DAY 3 – Stop! Look! Listen!
3 ELUL 5768
Today, my morning walk started a little later than I wanted which ruled out driving to one of my favorite walking paths. The Southern California morning sun was already proclaiming “it’s going to be hot today” and my internal dialog was working overtime. I didn’t want to walk in the heat, there were already too many cars out – the quiet morning walk gone until tomorrow. Ughh, and what’s this – more garbage trucks. I thought pickup day was yesterday along with the air polluting scent.
By this time, I have walked a half of a mile, not happy about my current walking environment. I turn around briefly, contemplating shortening my walk. I have a lot to do today. blah, blah, blah. As I consider the consequences of my decision, I turn back around and proceed down the street. I am training for the half-marathon in Long Beach in October – sticking with the training program at this point is non negotiable. At that point, another waste management truck passed by with a sign that reads something like “converting waste to energy for over 1 million homes.”
In that message, I could hear the SOUND OF THE SHOFAR BLAST – STOP! LOOK! LISTEN!
“I CAN WORK WITH HASHEM TO CONVERT WASTE TO ENERGY. ”
If I had turned around, I would have missed this crucial message. The harried thoughts that populated my mind in the first mile of my walk were waste full and depleted me of the energy and focus I needed to accomplish the challenges for today.
The Bridle Path facing Mt. Baldy
I was hoping for my quiet tree lined serene path which represented the perfect setting for Elul reflection but today this was not to be.
WOW! How am I using the waste in my life? Rather than struggling with nonproductive automatous thoughts, feelings and attitudes, they can be used/converted to thoughts that propel me toward what I want. It is said we have between 2,000 – 3,000 thoughts per day. How many of those thoughts are fueling us into action for the will of God?
Hmm. Something worth thinking about.
Proverbs 4:23 Good News Bible | Be careful HOW you think, your life is shaped by your thoughts.
Thanks for the message and for sharing this proverb!
“How am I using waste in my life?”. Maybe you can sell this to a waste company for branding. Another genius tag line from Karen! And of course, relevant to everyone. Thanks for encouraging me to turn my lemons into lemonade.