Wearing My Yellow Boots
Published Jul 16, 2024
Today I choose life.
Have you ever had a phrase – words of encouragement from a friend, words from a book, or words that God places on your heart – and you just know that you need to pay attention to them?
You can almost feel the message behind the words? That’s how those words felt this morning. Today I choose life.
Along with the words came the nudge: live like it then. Live like you’re choosing life.
It’s a rainy day here, so when you look out the window you see a lot of gray. And clouds. Nothing too bright.
And yet …
With those words, a freshness started percolating in my spirit that was filled with hope. Anticipation. A calm, breathe-easy moment.
Life felt colorful. I’m choosing life today.
Sitting in my blue chair, looking out the window at the rain, my heart started whispering, yes.
I think it was saying yes to hope. The good things to come. The calmness. The color behind the gray.
It was saying yes to life.
Since I knew God was nudging me (quite firmly, I might add), to live today like I am choosing life, I considered how to do that.
I read Deuteronomy 30:19. The verse where it actually says, “Now choose life.”
OK, God, I hear you.
My question back to God: How do I choose life?
His answer came in three little personal buckets: In my thoughts, my time, and my health.
What am I thinking about today?
What we think about matters. You and I have heard that before. I was reminded to start living like I believed that it matters. Isn’t it wonderful that we are told what thoughts bring us life:
“Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praise-worthy.” (Philippians 4:8 The Voice).
Lord, show me when my anxious, negative thoughts and lies try to take over my thinking. Replace them with your truth. Beauty. Your goodness. Whether the day brings celebrations, chaos, disappointments, or joyful surprises, help me focus my attention on you – the Life Giver.
How am I spending my time today?
Am I choosing activities that create a full, abundant life? A life that thrives, enjoys, and trusts?
Lord, I don’t want to just get by today. Just get through it. Open my eyes to see your goodness. Give me the courage to say no to mindless activities that take up time and space that really belong to people and work that is purposeful. Intentional. Life-giving.
Are my choices getting me closer to better health?
Lord, give me the courage to say no to bad habits. Food that I use to comfort and soothe instead of allowing you to meet my needs. Give me a real kick-in-the-butt when I allow sad, old excuses to keep me from moving my body towards health.
I’m not kidding you. This morning as I considered how to choose life in my everyday moments, I was inspired to be and do differently. It was a simple statement, with profound implications. I’m here for it.
Since it’s raining, I put on my yellow rain boots when I went to the store. (I love them so much!)
They were a visual reminder of the hope, the good things, the life that is ours when we walk with our Life-Giver. Even when we walk in the rain.
How about this …
Ask God how you can choose life today. He’ll show you.
Now choose life.
