November, December 2014

“Don’t Forget to Breathe”

November and then… December… As much as I look forward to this season, full of celebration, thanksgiving and time with family and friends, I’m also bracing myself for the fast-paced countdown through the busiest months of the year.

There is the Thanksgiving Day, the day set aside for giving God thanks for all of God’s blessings. Already, my mind is racing ahead thinking and planning of Thanksgiving service, what I need to prepare and bring to family gatherings and so on. And even before we get to Thanksgiving Day, there is a list three pages long of all the to dos and things that needs to get done. By the way, who can think of Christmas before we’ve eaten the Thanksgiving turkey? The business world, in an attempt to prolong the profitable season, is already in full swing of advertising and merchandising all the Christmas stuff which pushes us further into the abyss of busy-ness.

Once in a while, I remind myself “Don’t forget to breathe!” I am sure I will need to hear this reminder at least half dozen times during these two months. “Don’t forget to breathe!” What a wonderful reminder of who we are and whose we are!

According to Genesis 2:7 “… the Lord God formed human from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living being.” We became a living being by a breath of life and each day we are sustained by breathing in life. And the source of breath is God. In the midst of hectic schedules and all the list of to dos, there are opportunities and moments when we can steal a breath… to re-fresh us and re-new us. These events will be a breath of fresh air enabling us to truly have a thankful heart for God’s lavish love.

Consecration Sunday on November 23 and Thanksgiving Day Service with our brothers and sisters will give us a chance to breathe deeply of God’s blessings. All the Sundays during the season of Advent are the Sabbath days set aside for us to come away from our daily grinds to breathe in God’s presence. Christmas Eve service will offer us moments of deep breaths as we celebrate the birthing of God’s love for us.

I can tell you with sure certainty that it is going to get very hectic. Don’t forget to breathe! Take advantage of all these opportunities to take a breath so that you will not be out of breath.

Now practice with me: Take a deep breath in… breathe out…

Inhale… and exhale……