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Monday, 8/11/2025 – Life Is a Breath

Scripture: “‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” – Ecclesiastes 1:2–4 (NIV)

Sometimes life in Monroe can feel like an endless loop—alarm clocks, school drop-offs, commutes up 75 or down 63, grocery runs, soccer practices, church events, and then collapsing into bed just to do it all again. The Teacher in Ecclesiastes knew that feeling. The word for “meaningless” (hebel) means “vapor” or “breath”—something you can feel but can’t hold onto. Life is real and beautiful, but it’s also fleeting. You and I both know how quickly seasons change here—one minute the kids are in elementary school, the next they’re headed off to college; one minute you’re mowing the lawn, the next winter’s snow covers it again.

Recognizing life as a breath isn’t meant to depress us—it’s meant to wake us up. When we stop pretending we can hold onto everything forever, we start treasuring the moments we do have. Today, pause three times—morning, midday, and evening—to take a deep breath and thank the Holy One for that moment. Then look at what’s around you and see if you can notice one gift in it.

Prayer: Eternal God, teach me to treasure each breath and each season You have given me. Help me slow down enough to see the blessings right in front of me. Amen.