I don't like change. I like having changed.
You’d think after doing this 13 times I would have figured this out:
Moving is hard.
I hadn’t anticipated this one being hard. I mean, we’ve moved across states, moved with less than a few day’s notice, moved into other people’s houses (with them not living there), moved into other people’s houses (with them living there!), moved into a windowless cave and a creepy dive apartment, and even moved just a few weeks after giving birth to our babygirl.
In other words, I kind of get the moving thing.
But, for whatever reason, this one knocked the wind out of me. We hadn’t been in the house but a few minutes when Heidi cruised around the corner and cracked her head on countertop.
And then we all basically spent our whole first week bumping into stuff. We bumped into each other as we learned to house-share, kitchen-share, bathroom-share, as we tried (and failed) to give each other grace and exercise patience and why did it take all my energy just to get our family to function on the most basic level??
But, as any rationally-minded person could have predicted, exactly a week into life at our new house, we finally found our groove. The kids finally remembered where the bathroom was in the middle of the night. I finally found that one box I’d been looking for. We finally figured out how to take a shower in our funny claw-foot tub. And by God’s grace, on that week-anniversary of life in our home, we all gave a collective sigh and said, Ahh…we’re home.
It just takes time.
This last weekend, I joined a dear group of women for a retreat entitled Changed. I’d never thought about the fact that the title is changed, past tense. I’ve always been passionate about being changed. I’m writing a book right now that’s passionately pleading with women to embrace the holy revolution for ordinary days, the sacred mundane way of life that produces a changed life from the inside out. But, like many things, I like the past tense form and not so much the present.
I don’t like change. I like having changed.
Do I love writing? I love having written. Do I love speaking? I love having spoken. Do I love running? I love having run.
Isn’t that the truth with almost anything worthwhile? I love having changed. I love when I can look back and truly see that God has made me new. He’s transformed my heart and habits. He’s filed away my rough edges and made me more like His Son.
But I don’t necessarily like the present-tense part. Change. I don’t like the part where I’m running into things, where I can’t figure out my routine and where it takes all my energy just to function on the most basic level.
But I, we, have to remember: it just takes time.
Whatever resolutions you have made for 2013, whatever changes you’re earnestly attempting, you may be in the season right now where you’re just bumping around. Knocking your head on the countertop and trying to figure out just how to take a shower. It takes an enormous amount of energy to establish new habits. And I pray that however frustrated you may feel–keep on keeping on. Keep getting up to read God’s Word. Keep making healthy choices for your body. Keep getting down on your knees in prayer. Keep loving that person who challenges you so much.
Keep on making those new grooves, beating down those new paths so your feet will eventually go that way without a thought. It just takes time. And in the meantime, in the struggle, we need extra doses of grace.
Grace from God that fills all the gaps and gives us the courage to keep going.
Here’s to grace for you this week as you keep on keeping on. Thanks for reading.
Just saying hi.
Hey Sacred Mundane family,
I’ve been hit with a cold, and I’m taking off in a few hours to speak at a women’s retreat, so I apologize for no scheduled post today but I’ve been snuggling with the Littles, sleeping, making ahead meals, and drinking OJ like nobody’s business.
But I thought it’d be fun to step away from the scheduled posts and just say, Hi.
Hi.
And, Thanks. Thanks for visiting this place each day and thanks for reading. Thanks for commenting and letting me know your thoughts, ideas, frustrations, and dreams. Thanks for making yourselves vulnerable as I make myself vulnerable, and thanks for sharing all this redeeemed-mess with those God has placed in your path. YOU are what make this place so much fun … it’d be so lonely without you!
As I mentioned, I’m leaving in a few hours for a women’s retreat. As much as I love writing, I love connecting with you women in person even more! It’s so hard to really convey God’s heart, love, and truth behind the screen, but in person He adds such color and warmth and life–a three-dimensional experience is such a gift! So, if you have a women’s event at your church and are looking for a speaker, I’d love to join you! Many of you have already checked out the speaking page, but if you haven’t, check out 2013’s retreat offering, and maybe there would be a fit. I’m also excited to share we’ll be developing a Sacred Mundane retreat this year, so stay tuned for that.
