"Yay! Let's celebrate", went Mr. Caveman's text message.
I just realised that we do indeed say that a lot to each other. Let's celebrate. We do not wait for special occasions to celebrate. We just celebrated whatever we like and whenever we feel like it. We are not celebration nuts, nor are we people with lots of free time to spare. We are both busy people, especially Mr. Caveman who has to drive 1 hour to work everyday. Even I myself scarcely have enough time to sit down and watch TV.........which made me cancel my cable TV subscription, as I've been paying money for something I watch less than 2 hours per month!
Normally, busy people gets tired out in the evenings after work. When they return home from work, their affable personalities might take on the traits of a bear. Grouchy and growly. They might take out their day's frustrations on their spouses or children, or might feel silently resentful and bottle up their emotions. Their everyday routine moves in a circle. Stress tires them out, and when they return from work, it will spill over in their homes, thus getting irritated and at times, irrational. A busy woman might have to juggle career and housework and children. At times, being too busy, parents are not aware of what's going on in their children's life, and in turn, the children will feel neglected. That is when material goods will be used to assuage their feelings of guilt, and to appease their children.
So, why do 2 busy people celebrate? And keep celebrating?
Because we put God in the driver's seat, and let him take the steering wheel. With God to govern us and take charge, we just do whatever we have to do with a light heart. The mindset of working for God, and under God's guidance takes the stress away, and even when we are tired, we are tired in God's grace. Tired IN, not tired OF.
Some people use alcohol to numb their stress and cigarettes to relax. They look towards the future as a motivation to work. A future of comfort and luxury. Money enough to satisfy their family, enough to provide for their children. They will then consider their duties fulfilled. Though they might wear themselves down in the process, most will consider this to be worth their while.
Born-again Christians use the Word. They look towards the Kingdom, not to the worldly future, and use their present conditions to glorify God and do whatever He wants them to do. They derive strength from God's endless well of strength, and live for the present. They enjoy what God gives them everyday, and look forward to what God has in store for them tomorrow, be it grace or sanctification, which will be gladly accepted to strengthen the spirit.
We treasure our God-given relationship, and do our best to keep the atmosphere around us peaceful and happy. We walk where the Holy Spirit guides us, and when the Holy Spirit rejoices and prompts us to celebrate, we simply do so.
And so we celebrate. Not celebrating ourselves, but celebrating our lives in God. Because in God, everyday is a celebration.
