The Mind Map.tv

Tooling Around

emma.lillystone — Sat, 05 May 2012 08:57:22 +0000

Am I allowed to say that I love my mind? I love that it works differently to anyone else’s – that I just think differently to everyone else around me. Being me, in my mind, is an experience like no other. And our minds are an amazing tool.

In the bible Jesus says: “I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world.” Matthew 13 v 35. Our minds allow us to engage with God at another level than emotion. I think that God created our minds – unlike all other animals – for him to explain mysteries to us. I love that our God wants to tell us about the mysteries, and let our minds understand them!

Which is why it’s so important! Let’s celebrate the new mind – and learn to use it in the best way!

Take A Real Break

emma.lillystone — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:19:16 +0000

I got home from a non-stop, hardworking day today, ready just to chill out and listen to some of my favourite instrumental music with no words to distract or annoy me. But when I walked through the door I found that Junior Gilpin, today preferring the acoustics of our house, was home, playing and singing loudly. As I’m a kind father and didn’t want to disturb him I decided to go upstairs to find space to chill out – only to find that the ever-industrious Mrs Mindmap had chosen today to spring-clean that part of the house.

I had to choose a compromise – I sat between the two of them being alternately distracted by the hum of the hoover and my son’s more passionate vocals. I was ready to be annoyed, and my trains of thought were heading very definitely towards self-pity and self-righteousness. Didn’t they realise I had had a very stressful day and needed to rest? The noise was just making me more stressed – and this was meant to be my own home, my place of relaxation!

But then I remembered a verse I’d read that morning. “My soul finds rest in God alone.” (Psalm 62) I started, begrudgingly, to remember the good things that God had done for me. To remember how brilliant He is, that He is my shelter, my protector, my biggest fan. That He has plans and purposes for me, that He will look after me. And as I did, my trains of thought started to re-route to the city of peace and to the river of gladness.

His Hand

emma.lillystone — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 12:26:09 +0000

I’m going to admit it – sometimes when I’m wandering the streets of the city of my mind, or going about my daily business, it’s pretty hard to choose the right direction. The pressure to get it right – to go the right way, take the right train – all of the time – seems a bit much.

Psalm 37 says: “The Lord makes firm the step of the one who delights in him. Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”

I remember trying to walk along the top of walls when I was younger, holding firmly to my Mother’s hand so I didn’t fall. Wherever we go, God is making the route work – He’s holding our hand. I love that in my journey through the Mindmap I’m not walking alone – in this journey as in every other, God is holding me upright.

Manual Not Automatic

emma.lillystone — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 12:33:50 +0000

Mrs Mindmap drives an Automatic – and I hate it! The times I deign to take the driving seat of her car I feel out of control!

In life, though, we’re creatures of habit. Or – at least – I know that I am. I like things a certain way, every time. But it can be dangerous and definitely not helpful to live life on automatic! In our thoughts, our habits and our relationship with God our natural reaction is to slip into automatic, to do what we always do – to switch off and just let it happen.

But it’s time to switch to manual. To take a hold and control of the situation – of your thoughts, what you’re doing – and live purposefully. That way we can come onto new territory, break new ground, go to new places. In life, in our thoughts and with God.

The Early Morning Train

emma.lillystone — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 11:09:30 +0000

I’ve noticed recently that the moment I open my eyes in the morning is key. It’s as though the first train of thought has a snow-plough attached to the front of it, so subsequent trains would find it easier to go that way. Though often it takes me a couple of seconds to work out who I am, where I am and what day it is what happens next can frame my whole day!

If I let my first train of thought go to anxiety town, inferiority city or to fear or to dread it takes a long time for me to pull myself back into a positive attitude, or into good thoughts about the day. So a few days ago, I decided on a plan. No matter if I’ve slept deeply and happily, or dreamt horrible dreams and been kicked by Mrs Mindmap all night I’ve been ensuring that the first thoughts to come out of my mind are positive.

In Philippians 4.2 it says: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

I’ve been thinking about God’s goodness, his love for me and the fact that in him I wake in victory! It’s only been a few days but… so far so good!

