5 Seconds
"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (1 Tim 6:18-19 NIV)
Every morning I spend an hour exercising this aging body of
mine. I do so in hopes of keeping this collection of blood, skin, muscle, and
bones healthy and strong for the rest of my time here. When it comes to
exercising my soul, however, I know that a daily morning workout just isn’t
enough. Our souls are ageless and eternal. They can fill us daily with energy,
vitality, love, joy, and light, but to keep them in shape we need to exercise
them often.
Don’t worry, though. Exercising your soul doesn’t require heavy weights,
expensive machines, or gym club memberships. It just requires a willing heart
and a giving spirit. In fact, some of the best soul exercises I know can be done
in 5 seconds or less. They always leave you feeling better than when you started
them and they can be done anytime of the day as well. Best of all they help get
your soul fit not just for here but for Heaven as well.
Here are just a few of my favorite 5 second soul strengtheners. Feel free to try
them all and then to try out some of your own as well. There is no limit to what
you can do to build a healthy soul. You can: give someone a hug, share a smile,
hold a purring cat, pet a friendly dog, glance joyfully at the sun setting over
the hills, hum a happy song, read an uplifting passage from an inspiring book,
smell a flower, listen to a bird sing, jump in a pile of Autumn leaves, share a
kind word, think a positive thought, pray for someone, wave at a neighbor, laugh
at a good joke, tell someone you love them, tickle a child, smell a baby’s hair,
put some money in a Salvation Army kettle, touch a loved one, look them in the
eye, and listen to them. Most of all you can take those 5 seconds to say, "I
love you God and I thank you for my life here."
Have fun exercising your soul then. Five seconds may not seem like a long time,
but it is long enough to share some love, spread some joy, change a life, and
make Heaven smile.
By: Joseph J. Mazzella