paravanes:meditations

(c) Deborah Evans When Jesus says you cannot follow him unless you "deny yourself" (Matthew 16:24+25), he doesn't mean for you to neglect your well-being, your fitness and health, or your mind. What he does mean is you must give up the life this broken world wants to give you: the life you have when someone is more important than Jesus, the life you have when there's no time for the Bible and fellowship with other believers, the life you have when you're too busy to pray. Denying yourself means ripping the unholy (habits, people, priorities) from your life and keeping the unholy out of your life. Self care isn't sinful. Your body and mind are designed by God and are gifts from God. Designed to glorify God and to house other gifts of God, your body and mind require self care in order for you to carry out God's will for you in this life. Rest, good food, exercise, positive social connections, and life long learning are all forms of self care that...

In past years, I have thought of   “back to school”   time as a time to return to routines. This year, after reading DeliberateLIFE’S back to school issue, I am thinking more about transformation, rethinking routines, and beginning a familiar process in a new way. Getting ready for back-to-school in a new way means understanding I don’t know this process of shopping, planning, arranging for after-school schedules, etc., as well as I imaged. As a college student, I chose the liberal arts because I was fully committed to lifelong learning and learning for its own sake. What did I learn from reading this back-to-school issue? I learned paper bags aren’t a green, earth-wise choice. They contribute to the tons of food and food packaging waste slowly burying the earth we live on and (hopefully) love. Sleek, efficient, and yes---cute—alternatives are available for packing those lunches and sending them off to school. I learned I don’t have to put aside all of my ...