A New Year's Resolution: Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying

In the movie, "The Shawshank Redemption,"  which takes place in 1947, two prisoners, Andy and Red, become friends while serving time in Shawshank State Prison. Even though he is in prison, Andy is sustained by hope.  He believes in it and over a period of 20 years, it is hope that motivates him to methodically dig a tunnel that eventually leads to his freedom.  Maybe you have seen the movie, and so remember one salient line spoken by Andy as he and Red sit in the prison yard.  Andy is talking about future plans.  Red warns him that hope is a dangerous thing.  But, Andy says, " I guess it comes down to a simple choice:  Get busy living or get busy dying."  Andy knew that his tunneling was just about complete and that hope was coming to fruition; bondage would be history and freedom would be future.  What if Andy had waited almost two decades to "get busy living?"  What if, after 10, 12, 15 years, he had begun to dig his tunnel to freedom.  To do nothing was to "get busy dying."

We are about to start a new year.  What is calling all of us to either "get busy living or...?"
What is it that we postpone, put off, or table?  We all have a tunnel that we need to dig, and maybe we shouldn't wait another 10,12, or 15 years to start digging.  Unfortunately, we can't ask someone else to dig our tunnel for us. What if Andy had asked fellow prisoners to dig his tunnel for him? There are just some tunnels only we can dig.  If we purposely plan to commit and to implement, 2014 could be our tunnel to...

• taking that online course 
• finishing that degree
• reading more - www.goodreads.com or free app
• walking that 2 miles each day-My Fitness Pal free app or myfitnesspal.com
• learning that language - www.duolingo.com
• reconciling that relationship
• traveling more - www.ricksteves.com
• taking that mission trip
• starting a daily devotional - www.odb.org
• volunteering at that organization
• enrolling in a Bible study - YouVersion Bible app for your phone, tablet, and computer
• developing a relationship with Jesus
• becoming a church member
• Keeping a journal or starting a blog 

Do you remember where Andy hid the small metal pick hammer that he used for 20 years?  He hid it in the warden's Bible.  Symbolically, perhaps we could say that Andy put his hope in the Bible.
Spiritually, we can do the same:  "...but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."(Isaiah 40:31)
We certainly need that kind of strength and energy to dig our tunnels and the Lord of redemption offers it free.  That's how we get busy living...for all eternity.

Wishing you a year of tunneling!
Happy New year!    P.S. On your iPad or computer, be sure to take our poll (upper right hand corner of the blog)

Keep Looking Up!
J:m and L:nda


  

A Christmas Devotion: Leaving Can Be Rewarding

 If you like to explore, then you will relate to the theme of this blog:   Leaving can be rewarding.
Staying versus leaving is a decision that we, along with many of our friends, have faced through the years.  We have a propensity or a disposition to behave in a certain way; that is, we think leaving can be rewarding.

Realistically, leaving is a lot of work, and it usually arrives in one of two ways:  we think of it or someone else thinks of it for us.  Once that is behind us, we either start packing because leaving is exciting or persuasion squeezes us to go along to get along.  Interestingly enough, there are busy moving times, which include the summer months or during the holiday season.  Surprisingly, we have several close friends who recently have made the decision to move during this busy holiday season.  One family moved to the East coast and the other to the West coast. They are going with the attitude that leaving can be rewarding.  Their Let's Explore mannerism carried them through all the stages of  relocation.  We all agreed, however, that whether its a short-term or a long-term commitment, leaving has its rewards.  Short-term commitments are those suitcase vacations, our Mission Corps assignments, or family visits where leaving may be more exciting than arriving...gulp!  Long-term commitments are moving-van worthy and include corporation transfers, new jobs, or let's-try-this-city-for-a-while mentality (we have friends who live like this!)

During this Christmas season, we think of One who made a move from heaven to earth.  Jesus knew from the beginning of time that leaving heaven would be rewarding.  His move wasn't a suitcase commitment.  What could "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us..." have packed anyway?  The idea for His move fell into the company of the Trinity, and thankfully, He did not go along to get along or to get alone.  Persuasion did not coerce Him.  He moved because He knew that leaving would be rewarding.   He didn't need a moving van, so He didn't have to consider ensuing contracts, moving estimates, paperwork, or costs based on distance or weight.  He didn't need to pack boxes or buy protection against loss or damaged goods.  No one had to track His move or estimate His delivery date.  The Bible records that He did have to consider the price He would pay and the method of payment;  yet, He still left heaven. And we still celebrate today because in His infinite wisdom and love, He knew that leaving would be rewarding.  We see manager scenes only during the Christmas season when believers honor His move.   However, the crosses that we see in every country in the world today powerfully remind us that He moved from heaven to earth to move heaven and earth for us.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Let's celebrate His decision to move!

Let's move into the New Year and Let's Go Places and Let's Explore!

Keep Looking Up,
J:m and L:nda