Feeling a little scattered? Overcome by the piles, the clutter, the STUFF? I know I have these feelings at times. Well I may have a fix for you. My BFF Amie is hosting a give away on her blog from the organizing guru Krista Colvin Organize the Whole Shebang! Got to Amie’s blog and leave a comment about what you want to organize or why you love to organize. The winner will be chosen on Friday so head on over there and comment away!
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As I write this I am so happy. I am so content. I am alone. Thankful for the hours my loving husband gave me to go off and do as I please. After a couple quick, necessary errands that needed to done I found my way to a coffee shop with laptop in hand. I plug in my headphones and block out the rest of the world. Just for these next couple hours I can just be. I can slowly unload all those thoughts that have been piling up in my head. One by one as they are filed away in the proper place I start breathing a little deeper. My head gets clearer and I’m feeling a little more in control of the spinning that tends to happen in my head.
As I get older I’m learning new things about myself. I guess that is a good thing, right? I’m learning that I’m more of an introvert than I thought or more than I wanted to admit before. My husband always told me I was but I wanted to be the fun, extrovert. Life of the party. Maybe I am in the right crowd. But what energizes me more and more is time by myself. Time to think, to process, to dream, to create.
Time to just be me.
Sigh.
It feels good.
We are keeping the family monthly memory verses going and in the spirit of Valentines Day we chose a verse about love. Because really His love is the best to share with others.
Isn’t it?
We love because he loved us first! 1 John 4:19
On Wednesday mornings I go to a 5:30 am spin class. It kicks my butt and I love it. It is a fight all the way. But I do it.
It’s a fight to get up in the morning, especially if I didn’t get to bed at a decent time or I was up with the kids for whatever reason. It’s fight to get a bike. It is a popular class and a limited amount of bikes. I have to get there a good 20 min early to get on a bike. That’s a good chunk of time when we are talkin the wee hours of the morning. I know, craziness. The instructor pushes us from the moment we start riding until the big hand finally reaches the 6:20 mark. He says “Just because you added resistance doesn’t mean you slow down your pace. You keep moving.” That was good enough for me this morning when I was on my bike to keep me going but I got to thinking (while I my lungs were burning and my legs felt like noodles) “Do I do the same thing in my relationship with Jesus?” Do I fight just as much to keep my relationship going with Him? When life gets hard or busy or I just don’t feel like it. Do I fight to be close to Him, surrendering all to Him? I would like to say yes! of course! But I don’t. The honest truth is sometimes I fight harder to get a good work out in than I do in my relationship with Jesus. I instantly see the results of my physical workout. I’m sweating, it gives me energy, the endorphins are flowing and I’m feeling pretty good when I leave the gym. But I don’t always “see” the results of spending time with God. I don’t always “feel” better when I give my all to Him and surrender my day. Sometimes it is really hard to surrender all, to put Him first, to fight through the resistance. And so I let it slide at times. The effects quickly show up in my attitude, my choices, my motivations, my thought life. Not pretty.
Reality: I just don’t fight for complete obedience like I do to get a good bike in my spin class. Ugh. That’s some honesty for you.
I don’t want that to be true. I want Him to be what I fight for most. Because He is worth more than anything I can feel or see. He fought for me. He gave His life for me. He gives more than I ask for, He loves, He is eternal.
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. You have filled my heart with greater joy! Psalm 4:6-7
And so I ask, “What are you fighting for most each day?”
Have you ever met someone that just click with? From the moment you meet you just kinda get the feeling that your going to be good friends for the long haul? It’s a good feeling, isn’t it? Yes, one of the best blessings from God I think. Especially for a girl transplanted from California to Indiana not knowing anyone. I had that “feeling” when I met my friend Jenni not even a year ago. She was one of the very first people I met when we moved to Indy. Our husbands met through Twitter (isn’t that cute?) and she quickly became more than an acquaintance, but my first true friend in Indy. We share many similarities: mommies of twins, runners, love to bake and craft and most importantly a love for Jesus and our families. Jenni is one of the most passionate people I know and I love that about her. This passion of hers is leading her and her husband to South Africa this Spring to care for children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Jenni and Andy wanted to celebrate their 10th anniversary in a memorable, meaningful way and this is how they are doing it. Pretty cool, huh? To help fund their trip Jenni is selling up-cycled tshirt scarves. Read more about their story here and how you can help them. I am so excited for Jenni and thankful I get to be a small part in this amazing opportunity!
