Whatever is Excellent and Praiseworthy

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Do you ever feel so overwhelmed with life's worries/circumstances/situations that it seems as if you were trapped in the washing machine spinning cycle?

Lately, that's exactly how I have been feeling.  My stress level keeps rising, and often, I find myself irritable and numbed to what's around me.  I can't continue like this.  The spinning cycle must stop!  This is not what the Lord wants for us.  I lift up my eyes from the computer and stare at a big poster of a quiet, gloriously gorgeous beach I have hanging on the wall in front of my desk...and immediately, I start to long for that quietness I see on that picture.  Wouldn't it be nice to be there?  I can feel the warm sand on my feet and the salty breeze playing with my hair.  I hear the relentless sound of the waves crashing and the occasional seagull calling as it rushes pass by me in her pursuit for her daily fish.  What would I give to be there...summer morning...nothing to do...nowhere to go...just breathe and be still...

I move my eyes from the picture and the image collapses when my mind hits the reality of my surroundings: a messy desk, a needy dog, a dark/cloudy/rainy/cold morning, piles of work all around me and constant worries about upcoming tests, looming deadlines, threatening worries...

How can I re-create the peace and quietness of a summer week at the beach in my everyday life?

I think Paul has a hint as to what to do:  it's all about the things we think about.  We are called to control our minds, not to allow our minds to control ourselves.  How do we control it, you may ask? By choosing what we think about.  Whenever the daily worries start creeping in, we need to remember Paul's words:  "find the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable...excellent and praiseworthy...and think about such things, and such things alone.

Excellent and praiseworthy is Your Name, O Lord!  In the moments of desperation, high stress, numbing fear and worry, may Your Name come to our minds as a lifesaver, to pull us out of the choppy waters and keep us afloat...more than afloat...alive and assured of the Power of Your Steady Presence, for there is Great Power in the Name of Jesus!

I can't think of anything more excellent and praiseworthy than the Name of Jesus!

Let it roll out of your mouth from the overflowing love of your heart and allow the sound of each letter to soothe your troubled soul as a tender lullaby.  Cherish each syllable as it's pronounced by your own voice, audibly, for the walls to shake and your heart to calm down.  And let His Presence bring you comfort, rest and peace to help your mind be still.

I Praise You and Thank You, Dear Lord for Your Precious Name!  How Excellent and Praiseworthy Your Are, Lord.  Your Name has the Power to calm my storms and quiet my mind.  Invade my soul with Your Presence and stop the crazy/spin cycle of my heart, in Your Excellent and Praiseworthy Name!