That’s all for today. Would you also consider lifting me up in prayer, that God would heal this cold today and give me strength and vitality to speak His word with passion, boldness, and conviction? Thank you so much. I pray your weekend is full of His presence as you seek Him in the sacred mundane.
Love,
Kari
Because you don't need to hide
Where was Heidi?
One afternoon before Christmas the kids were playing when I realized Heidi wasn’t in the room. I peeked in the kitchen, not there, then pushed open our bedroom door. I heard a slight rustle so I silently tiptoed along the side of the bed and peered over the footboard.
She was peeking at a particular pink gift tucked into a gift-bag.
Startled, she looked up at me, eyes-wide, and her face froze. I knew what would happen. I was her 29 years ago. Her lower lip began to quiver and for several moments her face slowly contorted as she tried to hold it in — but it gushed out.
Wail. Sob. Hysterical crying. Caught guilty she melted in a heap of tears. I can remember exactly the same feeling.
I held out my arms to Heidi and she ran into them. Tears streaming down her face, burying her face in my neck, refusing to look up. Jeff, who had followed me in and seen the whole thing, began to talk to her. She hid her face deep in my neck, wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t look at him.
She sobbed, took a breath, “I wan’ go to bed.”
“It’s not bedtime — you want to go to bed now?”
“Yes! Pease I need go to bed!”
“Do you want to go to bed because you know you did naughty?”
She just broke down again, dug her face deeper in my neck, wouldn’t answer. Oh sweet girl I understand.
“Heidi, I know you want to go to bed and hide because you did naughty, but Mommy is not mad. I just want you to tell mommy you’re sorry for looking at things you shouldn’t, and ask mommy to forgive you.”
I thought it would take coaxing but it came quick. I remember that feeling too — tormented by guilt is a terrible place to be.
“Mommy, I suhwey for looking at thing I shouldn’t. You please ‘uhgive me?”
I smiled wide, nuzzled her nose, make sure she sees my smile all the way through my eyes.
“Yes, baby-girl. I forgive you. Thank you for telling me. Mommy loves you.” Then she asks if we can get a blanket and snuggle together. Of course I find the softest one — the one from the foot of our bed — and we snuggle up together. Inhale each other’s breath.
“Mommy, I wan’ keep you forever.”
“I wan’ keep you forever too babygirl.”
–
Oh sweet girl, I remember being you. I remember sneaking into mom’s closet one December day 28 years ago. Seeing the brown stuffed teddybear with the homemade sweater mom had knit for it. I saw it, then was plagued with guilt. Overwhelmed. It ruined all the joy.
It made me want to hide.
Because that’s what sin does. Every time. From humanity’s first sin we’ve done it. What did Adam and Eve do right after eating the fruit? They hid from God.
Humanity’s been hiding ever since. From God and from each other.
But once again I will sing this same song: There is freedom in repentance. As my son says it, “When we say sorry, Jesus forgives.” He does, when we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. He pulls us close, looks us in the eyes, smiles a smile that warms our souls and heals all that’s broken.
Remembering this from a few years back. Is there anything that’s making you hide, dear friend? That shame and guilt need not be yours! Hide no more. Go quick to confession — He’s waiting to hold you near. Thanks for reading.
Habits.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
~
Habits. They make us who we are. I have plenty of bad ones. When I’m writing, and focusing intently, lost in thought, trying to find the right word, I pull back on my cuticles with my other fingers. It makes my nails look dry and awful. Oh well. I also hardly ever wash my hair, but I haven’t yet decided if that’s a good habit or a bad habit. Depends who you ask. Also, if I’m staying at home several days in a row, I’ll will wear the same pants and shirt over and over (and over and over). I know, disgusting. Oh, and I will re-use my cast-iron skillets throughout the day without washing them in between. I figure a little scrambled egg mixed in the toasted cheese sandwich never hurt anyone.
