DO THE SUB WAY

Janet Chester Bly
Copyright©2008

Practice peace like you get healthier. Substitute one serving of red meat with fish. Add a green veggie, a fruit, some grains. Display color on your plate. Do one thing daily that improves your physical well being.

Practice peace like you care for your stuff. If the windshield’s cracked, you repair it as soon as possible. Untreated, it gets worse, until the whole windshield must be replaced. By the same standard, small fissures erupt into volcanoes, if ignored.

Practice peace with an upgrade to your mental and spiritual input. Replace National Inquirer with Reader’s Digest. Opt for the PG movie rather than the R offering. Buy your DVDs at Hallmark or Family Fun instead of Horror Haven. Or whatever suits your system.

I’m a news junkie. Unsolved mysteries. Political debates. Social issues. The who, what, when, where, how and especially why intrigues me. I’m glued to the TV when the world shatters. However, I’ve come to realize that this steady diet of negative input disrupts my peace and sometimes my stability, as well as the composure of those nearest me. I need a balance with prayer and positive faith.

News shows may not be your thing. But what’s a given choice in your environment that frames your mindset, influences your responses? Is there something you can or should do about it?

I’ve been working on self-control to break my cable addiction. By a study of the day’s events in segments of five minutes or less—for a higher purpose—to know enough to care and be informed and pray for the principals—not to devour endless data. I intercede for suffering souls, not just talk about them. I also try to sub feel good or chick flick movies on occasion. Or read uplifting novels. Or inspirational magazines instead.

I aim to get more done, to be more relaxed. One peace buster figured out. But I’m not a slick sample of smooth moods yet. I still get riled by guys like O’Reilly.

“You’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8 MSG)


taken from “31 Days To Win The Fight For Personal Peace”
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