I worry. 

I admit it.  I worry.  I worry about all the bad stuff going on in the world.  I worry about the elections and the political culture of our country.   I worry about... I don't know... a lot of things.

Luckily I don't obsess about it all.  But I admit I worry.  And I know, even Jesus teaches us not to worry ... Matthew 6:25... worrying won't add an hour to our lives, but then I think, well, if there was another hour, I'd worry about that too.

So, what to do?  How to cope?

Well, recently, I got to hold a two-week-old grandson.  And it was glorious.  I watched as he slept, I felt as he breathed, I comforted him when he cried, I changed his diaper when he pooped!   It was all so glorious. 

And then I began to worry about him and for him... 

And then, I stopped, breathed, and just enjoyed the moment.

That's what you do.  You stop and stay just in the moment.  You find the goodness in the challenging.  You breathe with the baby who just completely trusts you as you hold him. 

And I remembered, God is holding me.  And I breathed.  And I felt God breathe with me.  And for a moment, I let go of the worry.  Well, for a few moments.  You see, when you practice one moment, you apply it to the next or to another moment, until you learn to breathe better and worry less.

Hm...  take a moment... find something for which to be grateful. Enjoy that moment.  Breathe it in.  And let that good feeling affect the next moment, or another moment.  And let go of the worry.  

 

Peace in our journeys,

Pastor Steve Melde