If you know me in real life you’ll know that I am a high energy creative which can mean that I am great at pulling together things to make them aesthetically pleasing, visually stimulating, and completed. Sounds good right? As a writer, as a strategist, as a mom and wife it can be a very very useful tool, this natural ability to create, but as a girl working to live an authentic, God honoring life, well it can be a challenge.
When’s the last time you looked at your environment and life? I mean really looked at “What is…” not what you’re hoping it is. Last time I checked my list it said something like this:
- I am choosing God honoring activities, thoughts, and actions.
- My husband and my children (and soon to be grandchildren) are priorities in my daily actions and interactions.
- My business is in service to others to use the gifts and skills I’ve learned and are learning to support the gifts in others to affirm more peace and success in their lives.
- My home is a place people, especially MY family, wants to be in tone, care, and comfort.
- I choose to take care of my mind, my body and my choices to live a peace filled, healthy life.
Hmmm let’s check in on that…
Unless fussing at one’s sweet, Mr. Steady husband qualifies, might need a smidge work on #1. Glad to say that #2 is happening on an almost daily basis this year as I have learned more and more about setting aside time for the big things first and monitoring how small things matter! We won’t even talk about #4 right now, we’ve spent six weeks with three of them out of town for one or both parents. I’d like to put up a construction zone sign but we’re not in renovations…yet! #5 Self Care…is often not defined as sleeping deeply because you are worn plumb out, but that’s where I’ve been this week…and the jury is still out on whether eating brussel sprouts roasted 10 different ways is healthy 🙂
The big picture? Daily Life Goals are not a destination, they are a way of learning to live. There will be days that we realize that “yes! I am not working on non working hours anymore!” and other days when we realize that the last time we had daily self -care consistently was whenever the last time someone reminded us to do so. Peaceful isn’t a place it’s a way of experiencing the chaos that life brings to us…it is a perspective that says whatever it is we are facing “God has this” and leaning into the wisdom He promises us is there for the asking. Asking and not hearing? Then it’s time to listen longer. This week was a big lesson in that again. After the laptop, tablet, and phone were run over enroute to a meeting I did the human possible things to correct the needed items. They.just.didn’t.work. I wanted to panic, I wanted to squeal, I wanted to have some kind of conniption fit with a Southern monogram, but God kept whispering….”you’ve got this, computer or no computer, phone or screen…just be who you are” and you know…it was because I then shared without technology, the folks leaned in a little closer, shared my humility of experience in being with technology a little more on the same playing field, we laughed and shared common ground on feelings….it.was.powerful.
Often what we believe is an inconvenience, burden, or on the surface….a disaster is in fact a set up for us to lean into our faith. The laptop repair unable to be scheduled in time is now handled at $407 less, the new computer that wasn’t in stock the way I needed it? Purchased from the new repair man who happened to have one in stock designed for a visually challenged girl like me, and he sold it me at HIS cost. The appointment that couldn’t close on Friday? Now less at closing because it was their error! God has a plan and often what we think it is…isn’t.
Without vision the people perish. It’s a favorite verse of mine, however without faith that God has a plan for even the messy days of your life if you’ll engage it, those visions can get awfully off track.
