Blog for November 4th, 2024
Ruminate
To Ruminate: To think deeply about something. 2. Repetitive thinking or dwelling on negative feelings and distress and their causes and consequences.
As I’m settling in from my trip up north where I visited my grandson and his cute little family, I am “ruminating” about my time with them this week. It was a wonderful visit, and I feel blessed and happy that I got to spend time with them. We didn’t do anything too wild or crazy, but we certainly enjoyed each other.
My objective was to be a bit of a helper to my granddaughter in-law, as she just had a baby a month ago. I wanted to see this little precious darling and help however I could for the few days I was there. My grandson had been given about four weeks off but was now back to work. Did I mention this is their third son?
They do have their hands full, as the oldest is special needs and the middle two-year-old is pretty rambunctious, but so adorable. I love them all dearly. I did as much as I could to help and to have a nice visit with them all, it was a bonding time.
At one point we were all getting ready to go somewhere and that always takes a big effort on the parents’ part. We were getting ready to leave and I wondered where my granddaughter was, I found her, sitting on a little step stool, in the back bathroom, just sitting there. I asked if she was alright, she said she was “ruminating”. I asked her about what and she told me, but I thought, “wow, what a thoughtful, caring mother she is” because she was giving some good thought to her son’s education, something she was a bit distressed about. She is a beautiful person, inside and out.
Since that moment I’ve been “ruminating” about her rumination. Lol. As most of us do give deep thought to our perplexing situations in life, we stop, and being careful, give thoughtful and prayerful attention to these situations. Especially when it involves the people we love most dearly. Our children and spouses are usually high on our ruminating chart.
My recovery has taught me to do that, mostly by working the steps, especially step ten and eleven. I need to consider my actions deeply with the love and care that my Higher Power wants me to. For instance: A while back, my husband and I had some meditations that had to with watching our words. I gave that a lot of thought, in fact, I am still ruminating on it, because it matters greatly. I’d like to tell you that I am really good at watching what I say to people, especially newcomers, but I don’t know if that is true. In fact, I’m sure it’s not. Something else to ruminate on, right?
I mostly like to think on these things, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.” Phil. 4:8 And it goes on to say, think about being joyful, focus on peace, The real kind of peace that only God can give us when we give all those concerns and thoughts up to Him. That… will be my daily rumination. But not in the negative way that some definitions suggest, but in a thoughtful, prayerful way.
As America goes out to vote for a new president this week, I will give a lot of thought to my vote, not just for the presidential election and our country, but also all the measures, bonds and propositions. This is a scary time in our country and by Wednesday we will know more about the direction we will head in for the next four years.
I hope and pray you all have a good week, ruminate on your votes, your own life, recovery, family and spiritual condition. Remember to think on the things are true, pure, lovely, commendable, praiseworthy, joyful and peaceful.
Question of the Week: What are you ruminating about?