There you have it. Terrible. But there are some good habits mixed in there too. Like time in Word, prayer, exercise, eating well. I do brush my teeth. Most days. 🙂
But my favorite habit is probably our morning routine with the kids, and recently someone asked if I’d share a quick snapshot of what that routine looks like, in case you wanted to incorporate a bit of it into your morning as well. Not saying this is the best way, but it works for us. I’d love to hear your ideas as well because I’m always up for improvements!
5am-7am: From around 5am until 7am is my time. Quiet time in the Word, prayer, and exercise. If the kids get up during this time they can read, snuggle next to me, or play quietly, but Mama’s top priority is Letting In Light so I have Plenty to give!
7am-8am: Then I get ready for the day, make breakfast, and the kids do their “morning 3” (Make bed, get dressed, pick up your room). We eat breakfast together at 8am.
8am-9am: After breakfast they do their next 3 chores: Brush teeth, unload the dishwasher (with my help), take out the trash. We all clean up, straighten the house, and I let them play for awhile while I figure out the day and do any food prep, toss laundry in the washer, etc. I find that I really need until 9am to get the whole house functioning and ready.
9am-9:30am: Here we do Presentations. This is simply each kid choosing an item and standing up front. He explains and talks about the item (show and tell) and we ask questions about it. This is when we work on greetings, manners (need to more!), and answering questions appropriately. Then they recite their Bible verses (expanded from Letter Lessons–I’ll include updated version here soon!) and we read several Bible stories together from the Jesus Storybook Bible, Gospel Story Bible, or the Big Picture Bible. They would read all day long if I let them. Then we pray. As I mentioned here, they usually go to their prayer spots, but sometimes we’ll stay on the couch and pray together.
9:30am-10:30am: From 9:30-10:30 is our concentrated school time. We just do reading (100 Easy Lessons book or Bob Books or any other of the Easy Reader books we have), then writing, spelling, drawing (all in their notebooks), and math (we use Saxon). For science and history we just read together–curiosity is enough at this point to spur on learning in those areas.
That’s it! The rest of the day is ours to do what we will. I’m a huge fan of Jamie Martin’s Steady Day’s Schedule, and I’ve created mine to include pockets of directed play, free play, alone play, rest time, errands, etc. I spend afternoons working on the blog, writing, or preparing for speaking engagements while Heidi naps and Dutch has quiet time. If you’re looking for help with forming your own daily schedule, definitely check out Jamie’s book. She’s been a huge help and encouragement to me personally.
There you have it. Now, your turn. Please share your own most-loved habits and how they help you grow in excellence. Don’t be shy! Thanks so much for sharing, and reading.
Week's end with thanks
- Exploring our new neighborhood. Ithought that moving away from our faux-farm and into the city would mean a shortage of trees and nature walks. But then … hooray! A wooded park with old swings and winding paths overlooking the river, just a few blocks away. Grateful.
- Exploring our yard. Berry bushes! We found four blueberries and two raspberries. Looking forward to a little summer harvest.
- Unpacking, unpacking, unpacking. Grateful for able arms and sturdy backs.
- Family members and friends full of grace.
- SO many people chipping in to help in so many ways. Painting, painting, painting. Watching kids, moving furniture, loading, unloading, cleaning (CLEANING!!), praying, picking up pizzas, paying for pizzas (!), installing shower rods, delivering dinner to the door, bags of groceries, I can’t even list all the ways we were helped. Overwhelmed with gratefulness.
- Dinners delivered. Oh! What a gift.
- Hosting RENEW at our new house the day after moving. So fun! Full of warmth and laughter. Grateful for those people.
- Struggling through the funk of another transition, feeling so tired. Grateful that His mercies are new every morning. A mulligan, over and over!
- Celebrating the sweet things God has done and is doing here, in this little place we join together. More than 120,000 visits last year from people in 102 different countries! Thank you, Jesus! And thank you for sharing God’s love and truth and inviting others into this little place we learn and grow together.
- (Cold) runs with Danielle.
- Joanna’s gift of a new chandelier! It’s so pretty!
- Debra’s gift of lightbulbs for it!
- Spray paint. Wow, what it can do!
- Every day, a little better.
- Re-learning how to choose joy and give thanks.
- Feeling so lost and overwhelmed, so often, and grateful He just carries us. When we’re feeling so weak, He carries us.
