This morning I work up and read this devotional. One part stood out to me like a sore thumb.
The author said…
“We waste precious emotional energy and priceless spiritual power by fixing our gaze on the here and now. I am not saying that we need to ignore what God gives us to do today because the truth is that each step on each day’s path is filled with God ordained opportunities. What I am saying is that much of our stress comes when we measure life and hold it up against the wrong backdrop.”
Um… ya. Are you talking to me personally? Yes, I think so. God has HIS perfect timing, doesn’t He?
You see, although I try not to stress about the little things, I do. Heck, we all do. So this was a GREAT reminder!
I was stressing about having to go to DALLAS this weekend yet again for more “stomach” tests. I mean, I am finally gaining my weight back and feeling better, so no need to right? I’m busy, I don’t have time, I don’t want to spend more money…. excuses, excuses, excuses!
Talk about the wrong backdrop! Do I want to make sure all is healed or do I want to assume that I am? Do I want to live “healthfully” or do I want to constantly wonder or worry that something is still not right? Do I want to WASTE time or FIX my GAZE on God’s purpose? I think … no, I know the answer to that.
I want to LIVE the purposeFUL, joyFUL, and wonderFUL backdrop of life. The one that is vibrant, strong, etc.
Are you with me here? Did I lose you? haha.
So my backdrop is changing.. no more excuses.. I am making time for health, I am making time to recover, I making time to stress less.
Nourish the body
Nourish the soul
Take it slow
No excuses…
What’s your life backdrop look like?
Cheers,
LC
p.s.
Recipes, workouts, races… this is what my blog is about. But sometimes I change it up. This week it’s a lot of reflection… good reflection.
{ 89 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for those beautiful words of wisdom. My mantra has become: Plan as though you will live forever, then live as if each moment was your last! Eternity exists in the here and now.
that is one beautiful mantra!
tried my first healthy bite! stuck them in the freezer and then forgot about them til yesterday! oops!! in the fridge now. delish
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean recently posted..Spread LOVE
OH YEA!!! let me know whatcha think of them all. Awesome linz! great fuel for that exam tomorrow too. hehe
I have been under so much stress lately, selling a house, buying a house, moving my family across the country, we have nowhere to live, I don’t know what schools my kids will go to next year, we have had stomach virus, my husband leaves this Sunday (Mother’s Day) for California to start the new job, I will be alone here to hold everything together, I am running an ultra on June 3, UGH!!!! I have been going to bed at night so upset, I finally said to myself “This is too much” I am giving it ALL to you God. I can’t take it anymore. It was such a relief. I woke up feeling like I could breath again. Anything is possible when you just surrender and let Him take over. It’s in His hands. I can do this.
Lisa @ RunWiki recently posted..Almost Wordless Wednesday
amen amen!! I am so glad to hear this Lisa. Surrender it all!
Good Call!! I want to focus more on my inner health and incorporate more yoga! I can feel my body begging me for it.
btw do you like that yoga dvd? I really need an at home yoga dvd but I get bored with a lot of them out there. Any suggestions?
Sarah recently posted..Long Island Race Report
go for it!! ANd i love the spinervals 30 minute yoga as well. They have recovery and power yoga. its awesome!
How is it that you always know the right things to post at the right time?
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Strawberry Infused Tempeh Tuesday
because we think alike! haha. <3
I know, right! She always does that!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) recently posted..Almost Wordless Wednesday…
WHOA that was for ME!
I’ve been looking at the ‘here and now’ lately when I need to realize He sees all and knows what the future holds whereas I can only physically see ‘here/now’…
loved this post!
Tara Burner recently posted..Focus On What You Have To Gain
so glad it spoke to you as well Tara!
I LOVE your reflections!! They are some of my favorite words that I read here! And I am glad that devotion hit you when you needed it. I would totally fall into that same line of thinking, feeling better, why bother going? But I am glad you are, and ensuring your health is on the mend! So glad to hear that it seems to be!!
jobo recently posted..My 6-month run challenge (weeks 20-22): on run-volutions and ruminations
you know, you gals help keep me head on straight too, so thank you!
