New Task: Smell Better.

I stole an idea from a friend today.
He has a book idea.  And after he told me his idea, I decided a chapter I would write.  Now, I can't tell you his idea because that would just be wrong, but I'm going to tell you about my epiphany.  His book is slated to finish when he turns 30, so while you are anxiously awaiting it's arrival you can read his blog.  I think it's pretty good.

I figured out a new direction in life.  That's right ladies and gentleman.  I have a goal.  Praise the Maker!
This new goal is to live life richly.
Don't get any crazy ideas.  I won't be rolling up on dubs or sporting a rolex.  Which obviously is the first thing you think of when you think of being rich.  [and i won't be showering more frequently as the title of this post might suggest.  bahaha.]

No, I want to live richly in the sense that I'm full and overflowing with the good stuff.  Love. Joy. Peace. Patience.  Kindness.  Goodness.  Faithfulness.  Gentleness.  Self-control.  [Galatians 5:22] No matter what time zone I'm in, what my occupation-or lack there of-happens to be, regardless of my company or circumstance.  I don't want to be found lacking in zeal.  [Romans 12:11]  I feel as though I've met people who do this.  You happen upon them in the line at the super market, work next to their cubicle or run into them on the a street corner where they are directing traffic for a road race [this happened to me this morning] and you walk away feeling refreshed.  They are a breath of fresh air.  Fresh air for a stuffy soul.  And I want to be that person.  So full of the Spirit that it alarms people's senses.  Yes, alarms them, pleasantly of course, but rattles them up a little bit causing them to consider life and consider God after getting a whiff.

Determined to gain this new found richness, I contemplated buying a trinket.
I was thinking about all this while browsing through The Bridge in Holland and thought, "Ah ha!  I just had a breakthrough and I should definitely buy something to remind me of this discovery!"  I tried on a couple pairs of earrings, and then looked at rings.  And then realized that I was an idiot.

Having a bauble is not going to help me in this venture.
It's not that easy.
I love sentimentality to be sure.  But over time my talisman would loose it's power and it would just become something I remembered the meaning behind occasionally when I took the time to think about it really hard.  Which, by the way, is something I never understood about tattoos inked to remind people of something.  Maybe it's just me, but I start to tune things out after they aren't new any more.  [the root of several "problems" in my life? possibly?]  I've digressed.

I just have to put in the time.
I have to do the hard work.
Choosing love.  Claiming joy.  Practicing peace.  Deciding on patience.  Seeking kindness.  Pursuing goodness.  Acting on faithfulness.  Desiring gentleness.  Mustering up self-control.
The work won't be done tomorrow.
Unfortunately.
But I'll be working on it.
And I pray the one day, a refreshing odor will be coming from my general direction.