Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Live like we're dying

I LOVE this song by Kris Allen.  It speaks to the urgency of each and every moment, and the importance of realizing that we have limited time - just because we assume we have more time to do this or that, doesn't mean we do.  I love how it makes me think about how I'm spending my time and who I'm spending it with.

And it doesn't hurt that it has just the perfect cadence for my running stride.  :)  Enjoy!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Decisions, Decisions

Sometimes it's a good thing to have options.  And we are faced with so many decisions all day long.  Some are much bigger than others.

The past week I've been facing what I consider to be a major decision in my life that has potential to change the course of my life, at least in the professional realm. 

While I think I know exactly what I want to decide to do, any decision comes with risks along with the benefits.  In particular, one of the risks for me in this decision is that I would be heading in a direction that will essentially be me picking up something new. 

Now, I love change (really, I do!) - it keeps things challenging and interesting.  But one of my lessons learned in the last season of change was to be content with my existing responsibilities and not overload myself by picking up things (volunteer commitments, business ownership, too much work, etc. etc) that I do not need in order to purely follow God's plan for my life.  So, that's the rub.  My prayer in our move when everything I had chosen was stripped away from me, was that I did not pick up anything that was not in God's plan.  I'm notorious for charting a path of my own, starting out on it, then halfway through finally taking a look back to ask God which way I should go.  I want it to be the other way around - that I ask Him first, then start out on a path with assurance that it is the right way.

I've decided with this decision to "marinate" (as a good friend says) in this for a bit before making a big move.  I'm hoping that my path will become illuminated and my way cleared as a "go-ahead" from God.  In the meantime, I'm going to (try to) be still and wait. 

Just thought I'd post about this so you know why I've been so quiet.  My mind is full of possibilities and endless chatter that I'm trying to quiet so I can listen.  More details to come...

Saturday, February 13, 2010

A Clean House

I've blogged a bit before about how I'm contemplating some things, changing course in some areas, and otherwise trying to grow.  I'm happy to report that I'm making some progress and feel like I'm headed in the right direction, although I've still got significant ground to cover.  The growth comes in the journey.

Earlier this week, I was feeling motivated to clean this dirty house of mine, which is dirty because I've neglected to consistently get it clean beyond the tidying up that happens each afternoon (shortly before my husband comes home so he doesn't think I've been sitting home all day eating bon bons and watching soap operas).  But, I digress...

Anyway, so I was dusting and vacuuming yesterday, and D asks me, "Momma, why are you cleaning the house, is someone coming over??"  I deserved that.  I simply smiled and said, "No.  I just think it is nice to have a clean home."

Without missing a beat, she replies, "A clean house is a sign of a clean heart," and walks away. 

I have no idea where she heard that phrase.  But, in light of the cleaning up I've been doing lately (physically and emotionally), I thought it was so timely.  Do you ever wonder if our kids say things like that at just the exact time you needed to hear it because it isn't them saying it at all?  In that moment, and even today, I have no doubt.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Thankful for Friday, and 9 others...

It's been a bit since I've intentionally posted my top ten thankful fors.  So, here they are, in honor of Friday:
  1. Well, duh, it's FRIDAY!!
  2. A wonderful friend who is my motivation in the darkness before dawn to get out of bed and get to spin class (or the workout of the day)
  3. Another awesome friend to go out on a girls' night tonight with - we're seeing a chick flick!
  4. BEAUTIFUL weather - it will be 65 today, and this weekend it is supposed to be 69!  We seem to have passed the 50 degree winter curse.
  5. Returning health - I'm SO over this cold/chest congestion/cough thing.
  6. Another fabulous friend who called yesterday because she knew I have been struggling (love that the distance between us isn't diminishing our friendship).
  7. Yesterday and today, both of my girls got tangible reminders of how much their classmates love them in the form of valentine's and copious amounts of candy.
  8. In two days, I get to give a tangible reminder to my husband of how much I love him.
  9. A job that lets me work when I want and not when I don't, from home, and helps us stick to our budget.
  10. All of my blog readers and followers who make me feel like what I have to say matters to someone other than just me.  :)
Have a great Friday, and Happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

And so it is with life

So, I've been pondering quite a bit lately.  You can be sure when there's a lack of posting, I'm usually a) so busy that I can't see straight, or b) really struggling with something.  This time, it has been both.

A couple of days ago, I was reminded of my last visit to Colorado and my time with friends there.  It was a great trip and I really treasured my time.  On the last day I was there, we went for a hike in Waldo canyon, near where I used to live, and a familiar route - one I had taken hundreds of times over the past 10 years.  The five of us set out to get a good workout in, along with some long missed girlfriend time.  The route was just over 7 miles, as we'd planned it - a loop in the forest overlooking a beautiful canyon and a stunning example of the terrain in Colorado.  Nothing any of us were concerned about - this was a pretty usual distance for all of us.

We set out having great conversation and catching up with one another because of our separation caused by my move.  We were all happily climbing and jogging and traversing the landscape, all the while engrossed in our discussion.  It wasn't until we realized that we should have been much closer to the beginning point of our trail, but we weren't, and things weren't adding up as far as distance remaining.  The familiar suddenly became confusing.  Once confident, I became nervous and we were running out of water that warm day in September.  We began to assess what we knew to be true about our location - the road is in that direction (we could hear the cars passing), the canyon faces this direction, our starting point must be in that direction.  But our trail did not go that way from were we were standing.  We got lost, and it happened so gradually that we never even knew it until we were three miles out of our way.

Isn't that so how it is in life?  We're rolling along, feel like we have things together, so familiar with our routines that we go on autopilot and sail through our days with a few storms here and there.  But, sometimes, we look up one day and realize that we are way off course.  I did that yesterday.  It hit me that I've been sailing in the wrong direction, but it seemed like familiar enough waters that I didn't realize it until I saw just how off course I really was.

The good news is that once we know we're off course, we immediately can begin to correct our direction.  We take an assessment of where we are, where we've been, and where it was that we were planning on going.

That day in Colorado, my friends and I did make it back to our starting point, albeit 4 miles out of our intended way.  We ended up hiking a total of 11+ miles, when we only set out to do 7.  We had to get off the marked trail to go in the direction we knew we needed to go, and that path was rocky and steep and full of snakes and other natural challenges.  But once we got to our cars and to a local restaurant to refuel our weary selves, we were so thankful to be home again.

While I'm a bit off the intended course right now, I know which direction to head.  My return journey may be a bit rockier than it would have been had I never veered in the wrong direction, but how much sweeter the destination when I finally get there and am able to savor it.