The Spice of Life

It’s cool to be me. I’m determined that this is a true statement. Everyday I get up I set out to love life in general and to love my life specifically. Notice I didn’t say it’s easy to be me or it’s convenient to be me or it’s always fun to be me. I am convinced however it’s cool to be me. I want to live a life that provokes other people to jealousy. As Kinky Freedman once said, ‘Why the heck not?’

One of the greatest attributes of getting to be a Christian is getting to love my life. The true secret to life is learning how to love being alive. I tell you I hate that it is such a big secret. Let me let you in on it. It’s cool to be you too.

There are several core values you have to have in order to love life and all of them come from getting close in relationship with God. I know this sounds like nonsense to many of you pre-Christians out there but don’t feel lonely; most of the chosen frozen in the church are just as clueless about loving life. Lucy, let me splain’.

We Christians have done more to take away peoples dreams than Red Bull and Starbucks combined. I am truly sorry for all the judgment and hatred that has made its way through our pulpits. With that said, I am also sorry for the limp wristed pansies that won’t clearly define where life comes from and live life more abundantly. Many people from the pulpit have embraced all kinds of junk that clearly is not Jesus and clearly not life. Just because the boat is loaded with knuckleheads doesn’t mean I want to jump out.

So lets jump in. Here are some of those values I treasure and have noticed in other passionate peoples lives around me.

• Nothing is impossible. (Luke 1:37).

• I will not live my life being cynical, critical and pessimistic. (John 16:33, Romans 8:28)

• I can’t change anybody, so I shouldn’t want to control anybody. I can however add to many peoples life and help them with their next upgrade.(1 peter 5:3)

• I will not be defeated by a defeated devil (Acts7:49, Ephesians 1:21)

• I will not live a powerless life. (2 Tim 1:7)

• I will value relationship over punishment (2 peter 3:9)

• Forgiveness is a choice I make which has nothing to do with the actions of the person I am forgiving. (Matthew 6:14)

• Since I give my life away there’s no way I can be ripped off. ( Matthew 6:20)

• My destiny is greater than my history. ( 1 Cor 2:9)

• I am ready to go to the next level and by the way there is always a better level for me. (Luke 1:33)

• God thinks I am funny and if people don’t, it’s probably because they are stupid. (Numbers 6:25)

• The great commandment is greater than great commission. ( Mark 12:30-31)

• Since I don’t get the whys of life answered, I refuse to ask why anymore. Instead I will ask “What should I do and what does this mean?” (Acts 2)

• I will make big celebrations out of small victories even if it’s not yet finished. (Gen 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:25)

• I will let my heart be broken over the hurts in the world and I refuse to protect myself emotionally from what other people are going through. (Matthew 9:18-19)
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Growing In Slack-Jawed Wonder

I could go on and on but the bottom line is that we have to be determined to love life.

We have to be vigilant to live life passionately. Graham Cooke in His book “Living in Dependency and Wonder” gives a list of things we should do to increase our sense of wonder in life.

(1) Spend a day with a child. See things through their eyes. Take them to a playground or to a toy store; buy them candy. Watch how they love new things and have a good time.

(2) Connect with nature. Find a park or beach and let the rhythm of God’s creation wash all over you. Ask God to walk the trails with you.

(3) Commit your life to being thankful and learn the art of thanksgiving

(4) Enjoy the company of good friends

(5) Throw a feast. Celebrate a rite of passage in your life by inviting people and host a party. Treat them with the same joy with which God treats you.

(6) Find an old castle or cathedral or really neat place and sit in it for a while. Enjoy the architecture and history.

(7) Do what you love. Go golfing, paint or write something. Just Do It!

(8) Meditate on the greatness of God.

(9) Secretly bless someone. Pay attention to the needs and desires of those close to you. Become a kind of secret admirer, filling that want and enjoy their reaction to your gift without them knowing you were the one who did it.

(10) Visit your church. Sit on the edge of the stage and look around the empty room. Breathe it in. Thank God for the blessings He has poured out to you there. Envision your friends in there and pray blessings over their lives.

I say be determined that today is a good day and your life is one worth living to the fullest. Life is way too short not to have fun. Christ came to give us life and life more abundantly. So get up and get after it!

Contact the Brewer @ www.FreshFromTheBrewer.com