influence.

My whole life, it seems, I've gone to great lengths just to be original.

A simple but substantiated example, I'll take you back to the 7 year old Sarah.  As a general rule, kids seem to love candy.  As I didn't want to be like every other kid, I made a hard line decision that I did not like candy ... and actually stuck to it.  After swimming lessons, we were allowed to pick a treat from the concession.  My siblings (naturally) all grabbed candy.  But not me.  I picked ichiban noodles so that I wouldn't fit into that stereotype.  A little hardcore(!).  Because of the few many examples in my life to "swim upstream"/"go against the grain", my husband sometimes calls me out on it to see if what I am about to do is really because I want to OR am I just trying to be different...

As much as I think I am being or have been "unique", along the way I have picked up on the mentality that: nothing can impact my originality.  I think back to king Solomon's words, "nothing is new under the sun" and agree completely ... but how easily I forget how I, as Sarah, can:
     1. not ever have an entirely original idea (nothings new, right?). and,
     2. be influenced and/or swayed by peoples opinions & perspectives a lot more than I'd like to admit

influence: [noun] the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something; or the effect itself

The world we live in at the moment has a grip on our psyche.  Images EVERYWHERE penetrate into our minds, whether we like it or not.  Consumerism GRABS our attention and plants seeds of needing that very item.  Social media can route our thoughts to COMPLACENCY by comparing our lives and stuff with our virtual friends.  And so on.

I'm not here to knock these platforms nor am I going to rant on about how the world today is this-n-that.  It's just that I've come to realize that I can be very influenced.  So subtly.  Style, ideas of how I think a situation or time of life should run its course, perspective, etc - I know all have been effected at one point or another.

So, how do I want to be influenced?  

I want veracity and authenticity to be my make-up.  The words I hear to be encouraging, challenging.  The voices telling me what to consume to be selling me out on God's awesomeness.

What does God tell me about filling my mind?

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! 

Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute....

I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things  t r u e , noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—t h e  b e s t , not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse..." ~ phil. 4:4-5, 8

We all get to choose what influences and grips us ... 

How or what will you fill your mind with today?


pic pix: nature study - creative influence, 14.Apr.3014, around home