I’ve been weary lately. I have lots of good things going on in my life. We had family visit one week in June. We took a nearly thousand mile trip across the state to see my son.  There’s the yard and garden that needs attention. I’ve joined a new sisterhood of writers which creates more meetings (all are online, but requiring my attention nonetheless). Jim and I have begun a new series of GriefShare. We feel compelled to meet regularly with other Christians to pray. All good things to do, but I feel like I’m paddling upstream.

I recall one summer rafting down the Deschutes River in Oregon. We hopped into our raft with our paddles and rode swiftly down the river full of rapids.

It was a very hot day and it felt good to have the cool water splash on our bodies. At one point in the river, the rafts pull off the water, the paddlers get out and if they like, ride the waves with their bodies. We wore life jackets so we were safe, but the rapids are formidable. The wave rider jumps off a rock and off you go. You relax on your back, feet forward, as the water takes you down. At the end of the run, you dog paddle to the beach so you don’t go beyond into unfriendly turbulent waters that should be done in a raft. The first time I did it, it was a boisterous fun ride through the water. Soon, I saw the beach and easily swam my way back. Shaking a bit from the excitement, but ready to do it again, I walked to the jump off site, ready to take the plunge once more. This time though something happened. I was pushed down under the waves. I was safe, for I was wearing a life jacket and I knew I’d bounce back up, but I hadn’t taken a deep breath and I panicked. After struggling to get above the waves, I had to clear up through the foamy water to take in a deep breath of life-giving air. I gratefully took a deep breath. Now all I needed was to paddle myself to the beach, grateful I’d made it.

I loved the adventure of riding the rapids with my body until that scary moment. Since that adrenaline-filled ride on the waves, I never did the body ride on the rapids again.

Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and check out our surroundings. Have you–like me–been “jumping into the fray of the turbulent waters,” feeling overwhelmed?

We are expecting very hot weather–106 on Saturday, 112 on Sunday, and 112 on Monday, if the forecast is true. They are the highest temps ever recorded since they’ve kept track of the weather in our area. I think I’m going to take the time for a breather. To sit back and relax.

My journal has quotes and Bible verses at the top of each page. Today’s verse was this:

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48 NIV).
Perfect? I pondered that. I know we don’t reach perfection until Heaven. How can I be perfect? Then I checked the Amplified for a more expanded translation and here’s what I read:

You, therefore, will be perfect[growing into spiritual maturity both in mind and character, actively integrating godly values into your daily life],as your heavenly Father is perfect (AMP). 

Ok, Lord. You want me to integrate godly values into my daily life. Jesus showed us that by getting up early to pray. When God created our world, he rested on the seventh day.

I’m going to do the same. Pray in the early morning. Rest. Read a good book.

If  the Creator of our world rested, I think I can do the same. Rest, Read, Reflect. That’s my plan for the next few hot days.

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