Happy Birthday 🎉

Do you see the comforts in your life?

Another thought that came to mind while I was outside weeding this week was how comfortable our lives have become. Humans have created a society out of creating and selling creature comforts. Our lives are very comfortable.

If you don't believe you have them, just break down your morning after rolling out of your comfortable bed this morning. The bed that had a comfortable pillow, or pillows, and soft blankets. Now find yourself in the bathroom with soft tissue that you pull from a roll to dry yourself. Next, most Americans walk into their kitchen and prepare a nice warm drink of coffee or tea and fill the perfect mug with a handle that cradles the hand just so. I haven't even made it to the taste of this morning comfort that has probably received a bit of sugar, milk, or creamer. I hope I have made my point. Wild enough, I hadn't even made it out of the kitchen or past the first cup of coffee.

Not only are we comfortable in our homes, we have accessible to us countless services that allow us to pick and choose our work or negate it all together. The many services that we have accessible include: services to drive us around, rid our yard of weeds, rid our house of dust and dirt, rid our gutters of leaves, rid our house of rot, rid our lawns from overgrowth, rid our cars of sludge or grime, style our hair, beautify our nails, remove unwanted hair, deliver our groceries, pre-made meals, serve us food and entertain us...

The reality is that all these creature comforts take us away from doing. The actual doing that allows us to stay active, engaged, and connected. These comforts are provided so that we can have more time. However, more time is only better for us if we are using this time to benefit our minds and bodies.

The truth is that it is the uncomfortable times that so many choose to turn to God. The times that we don’t know how we will make it through alone. However, in my current uncomfortable state, I have learned that I am never alone, because I have faith in Jesus. And, He has given me peace.

Humans long for connections. Connection with one another, and with God, who gives us peace. There are so many distractions that we find ways to waste time, and not one of these activities( social media, work, television, alcohol) connects us with others or allows us to take care of our mental or physical needs that our body requires to remain healthy.

I visited with my Mom and Dad on Monday, my Mom's 83rd birthday and took her a Chai Latte to start her day. My Mom has been a faithful servant of God the majority of her life. She has studied and read His word most days of her life, and been a constant prayer warrior for all of us. She has always worked hard throughout her entire life, and she chose to connect with God in her free time.

My Mom is the oldest Benda alive. And she is slowly losing her faculties to Alzheimers. I could tell on Monday that she was tired, and it was only 9:30 in the morning. She did acknowledge that I had come home to be with her on her birthday, after my Dad had stated this fact. Other areas were not as clear to her. She is aware that her memory is going. I voiced to her that she is going to have to be tough, and I also reminded her that she will always know the words of God. I started saying the "Our Father" prayer and the words that Jesus gave us during His time on earth. She proceeded to say the words right along with me from complete memory. After we finished praying, I told her that we were with God before we came here, and we will always be able to say His words because we know Him, and we will join Him again after we leave this life. It is because of her faith in Him, and His sacrifice for us that she will be connected with Him always.

Our comforts in life can be a huge blessing if we make good choices, and use our time to focus on growing in goodness. Choices that enhance our lives and don't form us to be more like this world should be our focus. This is only a temporary home, after all.

God longs for us to come to know Him. He longs for us to call on Him, so that He can walk with us through the tough times in life. Choose your focus to be on the good that comes from God. Choose it every day, every hour, every minute and every second. Each one of us can do this by burying God's words in our hearts and minds.

"Jesus answered, 'It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" -Matthew 4:4