C’mon you know want to be sporting a super cute tshirt scarf. Confession: I wear one like everyday. It just makes you feel little cuter and that you have some style even when you haven’t showered. In fact I’m wearing one now with my comfy pants. So go right now and buy a scarf or two or more. They would be great gifts for any reason or occasion with a special meaning behind it. All in the name of love.
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The past couple of years I have picked a word or two for the year. Something I want to focus on, study, make a point to remember and practice as the year rolls on. I take some time to pray and think about it at the end of the year/start of the next year. I don’t really know how to explain how I decide it’s just something I feel in my heart. So without further ado…
Let the drum roll begin…..
My words for 2012 are obedience and humility.
Obedience. I want to strive for obedience in all that I do. How I act, talk, my motivations, how I treat others, respond to my husband and parent our kids. I want to be obedient to wherever God calls me to, whatever he calls me to do and be. I want to practice obedience even when it’s uncomfortable, or when I think I know better. Abiding in Him in all that I do, with all that I am.
Humility. The longer I am a Christian the more I see how much I need help. How I can’t do this thing called life on my own. How as much as I would like to have it altogether… I don’t. Nope, I don’t. And I’ve come to the hard realization I never will have it all together. I need others and most importantly I need Him. I want to continue to grow in humility before Him and before others. It’s messy at times and causes more feelings of uncomfortableness. It’s scary too when you just let it all go and stand there with your messiness in front of others, in front of Him. But I am convinced, yes I believe good, good things come out of that messiness when we aren’t afraid to show it. When we take down the walls, open up our heart, peel back the layers and are truly know by others. Most importantly by the One who loves and knows us most.
So there it is, obedience and humility.
Let the journey begin…
It could be in the still, quiet of the early morning. Maybe you are alone. Maybe you have a little one sitting next to you. It could be loud with this and that going on around you but in your small inner space it is quiet. Maybe its in the middle of the day while eating lunch, over coffee or with an afternoon snack. It could be late at night, when the day is done, everyone is in bed and all is quiet once again.
Whatever the time of day it is He is there. He is listening. He is waiting for you to stop and take some time with Him. He wants to speak to us, fill us with hope for the day, reminders of His promises, His truth and love. Yes, He is listening to us but He wants us to listen to Him as well. Even when the “to-do” list is longer than usual, when the day just doesn’t start out right, even when every obstacle it seems is getting in your way. Because all those things will happen and more. Just do it. Stop. Listen. And take time with Him.
What are you listening to?
Hope you are all enjoying this special time with family and friends. We are loving this time together as a family to celebrate a season of joy and newness of the new year approaching. Soaking in every minute!
merry christmas and happy new year!
This is a clever little saying I’ve come up to keep our kids on track with whatever it may be: reading, cleaning rooms, getting dressed. Sure it is so easy to get distracted by the TV that may be on, that toy across the room or what our sister is doing. Lots of distractions all around us.
Well the kids are not the only ones who need to hear this. I do too! With Christmas cards still sitting on my desk to be mailed (if you are expecting one from us, it’s coming!), sugar cookie dough in the fridge waiting to be baked, gifts still to be made, bags to be packed for Christmas traveling there is a lot to distract me from the most important. This isn’t to mention the three little people that are hyped up on extra sugar and full of Christmas spirit making things a little bit more interesting to get things done.
So I’m putting forth the extra effort to keep myself focused on what matters most. Starting my day with Him, gleaning the extra patience needed for the abundant energy all around, the wisdom in what to do and what not to do and the ability to keep the joy and hope of this season alive when it so easily can be lost.
If only it was a hocus pocus magic trick with the wave of a wand that we could keep our focus on Him. But it is not that way. It takes time, prayer, and discipline to keep our gaze upon Him. I pray that just not now at Christmastime but all year long our focus would be on Him. Because His is always on us.
Oh little town of bethlehem, how still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by Yet in they dark streets shineth, the everlasting light
The hopes and 
fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.
For christ is born of mary, and gathered all above While mortals sleep the angels keep their watch of wondering love Oh morning stars together, proclaim the holy birth. And praises sing to God the king, and peace to men on earth.
How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heaven No ear may hear his coming, but in this world of sin Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear christ enters in.
Oh holy child of bethlehem, descend to us we pray Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today We hear the christmas angels, the great glad tidings tell O come to us, abide with us, our lord emanuel.