Rest Day

Having been retired for almost 8 years, it is rare that I need a day of rest. 
It's been a pretty busy week for my usually dormant life and I am looking forward to doing very little today. Tomorrow will find me back in the car and on the road, so it's an easy day but with its own kind of stress. 

The morning fire in the fireplace and my last cup of coffee from Oaxaca Mexico is a fine way to begin the day. 
I'm curious about how others begin their day to set themselves up for a good day. I know people that spend time in prayer, reading the Bible, or practicing a morning meditation. 
I know that there are many people that attack (a purposefully chosen word) the day seeking to conquer any problems or problem people that get in their way, while others just roll with the tide and sail seemingly unencumbered by the trials and struggles of the people around them. 

I do wish that I would have been more mindfully aware earlier in life. I think that I've always been pretty positive in my approach to life, but I also believe that I wasted a lot of time and energy trying to convince less positive people that there is a better way. It was an occupational hazard of an evangelist/preacher.
Now that I'm out of the "you need to change so God will love you" mindset I can work on the "I need to change so I can see that God already loves you (and me, too)" mindset.
It's a strange phenomena that evangelicals pull every text about the depravity of man out of the Bible to use against us, but fail to use the creation story of God looking at all of creation (including humankind) and declaring it good, very good!

If you need a restful mantra to begin your day, try this:
Look in the mirror or just close your eyes and repeat this to yourself,
"I am created by God, in the image of God. God looks at me and says that I am good, very good!"

John