Great words, great reflection, thanks for sharing it with us!
Kierston recently posted..Going, Going and Still Going!
<3 you for reading.
So true, sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees. My summer calendar is filled up and it has me stressing. Your daily devotionals and messages are encouraging and help me perk up.
I’ll be thinking about your Dallas trip, I’m glad your going – it’s better to explore everything.
Hugs!
oh i know, busy busy busy. It can be overwhelming, but only is we let it consume us, you are right. Breathe and pray. <3
I LOVED that devotional yesterday!! It spoke volumes and volumes to me. I’m so glad that that message made its way to you at the exact right moment. Isn’t it insane how He always has such impeccable timing?? SO glad you’re focusing on the right backdrop my friend — stay strong, stay faithful!! xoxo
yes HE SURE IS!! and I love that we read the same devo. <3
I’m so glad Jess shared that devotional with me yesterday as well. I’m at a point in life where I need to be reminded of focusing and working to maintain perspective.
Love you ladies! XOXO
Samantha recently posted..Running after Baby
Oh i am so glad she did! It makes my morning and now we can all read together!
What a great post, thanks for such amazing words of wisdom to start the day! I’ll be praying for you with your trip up to the big D, hope all tummy woes will turn out to be vanquished!
Alexandra recently posted..Cinco Things
thank you friend. ALways love that you are there for others!
Love you Linds! And this post was awesome…and I think that reflection is great sometimes
. I hope your tests go well this weekend! Let me know how they go! Hope you have a great Wednesday <3
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health recently posted..#PhotoadayMay Part 1
Love you too Linds! You are so thoughtful and I appreciate YOU! Hope the healthybites are treatin’ ya good. hehe
I love reading your thoughts, and thanks for sharing that devotional, it looks like something I would enjoy. You are such an inspiration. I need to work on surrendering more fully, every single day!
cassie recently posted..Smashed Chickpea & Pesto Sandwich
i am so glad we found each other! woohoo instagram love!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this! I have felt the same way about my health situation- I finally just gave up worrying about the money. I can’t take it with me when I die and I’d rather have peace of mind. God is good.
i keep telling you that we are life twins! hehe.
Thank you for the words of wisdom! I never would have read that. I don’t consider myself a Christian anymore, but I do love to read uplifting scripture/words from all sorts of religions. Regardless of what you believe, positive IS positive.
Calee (@chimes) recently posted..WIAW: BLEND Foodings.
Calee, i am so glad you can appreciate these words. No matter what, words are powerful and like you said.. POSITIVE. <3
ummm i am kinda loving this reflection week because every post feels like its speaking to me! i am constantly obsessing over little things. but trying to remember my backdrop or motto for this week “enjoy the ride.” I keep getting caught up in the thought that i KNOW exactly where i should be or am supposed to be…but i cant always have that much control. so trying to just accept that whether its where i thought id be or not…im where i need to be. thanks for sharing with us LC:)
oh yes indeed friend. I think a lot of us feel the same way. So it’s a good reflection week, one that needs just to be, not do. Right?
Very true words there. I’m going to my stomach doctor today and feeling all frustrated about it but I am making progress; I just need to surrender to my reality and let that be okay.
StoriesAndSweetPotatoes recently posted..Back Away From The Sweet Potatoes
yes!! hope all goes well and keep me posted. I know how you feel!
Funny… I wrote the following on a post-it-note during planning at school today…
“Let it Flow… Relax… Listen and Trust…”
With the cross-country move, wee one (happy and healthy wee one!), upcoming races, end of the school year, connecting to (aka finding) the best job in Utah, multiple summer trips (will we ever be in one spot for more than a day?), and other “stuff” … it’s got me beat!
Heavens the end of the school year is enough.. let alone add in the move, the wee one, the trips…
So I’m going to decorate a few note cards of reminders for my desk..and my heart!
PS Are you all planning on doing Buffalo Springs Lake?
