NOTICE: The following article is written
by the author itself and not by me, I am not trying to violate their copyright.
I will give some information on them. As the 2013 Christmas Season is coming, I
will post two devotion of the week articles.
PAGE TITLE: CBN Christmas
Devotion
ARTICLE TITLE: Six Secrets to Bring
Back Peace
DATE: 2013
AUTHOR: Janet Perez Eckles
AUTHOR
INFORMATION: Although
blind, Janet Perez
Eckles has been inspiring thousands to see the best in life.
She is an international speaker, writer and #1 bestselling author of Simply Salsa: Dancing without Fear at
God's Fiesta, Judson Press
2011. www.janetperezeckles.com
New friends ask me, "Being blind, how do you
put on your make-up?"
My answer is simple: I do it carefully.
After living with complete blindness for 25 years,
I often forget my limitations.
But trouble comes when getting ready to go out. I
pry myself from endless tasks. At the last minute, I rush around like a crazy
woman. I hop in the shower, slip on my robe and dash into my walk-in closet.
Frantically, I slide hangers, looking for any outfit to wear.
How do I do this with no sight? It's pretty simple.
When I purchase an item, I store in my memory its characteristics—the texture,
the shape of the neckline, buttons or length of sleeve.
One light touch tells me what the item is. But when
I'm in a hurry, trying to find the right outfit gets a bit tough. Not because I
can't see, but because I just have too many clothes. Way more than any blind
gal should be allowed to have. The bar holding all those hangers is probably
sagging from the weight.
Oh, how my jammed closet resembled my life—full of
tasks of all kinds and sizes. Like a squirrel running from tree to tree, I'd
dash from one task to another.
I had no choice—lots of people to please. Fueling
that desire, even as a young girl, I tried to perform to win my parents' and
teachers' approval. Later on, I wanted to please my family, my employer, and my
friends. Phew! I thought that the only way to please myself was by pleasing
them.
Have you been there? The pleasing craze explodes
during holiday season. We rush through life eager to make someone happy. And
the level of stress and tension rises like the thermometer in Orlando's summer.
So this upcoming season, I vow to cool off. God
never meant us to live in the heat of tension. He gave one pretty refreshing
directive: "Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus
said unto him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with
all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:36-37)
When life sags from the weight of countless tasks,
obeying His greatest commandment is the key to peaceful success.
When I slip my feet into my slippers in the
morning, this is what plays in my head: Loving God means…
- Inviting Him into my day.
- Drawing wisdom to place the correct order to my priorities.
- Presenting Him with my to-do list for His approval.
- Giving thanks for glitches as I know He will resolve.
- Receiving moments of rest to refuel my energy.
- Inhaling His Word to keep calm and secure.
Deviating from His ways equals burnout. But obeying
His greatest commandment ushers wisdom: To arrange priorities; to press forth
when fatigued; to bring clarity when confused; to be calm when overwhelmed; and
to know the warmth of His love when feeling unappreciated.
Ah! Getting ready for the day is easier now—I
cleaned out my closet, tossing out unnecessary worry and the foolish notion to
always have to please others. When I put on the dress of peace, designed by His
love, it looks pretty good on me…and it will on you too!
You can take a deep breath, relax, and slip it on
with confidence because "It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,
and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know He enjoys giving rest
to those He loves?" (Psalm 127:2, The Message Bible)
Accepting His invitation to rest, the cure is
simple: instead of being productive to fulfill our goals, we aim to please Him
to fulfill His plans. That's when we go through the tasks with delight in our
heart and with His peace that sings in our soul.
Copyright © 2013, Janet Perez Eckles, used by
permission.
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