- Trusting that He is in all our future days, however unknown they are to us.
- My kids. Oh those kids are a joy to me every day.
- My new writing spot–a comfy chaise with a cozy quilt in the corner of Jeff’s little office. I love it.
- Popcorn. With lots of butter. And salt.
- Vegetable soup!
- Cultured Caveman rainbow fries.
- Sarah.
- The Re-Build It Center
- Ella-Rose with purple hair who brightened our day.
- That I haven’t screamed or yelled at anyone even though I felt so tired and out of sorts from moving! SO grateful for God’s grace in that!
- That so many of you are giving and receiving Plenty and Let In Light! Thank you for your enthusiasm and encouragement!
- Sleep. Always so grateful for that.
- That He never changes. In all our ups and downs–He never changes.
{A blessed weekend to you. Thank you so much, with all my heart, for reading.}
When God gives you a glimpse of the future
We’d finished presentations and Bible reading, and it was time to pray.
I hadn’t planned on prophecy that day.
Usually, my kids like to run to their prayer spots.” Dutch goes to his bed and Heidi stands by the front door (I don’t know why) and they hide their faces in their little hands and pray to God there. Although I want them to be comfortable praying in front of people, I also like the habit of “hiding away” in a private place to interact with God. I have no idea what Heidi says, but I’ve overheard Dutch’s prayer-time and it’s the real deal.
But this particular day, they opted to stay on the couch, with me, and pray there. We bowed our heads, closed our eyes, and I waited.
Silence.
After a bit I opened my eyes and looked at Dutch. He still had head bowed, eyes closed, face scrunched up, intent. I closed my eyes again and waited.
Silence.
A waited another minute then looked up again. “Dutch, Babe, are you going to pray?”
He looked at me. “I’m listening to hear what God’s saying.”
Well I’ll be. Who’s discipling who here?
“Oh! Well that’s great, hon. Ok, I’ll let you listen.” Now, we’ve discussed how God does in fact speak to us, silently, in our hearts, more like an impression, or like whispering a thought into our mind. But Dutch has always insisted that He’s never heard God speak. I waited. None of this was initiated by me, and I never want to encourage them to say they heard from God if they didn’t. I don’t want hearing or not hearing to be the reason I praise them or chide them. ANY words from God are always a gift, not something we earn or deserve praise for.
Dutch looked up, all seriousness.
God said, “Read the Bible every day.” I slowly nodded my head.
“Okay. That’s a good thing to do.”
He bowed his head again. Waited a minute. He looked up again, very serious.
He said, “Follow me.” Again I nodded. Again he bowed his head. A minute later:
“Serve the world. He said, ‘Serve the world.'”
By now my eyes are filling with tears but I blink hard so he won’t see. Such simple words, but so true. He bows his head again, then just sits quietly for a moment. I slowly open my journal, trying to keep him from noticing because if I make a big deal of this I know he’ll get embarrassed and run off. I nonchalantly grab a pen from the coffee table. I can’t miss a single word of this. He starts again:
“When I grow up, I’m going to write Word-Bibles. I’m going to listen to God and write down all the things God tells me and put them into books. And I’ll design songs about God and write those songs down too. And I’ll write Bible stories. Not the ones in the Bible, but stories like them from these days, things God is doing to help people in these days.
And the books will say: Serve people you don’t know. Die for people (if you want to). Unless you have a job, then you can’t die for people. Buy people Christmas trees. Build houses for people who don’t have houses.
And the books I write will be 1,000 pages long. And I’ll write down everything God tells me, I’ll write it down. And I’ll have workers too, and they’ll help me write down all that God tells us. I’ll have 26 workers in my company. It will be called the “God Saves Us” Company. Or, I might call it “Get To It,” like “Get-to-it-telling-people-about-God.” And we’ll mail the books to people. There’ll be 1 book for every family in the world. And it will spread almost all over the world — even to Hawaii. Even to Africa. Even Asia! Even Australia the farthest country from here. Even people in the ice pole. Even South America. It’ll start in North America, in Oregon, in Molalla. (Close to Oma and Papa) And it will spread to Antarctica.
