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The Truth is: “You’re Not Behind in Life”

Whether you jumped out of bed this morning ready to take on the world or you rolled over, pulled the covers over your head and waited until the last possible moment you could… you did it! You’ve started the first Monday of 2017; only 51 more Mondays to go this year.

Much to the chagrin of my mother I didn’t make it out of bed last Monday and didn’t send out a Monday Morning Pep Talk. I woke up the day after Christmas with the “after Christmas crud” and stayed in bed all day sleeping, watching movies and eating “souped-up” Top Raman (made by my sweet and loving husband). He added lots of garlic and pepper in an attempt to try to get rid of my cold… and get me out of bed.

Of course I could, and maybe I should, have prewritten my Monday Morning Pep Talk, but I don’t want to. I like starting each Monday writing a little note of encouragement. It’s as much for my benefit as anyone else’s, and pre-writing it would take away the authenticity of it. But I have to admit I felt a little bad for not getting it done last week. I was discouraged that I hadn’t completed my self assigned task. And then my friend Leah wrote something on her Facebook page that stopped me right in my tracks and my feeling of “falling behind” melted away.

“You’re not behind in life. There’s no such thing as behind in life. We all experience different moments and different lessons at different times in different places. You don’t have to catch up to anyone or anywhere. Just be.”
Leah Hope Mancuso (click Leah’s name to read the rest of her post… it’s so good!)

Whew. Don’t you feel better? Didn’t that make you let out a lovely little (or big) sigh of relief? You are not behind in life. You, right there on the other side of a little or big screen, you haven’t fallen behind. You aren’t lost in the shuffle and you don’t have to pick up the pace to get back in the pack. And if you feel like you do… then maybe you’re running someone else’s race? And, you’re probably missing the beauty of living your one beautiful, messy, stop-and-go life.

Some days, some months, some years we jump out of bed ready to take on the world, and sometimes we roll over, pull the covers over our head and wait until we can wait no more. Whichever speed you’re at today, embrace it and remember Leah’s words, “You don’t have to catch up to anyone or anywhere. Just be.”

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"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV