{"id":121,"date":"2012-10-22T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=121"},"modified":"2012-10-22T13:00:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-22T13:00:00","slug":"to-color-or-not","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=121","title":{"rendered":"To Color or Not?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever experienced mental exhaustion? Brain tiredness? Boy I have. There have been times when I\u2019m just not able to calculate, work through, or analyze another thing. My brain is just plain tired.<\/span>
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On my recent trip to SE Asia I experienced this almost daily. I saw and experienced so many things in a day that by the time my head hit the pillow at night, I couldn\u2019t think of another thing, let alone analyze anything I had seen. So I\u2019d just go to sleep and pray for a fresh start the next morning. The problem was that I just added more experiences and sights to my already overloaded brain.<\/span><\/div>\n
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It\u2019s been two weeks now since I\u2019ve returned and I\u2019m recalling incidents that I could never have remembered or thought about there. It\u2019s amazing how our brains store such pieces of information. <\/span><\/div>\n
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For fun, I read through magazines that have little impact upon my life. Oh I might find a recipe I\u2019ll stash away for the future or I\u2019ll read a section on weight loss and wonder if I\u2019ll ever lose the weight I need to lose, but for the most part, it\u2019s just something light.<\/span><\/div>\n
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In a recent article I saw a little blurb about coloring. Now I love to color. I\u2019ve just never been in the habit of coloring without my children or grandchildren. But according to this little paragraph, perhaps I should consider it more often.<\/span><\/div>\n
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According to British researchers, \u201ccoloring just two minutes can increase your mental energy by as much as 29%.\u201d These researchers believer that \u201cthe repetitive, precise motion stimulates the brain\u2019s alertness center.\u201d[i]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
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Yes that is one way, but another way to increase mental energy is by saturating it with God\u2019s Word and His message.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Scripture tells us that God examines our minds (Psalm 7:9; Psalm 26:2; and Jeremiah 17:10). Our minds are the one place we can hold secrets from our earthly friends and family, but God knows those secrets. He gets into the nooks and crannies and knows our thoughts. When I think of it this way, I am even more determined to keep the awful thoughts out.<\/span><\/div>\n
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So just how can we free our minds of unwanted thoughts and mental exhaustion? Romans 12:2 (NIV) gives us insight. \u201cDo not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God\u2019s will is\u2014his good, pleasing and perfect will.\u201d<\/i> We must first allow God to transform our minds.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Then our minds need a new attitude. \u201cYou were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off our old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.\u201d<\/i> (Ephesians 4:22-24 \u2013 NIV)<\/span><\/div>\n
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Our minds must be prepared and ready for action. \u201cTherefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.\u201d <\/i>(1 Peter 1:13 \u2013 NIV)<\/span><\/div>\n
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So what are the results? First, we\u2019ll gain peace. But just not any peace, you\u2019ll gain God\u2019s perfect peace. \u201cYou will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.\u201d <\/i>(Isaiah 26:3 \u2013 NIV)<\/span><\/div>\n
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And then, because your mind is set on God, you\u2019ll be able to pray more effectively. \u201cThe end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.\u201d <\/i>(1 Peter 4:7 \u2013 NIV)<\/span><\/div>\n
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So if your mind is faltering, flailing, or feeling fatigued, you have a few options. You can color or you can rely on God\u2019s strength, wisdom, and expertise in renewing, restoring, and refreshing your mind.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Let me know what works for you. How do you keep your mind focused when you are most distracted? How do you use God in situations like this? Are you a colorer or a depender? Perhaps you are both? Whatever it is, let me know. I\u2019d love to hear from you!<\/span><\/div>\n
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Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/span><\/div>\n
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Donna<\/span><\/div>\n

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[i]<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> Women\u2019s World<\/i>, Volume XXXIII, Number 44, October 29, 2012<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever experienced mental exhaustion? Brain tiredness? Boy I have. There have been times when I\u2019m just not able to calculate, work through, or analyze another thing. My brain is just plain tired. On my recent trip to SE Asia I experienced this almost daily. I saw and experienced so many things in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_s2mail":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,24,17,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accepting-god","category-asking-god","category-obeying-god","category-seeing-god"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}