Peace Within

Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

We spend too much of our time fretting away the small stuff, the details that really won't matter 1 year from now, or even a month from now. Holidays are around the corner and you hear talk of "I have to do this" or "do that", "get this ready", "company is coming", "my house is a mess"

when the holidays are about being thankful for having what we need in our lives and the holidays are about the people we love or perhaps thinking about how we need to set our priorities so that the good people in our lives are what we are thankful for. Its not about food and huge spreads at the table with all matching dishes with fall themes. It's about what would really matter if all the extras were taken from you. Its about being more Mary than Martha. Christmas isn't about spending hundreds of dollars on gifts, or having a house that has to look like a magazine cover, its about love. Its about giving of ourselves, maybe raking leaves or shovelling snow for someone, rather than giving a gift you mumbled about having to spend so much on. Maybe sending tickets to your children so they can visit you and just sit and talk.

Its not about pages of recipes, it might just be a simple glass of water taken with hours of conversation, maybe filled with family stories, or just having a listening ear.

Don't be a Martha and just work on something that is not life long or life changing. Be more of the Mary, the one who listens to the sound of a heart. That is what simple living is about.