Hot Air or Fresh Air?
Yesterday I blogged about sound quality. Today it’s air quality! I’ve heard enough about hot air balloons with deadly or near death catastrophes, that I question the notion that I once had to take a hot air balloon ride – especially in this Austin HOT AIR. Sure it would be a thrill ride to take a hot air balloon ride, but honestly, I prefer longing for fresh air and NOT hot air.
After a hefty meal or a gnarly family discussion, we may get up and announce: “I’m going outside to get some FRESH air”. But, then, with all the air quality control measures and warnings out there, it makes us wonder if fresh air is good for us. From recent studies, the answer is “yes”, depending on the air quality where we’re at. If we’re out camping in one of our beautiful wilderness areas, the answer is a hearty “YES”! I felt that way last year when we were in the mountains of New Mexico. Aw! Fresh air that cleans our lungs.
If the air we’re breathing is clean — which it would be if we’re away from the pollutants of cities, then the air is filled with life-giving, energizing oxygen. If we exercise outdoors, our body will learn to breathe more deeply, allowing even more oxygen to get to our muscles and our brain. Getting plenty of clean, fresh air into our lungs is a good way to keep our brain functioning at tip-top capacity, so bring on the fresh air!
In terms of our attitudes, which are we? Hot air or fresh air? We’ve heard it said about politicians or others who love the sound of their own voices: “They’re just blowing ‘hot air’!” Those folks are usually conceited, braggadocios, tend to exaggerate, and often — full of empty hot air. We want to leave the room when they come in because their hot air causes us to crave some “fresh air”!
And, then there are those who come into a room and we sense “a breath of fresh air just came in.” They create an atmosphere of life-giving, energizing joy and peace and we sense their heart is full of gratitude. Their countenance emits love and kindness. Their gratitude is undeniable even though you know that their circumstances warrant some “hot air” of sadness, weariness, and sorrow. They inspire you to want to take a deep breath and take in their “fresh air”.
I have many “fresh air friends” They are going through real stuff, real heartbreak, real pain, and real circumstances that could make them want to run from it all, but instead, during it all, they are encouragers, bright shining “air filters” that destroy the pollutants of negativity. They know negativism destroys fresh air, so they live just the opposite. They are fresh air proponents. Where does that come from? I believe it comes from deep inside them where God is – where He has taken up occupancy – where He breathes life into them and that’s called abundant fresh air LIFE! They spend time with Him and daily pursue taking on His beauty and His character. They have learned to LOVE as the Master Lover loves us.
I sure do want to be that FRESH AIR to my world – don’t you? The Message Bible’s interpretation of St. Paul’s writings about fresh air in Philippians 2:15-16 says: “Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing.”
I sure do want to be that breath of fresh air to my world – don’t you?