Hello ,

Life used to be much simpler. Consider the following choices at your typical American supermarket or Big Box store:

• Crest toothpaste: 27 varieties
• Campbell's condensed soup: 53 varieties
• Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice: eight sizes, from 8 to 128 ounces
• Breyers ice cream or frozen dairy dessert: Natural, French, Half the Fat, No Sugar Added, Extra Creamy, Homemade, Lactose Free, CarbSmart (and that's just for vanilla ice cream)
• Cheerios cereal: Original, Honey Nut, Honey Nut Medley Crunch, Apple Cinnamon, Banana Nut, Frosted, Chocolate, Multi Grain, Multi Grain Peanut Butter, Dulce de Leche, Cinnamon Burst
• Tide liquid laundry detergent: Original Scent, Plus Febreze, Plus Febreze Sport, Free & Gentle, Plus Bleach Alternative, Coldwater, Clean Breeze, Mountain Spring, Plus Downy, With Acti-Life
• Head & Shoulders shampoo: Active Sport, Old Spice, Deep Clean, Hair Endurance, Refresh, Extra Strength for Men, Citrus Breeze, Ocean Lift, Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil, Classic Clean, Sensitive Scalp Care, Itchy Scalp with Eucalyptus, Smooth & Silky, Extra Volume, Green Apple, Damage Rescue, Extra Strength, Clinical Strength, plus seven more

Little wonder, then that a 2014 Consumer's Reports survey of nearly 3,000 shoppers found that 36 percent "were overwhelmed by the information they had to process to make a buying decision."*

Feeling overwhelmed yet?  We haven't even left the department store!  Think about all the things in life that claim your attention; the computer, the radio, the billboards, the stores, the crowds, all clamoring for a piece of your time.

Today is another day.  There'll be plenty of things that have the potential to take your mind away from the really important stuff.  Let me challenge you to keep it simple in the spiritual realm.  Spend time in prayer, read your Bible, let God's love permeate your heart in quiet places. 

Jesus needed time alone to connect with Heaven. We need it too!

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word