Word Art Wednesday: Stayed on God (FREE Digi Stamps)

The sun is out and birds are chirping in stereophonic surround sound!  What a gorgeous day it is as I write this...not as warm as I'd like, but still it LOOKS springy outside.  Welcome to another wonderful Wednesday Word Art challenge...the last one this month.  We would LOVE to have you come by our blog, read this week's devotion, use our scripture graphic by Karen Murray, and inspire us with your own creation. 

Isn't it beautiful?! And just so happens to be one of my favorite, oft quoted verses.  Because it is so true.  Our mind, and the places we allow it to go, determine the peace that is available to us.  When we take our mind down dark corridors of doubt or distraction, our peace wanes.  A mind "stayed on" God...what does that look like?

I believe a mind stayed on God, fixed on God, is worry-free.  Completely?  Completely. 

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or drink or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  

Look at the birds of the air; they do no sow or reap

or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuagle than they?

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:25-27

Does God know the heart of a woman or what?  We worry about "life" so much, and our thoughts often turn to our bodies, what they look like and how we will appear with the sad state of our clothing.  Right?  I'm not a "selfie" kind of person, I'd rather enjoy extraneous scenery than look at myself, but still I don't like the skin I'm in right now.  Now that my ankle is healing, and I'm nearly recovered from my toe surgery, I should be able to time it about right to hit the pavement and start walking while enjoying the spring weather.  I'm just going to do something about it.  Not worry or fret, just get out there and make the inches and pounds roll off this body.  

I'm always a bit amused watching birds in my back yard in the spring.  Those little mamas work so hard getting the nest ready, then tending to the eggs...watching, guarding.  We complain about how many trips we make up and down the stairs for laundry.  Have you ever watched how many trips from here to yon those mama birds go when foraging for a meal?  They work so hard.  No problem slimming down  after babies are born!

They simply take care of business, completing each day's assigned task, then when the time is right, they let go!  They teach, show, guide, feed and nurture...but they do let go.  I think hearts "stayed on God" are a bit like that.  At some point we have to let go of the worry and the anxious thoughts, because those thoughts keep us from filling our minds with the thoughts God wants in our heads.  He wants to fill our hearts and our minds with Him.  

We have work to do, some of it mundane, some thrilling, some exhausting and some revitalizing.  While we work, we must have a degree of surrender.  There are points on any task that we simply have to say, "Done."  I've been an empty nester for quite some time.  Last year one of my fledgings returned to live with us again temporarily.  I must say, I'm getting used to, and loving, having more stirrings in my nest.  I like the company...I enjoy the participation I have in the lives of both sons.  But because I'm close to them and involved, I have to think often about keeping my mind worry and clutter free.  

As I thought about designing this card, I kept thinking I should add something else....maybe some sponged clouds in the back, or some sweet little piece of ephemera to cover the "sawed off" tree branch.  But because of the verse, I opted to keep it clutter free and symbolic of putting the task to rest and saying, "Done....enough." Could I have done more?  Does the sun shine?  

In life, we have to work hard sometimes to keep our minds clutter free.  I'm the sort, who if not careful, can rise in the morning and think, "Surely there's something I can worry about if I think hard enough."  That's why it's best for me to do my quiet time in the morning.  It helps me leave that day's worries to God and I just focus on Him.  I want my mind stayed on God...more than anything.  That takes discipline...and His Word...and a cup of my favorite tea!

Sets Used:

Nest to Sky Color Set
10 color images / JPEG and PNG / 300 ppi / resizable
$4.00

Nest to Sky Papers

10 sheets / 6 x 6 / 300 ppi / resizable

$3.00

Nest to Sky Outline Set
6 outline images (one is a silhouette)
JPEG and PNG / 300 ppi / resizable
$3.00

Hope Soars Sentiment Set

15 sentiments / JPEG and PNG / resizable / can be recolored

$3.00