Tug Of Noise

emma.lillystone — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:03:50 +0000

I got home from a non-stop, hardworking day today, ready just to chill out and listen to some of my favourite instrumental music with no words to distract or annoy me. But when I walked through the door I found that Junior Gilpin, today preferring the acoustics of our house, was home, playing and singing loudly. As I’m a kind father and didn’t want to disturb him so I decided to go upstairs to find space to chill out – only to find that the ever-industrious Mrs Mindmap had chosen today to spring-clean that part of the house.

I had to choose a compromise – I sat between the two of them being alternately distracted by the hum of the hoover and my son’s more passionate vocals. I was ready to be annoyed, and my trains of thought were heading very definitely towards self-pity and self-righteousness. Didn’t they realise I had had a very stressful day and needed to rest? How was I every going to relax in this place? The noise was just making me more stressed – and this was meant to be my own home, my place of relaxation!

But then (firstly to my own annoyance) I remembered a verse I’d read that morning. “My soul finds rest in God alone.” (Psalm 62). I started, begrudgingly, to remember the good things that God had done for me. To remember how brilliant He is, that He is my shelter, my protector, my biggest fan. That He has plans and purposes for me, that He will look after me. And as I did, my trains of thought started to re-route to the city of peace and to the river of gladness.

If I’d listened to music, chilled out on the sofa or watched some kind of escapist TV (a good documentary or something) I would have been distracted from my thoughts – but God provides real rest that creates a real and deep peace, stills worries and brings joy. God promises in the psalms to lead us by still waters – to bring us to places of rest and peace. We need to let God press the re-set button in that place, instead of trying to manufacture rest ourselves.

Why Not Me?

emma.lillystone — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:17:40 +0000

The other day Mrs Mindmap got a rather fancy invitation to attend a dinner in London with lots of top notch important types. I was stoked! I mean, I know Mrs Mindmap is amazing – I married her after all – but this was a major step in the work she has been doing and I couldn’t wait to enjoy some four-course posh-nosh. Whisking the invitation out of her hands I had a horrible revelation.
The invite was just for one.
In that moment I began to question everything. Why was it only Mrs Mindmap that was invited? Why wasn’t I? Hadn’t I been working just as hard and just as committedly as my wife? Where was my recognition? How come she was being invited to this posh dinner and I was going to have to stay home and look after the cat? It just wasn’t fair.
But as I started on my sulky descent into self righteousness and jealousy I was struck by what this actually meant for Mrs Mindmap. This was a significant step for her and my sulking would only ruin a moment that should be celebrated. My wonderful wife was being given the chance to be influential in important issues and I couldn’t selfishly react and deny the recognition it deserved.
That night, as I read my Bible, I stumbled across this little verse in Matthew 6:
“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
If I’d needed any further prompting to stop my sulking and champion my wife, that was it. My time would come when God was good and ready but for now I needed to stay home and look after the cat.

Think About What You’re Thinking About

emma.lillystone — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:37:57 +0000

Holding Ground

emma.lillystone — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:37:23 +0000

Not So Impossible

emma.lillystone — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 14:54:51 +0000

This morning, while Googling for last minute date night ideas to surprise Mrs Mindmap, I stumbled across a beautiful little quote from Walt Disney. Apparently he once said, “It’s kind of fun doing the impossible.”

I just love that because it’s true! Life is always full of the things that we think are impossible at first glance. Yet, time and again I’ve found myself surprised when what I thought was impossible turns out to be completely probable. Turns out it’s all to do with perspective.

Getting a God’s Eye View on things definitely puts a different spin on the situations I’m in. Matthew 19:26 says “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Standing on the Platform of Prayer with a birdseye view over the cities I’m building shows a differet picture to the one I see standing in the midst of the towering skyscrapers and amongst the bustling streets of complications.

My praise soon flicks a switch and my posture and declaration take a 180 degree spin. When you’re taken away from the imediacy of something and create space for God to move, inspire or encourage you all of a sudden – a lot more becomes possible.