Our Immediate Environment

You’ve heard the saying, “Garbage in means garbage out.” It rings true on a couple of levels. We are surrounded by SO much negative (and unGodly) minded thinking, that it is very easy to rub off onto us if we’re not mindful. Be aware of whom you spend time with: some very nice, kind people can be spiritually barren as the desert! They may even be true Unbelievers or wrapped up with Pharisaical thinking. (That’s a deeper thought for another blog).

One way to counteract this avalanche of unGodly influence into our psyche is to counterbalance it with positive, Biblical, and hopeful thoughts and images. For example, on my Facebook page, I usually post a “Laugh Out Loud” photograph or quote of some kind about every day or so.  They may or may not be Biblical in influence - they’re just clean, uplifting reasons to chuckle. We need that! The average person typically has a challenge or two every day. All of varying degrees. It’s good quality time invested to take a quick moment to share a laugh.

I read a study that asked a group of 12 people to take pictures over the course of one full weekend. The pictures were designed to capture things that give them hope. (By the way, the group were people ages 65 and above).

Some photographs were what I call universal symbols of hope and encouragement – churches and synagogues of different kinds. Some were pics of family members. There were one or two photographs of beautiful landscapes and sky-scapes. "Universal images of beauty" said the article.

Some of the group members photographed very special images – images that were incredibly personal to them. Those doing the testing reported, "One participant took a picture of her mailbox. She always holds out hope for receiving a card or letter from someone she misses. Another person took a photo of her kitchen table. The table represented warmth, family, and hope to her."

I noted one particular thing from reading about this study. The study focused on the external source of the person’s hope…it focused on their immediate ENVIRONMENT. Our environment is definitely an area we can have some control or influence over. The people we spend most of our time with. What we bring into our homes through the television and/or IPODs. The books we read. Movies we watch. Objects that make up our immediate environment are powerful…they can build hope or destroy it. Much like words!

So, be mindful of what or who is around you. Choose to surround yourself with images or things that support and promote your journey with the Almighty God.

The photograph of the mailbox tugged at my heart. I need to get busy writing my dad a letter, so until next time…

Look UP my friends!