Wendy recently posted..Saying Good-bye to VHTRC
oh i love your thinking.. always. and yes, i think we are 90% sure we are going to BSL!
stressing less is something I’ve been working on for a while!
Alysia @ Slim Sanity recently posted..fitness gear
same here. But it’s worth it! yes you know that. <3
sometimes its good to reflect!! great post my lady!!
btw, im ordering healthy bites right now! im so excited!!
Amy recently posted..Bi’s and Tri’s + Swag Bag!
love love love the Healthy Bite order!
This post totally spoke to me! The same for you almost, except with my recovery in eating. I feel like I’m in that place too! Great words for me today Miss Lindsay. I always look forward to your words of wisdom! I hope all your tests go well this weekend!xo
Lisa recently posted..WIAW #7
yes, totally agree! it can mean any kind of healing. Because utlimately, it’s about the process.
wow i love that devotional! the wrong backdrop….love this! so glad you are continuing your quest for health. i know sometimes when we are feeling good we stop when we should have continues working on it. good for you to make yourself a priority! I am working on accepting me for me this week. last week I felt like superwoman and this week-not so much. but it is okay
kalli recently posted..She can make you hot
oh i know that feeling. But it’s humbling too, isn’t it? TO be thankful for your abilities… superwoman or not. xxoo
i always love your reflective posts… they leave me feeling positive and refreshed. i’m so glad this devotional was able to help you put things in perspective… it certainly did me!
i’ll be thinking of you this weekend! praying and hoping that all goes well!
Ashley @ My Food ‘N’ Fitness Diaries recently posted..WIAW #33: A Sleepy Day
oh yea! i know you can relate to this ash. and what a blessing it is to have that support for each other.
Love your morning devotional and GOD is AWESOME!! I’ll be praying for you this weekend, I hope all goes well.
Heather @ Better With Veggies recently posted..Bootcamp, Breakfast, & Boulder Hiking
thank you friend. Wish we could spend quiet times together in mountains! How cool would that be?!
p.s.
Blend inspired me. I want to put on a 2 day hike or walk or something like that. Like a hood to coast but walker friendly! I am a USAT certified race director. You are a USAT tri coach. …. hmmmm… you thinking what i am thinking?
Um – WOW – I love that idea!! I have no idea how we would do that, but I think Lindsay W. would say we could figure it out… Interesting…
Heather @ Better With Veggies recently posted..Cinco de Mayo–Blends & Mexican Crumble Tostada {Recipe}
Reflection is a very important thing
Keeps us accountable!
Good luck for the tests, and awesome to hear you are feeling better xxx LOVE
Lou recently posted..conscious shopping
yes, me too! How are you feeling these days my skip to my LOU?!
This speaks volumes to me! I love your reflections! I’m emailing you in a bit.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) recently posted..Almost Wordless Wednesday…
i can’t wait to hear from you. <3
This is such a great devotional, I’m so glad you shared it, because it really made me reflect on my own backdrop, which I definitely need to work on a bit!
Sarah @ Feeedingbrainandbody recently posted..More Big News
we all need to add some clarity and vibrancy to that backdrop, ya know? So glad we could share that with each other sarah
Love the devotional quote! What a great message. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that it’s not all about us and our desires. I’m proud of you for taking care of your body even though you’d rather not take the time! I hope you have a great appt.
Jan recently posted..Turtle Run
wow, thanks Jan. It means a lot to hear. That is inspiring to me!
stress less = gooooood
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers recently posted..WIAW: Breakfast Creeper
totally!!!! and beer and wine help that. haha
I love that quote…thanks for such a great reminder!
Danica @ It’s Progression recently posted..WIAW #24: The Five-Year Engagement
We all need that reminder. xoxo
That’s a loaded question! I have to think about it. My backdrop is easily messed up—I have to constantly pull myself back to reality and reassess my priorities. As long as I do that, I stay pretty ok.
Lisa recently posted..The Santa Monica Stairs Keep Me Humble…
oh i think we all do that. But it’s worth the effort, yes?
we love reading your reflections, as they always make us sit and reflect on our own life. and us too need to stop worrying so much about the little things
we need to change our backdrop as well. we also need to stop worrying about what others think, and just what we do and be happy 
thanks as always for inspiring us and making us think!
xoxo
Pure2raw twins recently posted..pounds of bananas
totally guilty of that too ladies. Less stress, means less pressure to be perfect, to be busy, etc. Hugs!
<3 <3 <3
klh recently posted..Something to look at: balding edition
i love your heart(s). Hope the bday was fun! xxoo
I love hearing you talk about your faith! Something I haven’t brought up in my blog, because I don’t want to sound “preachy”. Maybe soon.
I think you are so right about making excuses about health. Lately, I’ve been going through some stuff and have had zero motivation to eat the way I know I should. And it’s just making me (literally) sick! I need to STOP making excuses for myself and take care of the body God gave me.
Meg recently posted..A-Z
Meg, this is a big freeing moment for you, i totally get that! I love that you shared it with me (us). Thank you and let’s change that backdrop together!
Great focus Lindsay- thanks for sharing!
thank you for reading and supporting!
so true that we need to use the right “rulers” when assessing our lives. a scale never equaled happiness, but neither does the lb sign on a dumbbell or the mileage count on my running shoes. my ruler should be the number of dimples i smile in a day, the tears of joy i cry, and the many sighs of relief. i am so hoping for your good health and cheering you on every step of the way!
teabagginit recently posted..Hop Skip and a Jump
T- you always know how to rephrase things right with my thinking! I love you more for that! <3
I love this. And as usual, perfect timing. Last week my backdrop was definitely dominated by the stresses of “here and now.” Then I made it through and started stressing about the “what ifs” of the future. Most of today was spent doing a lot of reflecting, and remembering that everything that happens in our lives is part of a perfectly designed plan. We have NOTHING to worry or stress about! God has our backs. Pretty amazing, and freeing, isn’t it? Big hugs! xoxo
Sara @ Nourish and Flourish recently posted..Creamy Coffee and Color Crazed
freeing indeed friend! i am so glad that God put that on your heart too! You are embracing and changing that back drop!
LOVE! What a great outlook to have, keep that outlook girl!
I am thinking of you and always here for you too! Life is too short to live any other way but the best way you can! <3
katie recently posted..Diva Approved {fitblognyc swag}
and i love yours!! just wish we were neighbors!
I love this! I’ve been doing a little reflecting this week, too, and I think it’s good for the soul
I hope you have safe travels!
totally! our souls needs that nourishment too!
I LOVE reflections! I don’t like to see the same thing day in and day out, so reading about others’ reflections on everything in their lives is perfect. It shows just how much the human heart, soul, and mind grow and become nourished. Those are some beautiful words. True words. My backdrop has changed drastically over the past year…and it’s dang near perfect.
PS: So glad to hear you’re feeling better!!
Melissa @ Live, Love, & Run recently posted..Getting caught up.
you said it perfectly Melissa! and thank you for that.
I hope you get more answers, but sorry you have to take an unplanned road trip. Isn’t your family in the DFW area? Maybe? Or maybe I made that up.
I just finished doing a study on the book of Jonah and in the last chapter there is a verse where God asks Jonah what right he has to be angry. Um, ouch. So true for me – how can I possibly complain when I was blessed enough to be born into a good family in the United States and have more rights and privileges than the majority of the world population. Perspective changes are humbling, but a needed kick in the tail.
Michelle {lively kitchen} recently posted..Photo Friday – good eats, conquering the fear and her first run
wow! I need to read that book! I love Jonah, i think we can relate!
That fantastic! Have found a lot of useful information from this platform.
Shanita C. Crosby recently posted..HerSolution Gel Australia
I love it! for me it is simple as “Live like there’s no tomorrow” just forget all the things that you worry about and start doing that things that you think you ought to do.
God will always be beside us and will never gonna let something bad to happen.
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