He sat quiet for a moment, looking off into space. Then looked at me:
“Now can I play? That was exhausting!”
~
I felt like taking off my shoes, right there. Sure, there’s no way to know for sure if that was God’s prompting or merely a little boy’s imagination. But you better believe I’ll be keeping this with me all his growing-up days and praying that indeed God would make Dutch a man who speaks for God and spreads His Word all the way around the world–even the ice pole! 🙂
What if we sat still long enough to receive God’s dreams for our lives?
There’s a lot of talk about dreaming dreams for God. Attempting great things. That’s awesome, but let’s start by sitting still and listening, by simply asking, “God what are Your dreams and what part would you like me to play? Sure, some of the sacred is sure to be lost in translation. Chances are Dutch’s publishing house won’t be based out of Molalla. *smile* But the heart is there.
As we approach the New Year and the world is abuzz with resolutions and self-improvement, might I suggest a time of quiet for your heart? A time to sit silent before your Father and ask Him, what His dreams are this year and how He might want you to play a part? Whether “designing” songs for Him or “buying people Christmas trees,” no doubt He has some grand ideas for your life this year.
Before you launch ahead, listen. God may give you a glimpse of the future.
~
{In honor of this call to silence and listening, we’re staying quiet here tomorrow. We also moved last weekend, so I’m up to my eyeballs in boxes and a day of rest from writing is needed by this Mama! Take some time this weekend to get alone with God, open His Word, and listen, really listen. You might be amazed at what you hear. Thank you for reading.}
Looking Back {A life of no regrets}
My dear friend’s grandfather spoke these simple words to him, just before he passed from this life to the next:
“Live a life of no regrets.”
No regrets. A noble life-goal, yes? I think so. So as we enter 2013 and consider the direction our life is headed, let’s consider: Is there anything — habits, choices, relationships — that I might regret one day?
What does the world regret? I shared this last year, but here it is again: The top 5 things people regret on their deathbeds:
1. “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
2. “I wish I didn’t work so hard.”
3.” I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
4. “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
5. “I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
This could really all be summarized by these four regrets:
1. People-pleasing (fear of man, lack of courage)
2. Refusing to rest (pride)
3. Neglecting relationships
4. Not choosing joy
It’s easy to see how these are the most common regrets. And yet, how often do our (my) New Year’s resolutions and goals really reflect a desire to live a life free from these regrets. For example, running a marathon is awesome but will I really lie on my deathbed and regret that I never ran one? Blogging every day is awesome, but will I really ever regret if I miss a day or two?
So the challenge for us as we cross into a new year is: How do I establish daily habits that will help me live a life of no regrets?
How do I live today with the end in mind?
The question for us is this: If you lived the rest or your days exactly the same way you lived today what would your regrets be?
I know mine, and they’re startlingly similar to those above:
1. People-pleasing (lack of courage) in being myself and sharing the love of Christ.
2. Neglecting play-time with Jeff and the kids.
3. Cluttering my life with too many relationships without investing enough time with the handful that matter most.
4. Not smiling more, not choosing joy each day. Letting little things like a messy house or a funky friendship weigh down my heart.
5. Talking sharply to my children, getting frustrated with them, speaking in a tone that cuts instead of builds.
These are the things I would regret. Oh, friends, I don’t want to have these regrets.
The new year is a gift of grace.
Each new year God gives us a chance, a mini-life, which He lets us do again and again. The grace-mulligan. He gives us a chance to stop, look back, and reflect, so that we won’t be caught off-guard at the end.
From 2012, my God’s grace, I don’t have many regrets. Only:
- I wish I had been a better friend and cheered on others more.
- I wish I had spoken more encouragement to my husband, every day.
- I wish I had devoted more of my creative energy to my kids, to play more.
How to start the year (with a mulligan)
I love me a fresh start. As I type these words my poor disheveled house is full of boxes stacked high, walls stripped bare, odds and ends piled (strewn?) on every surface waiting to be sorted. Yes, we just moved. For the 13th time. I distinctly remember telling God (when I was 21-years-old and knew everything) that I could handle a life of flux, change, and adventure. I could even handle marrying a pastor, I had said.
