"Take every thought captive"

That idea of taking every thought captive is one my DH struggled with. When I spoke to him about it, he'd just look at me with that "deer in the headlights" look. I found this great little write up in my e-mail today. It does not mention God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible......... But it is a great little write up on taking every thought captive and spiritual warfare from a less religious point of view. I thought I'd share it:

All is well. Come on, you can say it. Take a big deep breath and say, ALL IS WELL. When you say "all is well" and you are bombarded with buts, those are buts that are powerless if you will do this exercise! It is something I was taught as a child by my grandfather and it has served me for well over 60 years. It will help you too. Oh, and it's kind of fun!

First, imagine that your mind is like your home. Like your home, it has a front door and YOU are in control of whom you let in (those would be thoughts). So imagine the doorbell rings and you go to the door and open it to see a huge long line of Darth Vaders, mixed in with a bunch of Eyores and let's throw in a big bad wolf or two. Each scary character has a different sign: gloom, doom, fear me, worry about this, what about that?, I'm angry, why me?, wha, wha, wha, (you get the idea). The line goes as far as you can see! Now, all you have to do is say "All is well" to the first Darth in line with his sign and he will vanish. Each and every negative character will disappear with your words "all is well"; because those words are like magic on negative thoughts. You are in control of the front door to your mind and you have protection just as you are in control of whom you allow into your home. The words "all is well" are as affective on negative thoughts as a can of mace would be on an unwanted intruder.

Second, imagine that some of your favorite people in your life are in line. (Right now stop reading and mentally run through ten of your favorite people and while you're at it, imagine each one laughing because of happiness.) Invite those happy people into your home (mind). Now invite in some of your favorite things. A summer breeze, fresh apple pie, FlyLady's smile, new shoes, a wallet stuffed with hundred dollar bills, a sleeping baby, the aroma of new mown hay, a shiny sink, lunch with a favorite friend are some of mine. My grandfather taught me in the most loving way that we must stand guard at the doorway of our thoughts and let only those that nurture goodness and well-being. In especially hard times we need to encourage thoughts that give us relief.

When events happen beyond our control we can still control our thoughts, feelings and emotions. If we choose not to we can get buried in sort of a group negative soup.

Once on a very turbulent flight to visit FlyLady, upon the approach (ten minutes from landing) a young flight attendant "lost it." She came over the loud speaker and said, "Ladies and gentlemen the captain has informed me we are in a very dangerous storm!!! Please get in your seats immediately!!! Those in your seats, tighten your seat belts very tight because we are in for a very dangerous landing!!! The huge jet dipped and lurched sideways and lurched and dipped again almost as if to demonstrate what the flight attendant had reported.

I was seated in the center seat with a young girl at the window who began to cry (quietly) and a missionary on her way to Russia in the aisle seat who began praying out loud. I was frozen with fear and as I've told God before, "When it's time for me to go, please don't tell me! Just shoot me, or take me in my sleep, but don't tell me I have ten minutes before IT happens." Reminding God how I felt about what was happening I made myself take a few deep breaths to calm myself down and I put my hand on the young woman's arm to comfort her as an older woman and mother would do. I managed to say to her, "It'll be alright. All is well."

As I took my third breath and quieted my raucous mind, a clear sweet thought came into my head (I know this voice). It said, "It's over. Look out the window and look up." Whenever I sit in the center seat I don't like to look out the window because I don't want to get in the window seat person's space, but when I heard this directive, I minded. I leaned over and looked out and up. Up above, the clouds were angry and black and it was obvious that we'd flown through the storm and were now under it, for there was clear blue sky down below and ahead of us. The next five minutes were as smooth as honey and the landing was a 10!

What happens in the world is often like what happens on a flight during a storm. We can't drive the plane but we can tend to our own thoughts. As you go through your day, and the days to come, stand guard and mace those fears with a big deep breath and the words, ALL IS WELL.

Imagine the power that could be added by adding God into the mix--so much more than positive thoughts, but the actual power of God. Perhaps you could quote scripture "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" or "I am more than a conqueror" or "(You) are the God that heals me" or whatever is appropriate. There are many scriptures you could use. Dig some out for yourself and the next time the Darth Vaders line up at the door of your mind, zap them. This works, folks. There's power in the word of God. It will change your mind. It will change your life. Just keep saying the scripture you found every time you recognize that Darth Vader is whispering in your ear again.

I've had times when I've repeated the same scripture what seemed like every thirty seconds for hours, because Darth Vader is a persistent cuss. But, if you hang in there, the torture Darth Vader brings to the mind will go away.