In What Are You Marinating?

A Few Fuschia

(Small watercolor sketch)

What does the process of marinating food such as meat do?  It boosts and enriches the flavor!  Marinating involves time.  It doesn't happen quickly.  Think of the word 'steeped'.   It means "to soak in, to saturate thoroughly, or to be affected by a pervading influence". So when we look at the 24 hours of our days, what are we allowing ourselves to soak in and be influenced by?  What are we steeping ourselves in?

Much in our culture bombards us continually for attention.  Distraction is a formidable foe in our digital, high tech world.  Many causes and activities compete for our time. So where do we go with this?  

Seek to live an enriched and flourishing life.  Simplify as much as possible.  Life is short and what matters for eternity should color our time usage.   What we are soaking our souls in daily will reflect in the flavor of our life.  The wisest man who ever lived, King Solomon, wrote:  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."  A wellspring is an original and bountiful source of something.  Are you finding that what you are looking at, reading in, and listening to is having a bountiful result for good?  Is it making you a better person, overcoming poor habits, and helping to better others' lives?

I want to encourage you to marinate yourself in what is artful and good.  Benjamin Disraeli, former British Prime Minister, wrote:  "Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."  Great literature, great music, great artwork, and the great outdoors are all sources of inspiration.  These will bring enrichment and flavor to our lives.  The great Apostle Paul perhaps has given us our greatest guideline for marinating our minds in quality compost for the soul.  He encourages us to "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  (Philippians 4:8)  We are to reflect on and thoughtfully consider these categories.   Where is the best source for such noble thoughts as these?  King David wrote in Psalm 1 that our delight should be in God's Word and that we should be meditating on it day and night.  That is the key to a well-watered and flourishing life. Have at it!

Live bravely and beautifully!