Everyday we have a fresh, blank page upon which we write another chapter of our life. As we proceed moment by moment, we can either scribble the nonsense of bouncing from one circumstance to another, laborously print our miseries like a schoolboy writing his life infractions on the blackboard, or set down in rhyme the purposed determination of a poet with a heart and drive to create something beautiful to grace the day. Though I have found myself at times engaged in the first two, the last one is where I like to remain. It alone encourages my hope that I will complete a life that leaves a good heritage.
I have a site that I check daily for inspirational thoughts and another that gives me a word for the day. Recently I read this quote from my source: "It's up to us to determine our happiness. No one else is in charge. No one else is to blame. No one else gets the credit. Our happiness is tied to our willingness to be responsible for our own moods. That's a certainty - one of few in this life."
As I dwelt on this counsel I also checked out my word for the day. The word was WHORL. At first glance I thought it was mispelled, however, upon reading its definiton and related word WHIRL, I saw that it was a term more frequently used by those known as botanists - their study, plant life. The term, I found, is applied to the circular arrangement of leaves, flowers or petals around a central point or axis. If you noticed the picture of the lotus blossom at the beginning of my blog, you can see this design clearly demonstrated. "Interesting," you say, "but what does it have to do with this chapter of your day?" I am glad you asked.
When I considered the design of a WHORL, I recalled something that I had learned in school years ago and have since observed. These marvels of nature respond to the light of the sun. Their beautiful "whorl" of petals open themselves like arms raised in praise to its warmth and growth enriching rays. I believe our Creator's handiwork in these most beautiful of His products show us a pattern of how our daily lives ought to be written.
First, we should realize that our lives have a purposed pattern which, if properly nourished, will WHORL like building blocks of beauty, to grace our minds, to temper our attitudes, and to lovingly touch other lives with a richness of godly purpose and order. Secondly, as we note that the WHORL is arranged around a central axis, it gives us an excellent picture of what heaven's throne with its encircled throng of worshippers must be like. Indeed, the central axis of our lives, our ENTHRONED SAVIOUR and LORD, is to be the focus of each chapter's writing.
Now, to take the inspirational counsel I previously noted, we must realize that in order to find ourselves following the example of the lotus we must recognize and accept the responsibility for our own actions to produce the fruit of happiness in everyday's pursuits. No one else can do this for us. We are in charge. No one else can be blamed if we fail. No one else gets the credit if we succeed. The real beauty of the plan is that when we decide to take responsibility and truly following the Creator's purpose and plan, we will be empowered to write a chapter, yea, a book that can be a source of continued blessing to us in days ahead, and to everyone around us.
I pray your day will be such a source of encouragement, too!
