“This will be a sign for you—“ Luke 2:12
April is National Stress Awareness Month, National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and April 4th is National Day of Hope. These reminders give us pause for thought as we enter a new month—EASTER month—when we renew our faith with celebration. Our religious holidays prompt different emotions within our Mind-Body-and Spirit. Christmas gives us HOPE, Pentacost lights a fire in our heart, Lent encourages us to recall sacrifice, and Easter gives us the JOY of Resurrection. Each is a ‘sign’ for us to react in a different way. I recently read a statement that said,
“SIGNS JOG OUR MIND TO TAKE ACTION”.
I was driving down Cornville Road and encountered the series of “Burma Shave Style” signs meant to jog the mind to action. They read as follows:
WELCOME TO CORNVILLE: “WELCOME” stood out as the directive. We can welcome Jesus into our life as our guide, friend, mentor, and sustainer. We welcome new neighbors into our family of faith with enthusiasm. We welcome new habits that improve our health and well being.
A QUIET PLACE: “QUIET” is a directive. Find daily time of quiet. Seek quiet to renew our mind, body, and spirit, as only that ‘pause that refreshes’ can. Take a time of quiet to listen to others and to God speaking just to us. Reflect in quiet to relieve stress, reorganize time, remember, and renew.
PLEASE SLOW DOWN: “SLOW DOWN” can be our directive. In our lives of rush, speed, quick interaction, and everything run by the clock, taking time to slow down can be a life saver. Taking a deep breath and backing off our pace allows reduction of stress, awareness of actions, and safety.
TO A LEISURELY PACE: “LEISURELY” gives us directive. Leisure is defined as, ‘freedom from demands of work or duty; free time to enjoy rest, hobbies, sport, etc.; unhurried ease’. Incorporating leisure into each day allows release of stress, improvement of health and wellness, improvement in our relationships with family and loved ones, and time to celebrate hope.
Be alert to the signs around you that will prompt you toward mind, body, and spiritual wellness.
Alice Stephenson BSN,RN,PN
Parish Nurse Consultant
928-634-1959