Some days I wish He hadn’t been listening.
The past dozen years have indeed been a life of flux, change, and adventure… and marriage to a pastor. And although sometimes I crave the life of stability and predictability, I wouldn’t trade these years for the world.
Every single move has reminded me of the beauty of a fresh start.
Don’t we all crave a fresh start sometimes? Isn’t that the grace of God’s time-cycle, that every single morning we’re gifted with another chance to start afresh?
A mulligan. Every single day.
You know, a mulligan, right? No, not a pot of stew made from all the random items leftover in your fridge right before you move (although that can be helpful too!). A mulligan is a free shot given to a golfer when the previous shot was poorly played.
A free shot given when the previous shot was poorly played.
Yes, please.
You want one, right? Me too! Did you know God is the original mulligan-giver? He designed His world in such a way that every single day we are gifted with another free shot.
Amazing grace.
His mercies are new every morning. Sorrow lasts for the night but joy comes in the morning. Every morning we are given the glorious gift of a fresh start. And beyond that, every single year we are given another extra-fresh start as we turn the page and find January smiling at us in all her beautifully-blank splendor.
(I want to go sharpen my pencil right now and pull out a clean sheet of notebook paper, just for fun.)
Providence would so have it that this time around we move at the end of the year. That’s right. New day, new year, new house – I’m basically getting a triple-shot venti mulligan. It seems too good to be true.
Now, in case you have visions of me moving into a mansion, allow me to clarify. Part of our journey has been series of down-sizes, as God changes our hearts and strips us of the idols and comforts to which we clung dearly for so long. We have far to go, but in an effort to grow away from the trap of the American dream and toward the life of generosity and grace, we’ll be house-sharing a bungalow built in 1906.
The term “new house” is used loosely in our case.
But it is a fresh start just the same, and for that I’m grateful. Because in my own life a poor shot is played more often than not, and I’m desperate for the grace-mulligan in any measure. I’ll take a do-over any day. You too?
And this is where we start.
Whatever debris was in your yesteryear, start with a mulligan.
Whatever you botched, start with a mulligan.
Whatever you said that you can’t take back, start with a mulligan.
Whatever ongoing struggle you have battled for so long you can’t even remember what freedom looks like, start with a mulligan.
Whatever heaviness has plagued your heart day after wearying day, start with a mulligan.
See, whatever baggage you bring to the table (and we all bring some!), we all need a fresh start. And only Christ, by His infinite grace, can grant mulligans. I can’t give you one. You can’t give yourself one. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to forgive yourself. The rules don’t work like that.
Only Christ can grant you the grace-mulligan that will set you free today. That will unbind your heart and enable you to move forward. Because if we are to truly live lives of victory, wholeness, and joy, we must first receive the free gift of a fresh start. Now.
That’s where to start this year.
Stop right now, and wherever you are, bow your heart and with all earnestness ask the God of mercy to grant you His forgiveness and gift you with a grace-mulligan, a divine do-over right now. Instead of making promises to Him, that you’ll do better or try harder, ask Him to do His work in you as you journey through this year. Ask Him to teach you, ask Him to lead you into victory, wholeness, and joy. Believe you have what you’ve asked. That’s where to start.
{Thank you Pastor Joel, for the grace-mulligan years ago in a sermon. It’s stuck with me ever since! Thanks, all for reading. Happy New Year!}
Look both ways before crossing the year
Last year, Jeff asked me to write this little Christmas devotional, on fear. I drafted it up and emailed it to him.
“Great,” He replied. “Let’s each write up some discussion questions to go with it.” Super. I scratched out some thoughts, but before I clicked send his own set of questions popped up in my inbox. His questions were these:
1. Can you think of a time this past year when you were afraid? How did you respond and how did it turn out?
2. How can you see ways that God is delivered you from fear? What is one area where you used to be afraid and now are not?
Fair enough, right? However, my questions were these:
1. What unknown in the future is making you afraid of right now? Is there anything looming ahead that’s causing you anxiety?
2. How can you take that thing and go to God in prayer? What would it look like, practically, to trust Him with your future in this area?
