –Afraid of how this virus will affect them and the people they love. They’re afraid of death. I get that. But I also know that fear is not to be tolerated. The Bible warns us about that.

There’s a lot of “vaccinated and unvaccinated” talk. Why do we judge others so harshly? Why do we think we all have to fit into this nice little circle? Can we learn to just appreciate life and other people and their opinions? Why do we think we have to always be right or that we know more than they do? Do we think that because someone’s opinion is different that somehow they are “uneducated”? Don’t most people make decisions that are right for them and their conscience? I think so.

It’s been almost 2 years now. Have we learned anything from this virus? I know I’ve learned that I can’t live my life stuck inside my home. Did we learn to appreciate life and others? Did it draw us closer to God? I appreciate being able to go to church, being with my friends and family, and yes, to be alive.

I’ve learned these last two years that when I get a cold or don’t feel good, I need to stay home, away from others. It is possible to work from home if I need to quarantine or isolate for a time. I can wear a mask and use hand sanitizer to keep myself and others protected. But I won’t be afraid to get sick. I’m not going to live in fear.

Be Brave

It’s time to be bold, be brave. Live life without fear! Do all you can to protect yourself and others, but don’t be afraid to live and don’t be afraid to die, for death is an appointed time by God. I believe He knows the number of our days. He has a plan. He will take us home when it is our time and we tend to forget that we all have an appointed time, for God knows when, where and how we will die. (Ecclesiastes 3)

Every Sunday, I attend church where I hear stories about saints who have gone before me who stood up and were martyred for their faith. They were willing to die for what they believed in. They didn’t stay inside their homes and away from others waiting for things to get better. Instead, they forged ahead, knowing that even if they died, they died in Christ. He was their protection. I think that’s what we are missing in these times. The knowledge that God is protecting us. So many people live like He doesn’t even exist.

These last two years have done a number on people’s physical and mental health. We need to reach out to others and appreciate them. Be brave! The devil comes to divide, steal and destroy. He is the author of fear and has created so much division in our world. He relishes the thought of you only taking care of you, criticizing and avoiding others, staying away from church.

My Hero

The sun is still shining. The earth is still revolving on its axis. We have to keep going, too. We have a mission and a purpose. Are you living yours? Maybe you were born to be a martyr or a saint! I think of my hero, Mother Teresa, who ministered to the poor and dying of Calcutta. She took care of them. Those people had diseases, some that were contagious, I’m sure, yet she ministered to them.

Differences

We must learn to appreciate life and others by appreciating their differences of opinion as well. Listen and try to understand where they are coming from without judging or belittling them. We all have reasons for believing what we believe, whether or not we agree. People, for the most part, are kind and caring, despite what you may see in the news. Take time to listen, appreciate and love them. That’s what Jesus would do.

Take Action

Let’s learn to appreciate life and others by loving each other. Invite someone into your home this week for tea or coffee. Have some pleasant conversation about how they’ve been doing the last couple of years.

Go to lunch with a friend. Take your temperature before you leave. Wear a mask if it makes you feel safer. Bring the hand sanitizer, but get back to living life with others again. If you are vaccinated or not, take precautions to not spread anything around by making sure you don’t have symptoms. Do your due diligence.

Reach out to our healthcare workers. They are tired, exhausted and burnt out. If there is a doctor or nurse that you know living near you, treat them to something nice and relaxing. Let them know how much you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Pray for them and the patients they care for.

Learn to appreciate life and others by being brave. The only fear we should have is the fear of dying without knowing and loving Jesus. Do you know Jesus? Is He your Savior? Live your life to the fullest with Christ at the center of your life, then go out and love on others.

Thanks for following along. I appreciate you! God bless.–Barb