I Color. Don’t Judge Me.

I like to color.

I have always liked to color, and just because I am 55 years old doesn’t mean I cannot color. My youngest son and daughter in law gave me a lovely coloring book for Christmas. I quickly tucked away my “Pink Princess” one from the Dollar Tree!

And after all, it is now “officially” deemed relaxing by…….somebody. As my Grandma Smith used to say all the time…THEY say coloring is good for your nerves.”

She could never actually tell me the identity of THEY , but I always believed her. Feel free to google it at this point if you haven’t heard.

While I will not join the debate of whether coloring in pre-designed books is actually to be called “therapy” I will say that it makes you do one thing. Slow down, stop and rest a bit.

In our fast paced society it seems that we need “permission” to rest. I am guilty, even still in my semi-retired life. When I am at home I feel that I need to be productive in some way. And productivity in my mind is defined as creating or accomplishing something that requires mental or physical work. And quite frankly, I do see the finished project after it is colored and feel some level of accomplishment!

But it also includes my spiritual life. I have to remind myself over and over that I have been given so much when I received salvation. My eternal life was guaranteed by Christ’s sacrifice. But I was also given the right to enter into His Rest.

I do not have to worry endlessly, work non stop or try to earn my salvation. I don’t have to please others, or prove myself….I simply have surrendered my life to Him and I allow Him to live His life through me. I choose to “rest” in who I am in Christ. I choose to “rest” in Him for my life.

That is a big deal and I am not sure I will ever totally understand it. But when I color, I choose to “rest” in those moments. My mind might wander, but soon I am seeing the delight of the colors, the designs, the shapes.

My hubby is the artist of the family, so I can not actually create a picture or painting. And yet, when I color I am reminded of the beauty in which I was created. How each colored picture in these manufactured books are all different because of the person who chose the colors and positioned those colors in the pattern.

I can “rest” in the fact that my creator knew exactly what He was doing when He created me to do exactly what I am doing in this season of my life. I can choose “rest” in Him.

I can just hear my Jesus saying…..“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
And so can you. Choose to rest….

And hey, why not pick up a coloring book while you are at it?

IN CHRIST ALONE