See the difference? So small, yet so profound.
My man is a past-oriented person. I, a future-oriented.
He actually pointed this out to me several months ago. I narrowed my eyes and listened, skeptical. Now I see it everywhere; we’re really ridiculous creatures.
- He loves to hold onto things. He keeps old clothes, pictures, books. For him they hold memories of the past.
- I’m a ruthless purger. Haven’t worn it in a year? How about 6-weeks? Close enough. Toss it out. Kids haven’t played with it? Toss it out. Keep moving forward. Make room for new things we’ll inevitably get in the future.
- He takes pictures. Remember the past.
- I never take pictures. Keep moving forward!
- He never finishes the carton/bottle/box/bag/plate. Leave a little bit in there and keep it in the fridge/cupboard.
- I drink/eat whatever little bit is left just so I can toss out the container and move on!
- Jeff keeps receipts for decades.
- I throw them away as soon as I get home.
- Jeff loves studying history.
- I love studying things that motivate me toward a better tomorrow.
- The kicker? I have a dry-erase calendar on my fridge. I realized that I would erase every single day as soon as it was over, and would start over writing the next month in the blank spaces, so that at all times the calendar was all future dates. No record of what I’d done. Only un-lived days.
- He doesn’t have a dry-erase calendar because he’d never erase it.
Do you see? We really are all wired a little differently. Neither is better, but certainly very different. Thankfully, we’re learning from each other. Jeff is learning to throw away the ratty gym shorts and I’m learning to reflect, look back and bit and learn from yesterday before moving onto tomorrow.
And that’s what we need as we cross into 2013.
Some of us, perhaps, are prone to gaze intently at the future. We’re ready, excited, climbed on board and racing toward another new year. Some of us, on the other hand, want to ride backwards on the train. can we just look behind and remember all the good. Reflect. Review?
We need both. So as we cross the year, perhaps we’d be blessed by setting aside some time for looking both ways? I’m looking forward to doing this tomorrow (haha! I even write with future-oriented language!), with Jeff, as we unpack boxes all day (yes, we moved this weekend!). We’ll be asking ourselves these:
- What was your greatest victory this past year?
- What surprised you about the direction of your life this past year?
- What was harder than you thought it’d be?
- What was way better than you’d ever imagined?
- In what way have you changed from January 2012 to December 2012?
- What are you hoping to see God do in you this year?
- If you could choose one thing to change about yourself or your habits this year what would it be?
- What fruit of the Spirit will you focus on this year?
- What spiritual discipline (prayer, reading Word, fasting, fellowship, service) would you like to grow in this year?
- What current relationship would you like to invest in this year?
Just a few ideas to get started. Are you more past-oriented or future oriented in your thinking? I’m curious … Enjoy looking both ways as you cross into 2013, and I pray for God-inspired and God-initiated ideas, dreams, and reflections. {Thanks for reading.}
Week's end with thanks
- First snow day.
- Seeking joy.
- Persevering.
- God’s funny timing.
- Celebrating my precious firstborn. Six-years-old!
- Making adjustments.
- Overwhelmed by the tremendously generous enthusiasm and response to Friday’s e-book release. Almost 3,000 precious souls have received Plenty. I thank you so, so much. I’m overwhelmed with thankfulness and praying that it can be an encouragement to each one of you as you have been to me. (and just in case you missed it, it’s still available here!)
- My husband, who gives and gives and gives.
- Danielle, who does the same.
- Celebrating my dear Janae’s brand new baby girl! Cheering and amazed that we’ll now have children who have the same birthday!
- A man who leads, loves … and vacuums.
- Brother, sister-in-law, neice and nephew coming into town today!
- Momma-in-law coming into town tomorrow!
- Christmas celebrations.
- LEGOs everywhere.
- Boxes everywhere, messes everywhere, chaos everywhere, but the sunlight streaming through the windows and blue sky smiling and every single day a gift. Thank you, Father!
- Teaching children.
- Hard days that make us stronger.
- His love that holds us up.
Unplugging today for Family Day. Thank you again for your support and enthusiasm for Plenty. Bless you, and thank you for reading!