Tweaking Life
While my sister and I walked along the beaches of Mexico, we started to talk about New Year’s resolutions. She asked if I had made any and ironically I had not (and that is STRANGE for someone who LOVES to plan)!
That question really started to make me think. Why didn’t I make any? There are always things I want to change in life, but no plan of attack? This is not me…
Then when I was lying in bed that night, I started to think about what I wanted to change in my life. When you have a week to think about life while on the beach, it is pretty easy to come to some conclusions.
Here is what I concluded about my life:
- I value my roles as wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, and daughter of THE King
- I value relationships
- I value being all that God has created me to be
Really, in those 3 things, that is where I find my purpose. So what is stopping me from accomplishing those 3 things?
On the plane ride home from Mexico, I started to jot some blogging ideas down. I started to reflect on how I was living my own life and how I was spending my life. Have you ever done that? Have you ever taking the time to just sit and think about how you spend a day? What do you fill the minutes of your day with?
Last year during this time, I vowed to become more patient, but also to find myself again. I must say for the most part, I am more patient (though it’s something I am always working on), but I feel I have found myself again. What that exactly means changes on a weekly basis, but that leads me to the whole point of this post:
LIFE IS ALL ABOUT TWEAKING.
Where in life do you ever “arrive?” I wish I could say I “arrived” in patience. I wish I could say that I “arrived” as a wife. I wish I could say I have “arrived” as a friend, but I know I could always do more. The thing is, that is what I believe sanctification is all about – tweaking our life constantly, up until the point that Jesus calls us home and oh do I pray that He will say, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
So what do I want to “tweak” in my life this year?
Continuing to downsize and simplify life.
I have been doing this for a couple of years now and I can honestly say that I have never been more content with what we have – even though it is less. It goes against the “American” way of doing things where bigger, better, and more of is the way to happiness, but from creating a capsule wardrobe to purging the unused and unnecessary, I have never been more content! So why stop now? I am excited to share with you in future posts about how we continue to downsize, so stay tuned!
Continuing to get in shape.
After I was given an excellent heart report last May, I have started to slowly get back into exercising. And I do not ever remember feeling so good! This though, I chalk up to God alone, for bringing healing to my heart this past year, to make this possible. I’d love to lose poundage, but I know that I only set myself up for failure when I do, so I am just sticking with “getting into shape.” It’s a work in progress…
Continuing to grow as a person.
I have found a new love for reading, even if it means doing it late at night or early in the morning. Thanks to Mazy sleeping a bit better, this is now possible! I know that God is never done with me, so I want to do all I can to ensure that I am living my best for Him. Through reading, it expands my horizons and challenges me in just the right way. I also value keeping in contact with people, whether near or far. Thanks to this blog, I have “met” some incredible people. Through those relationships, I have grown as a person and I want in turn to influence others as well.
Continuing to just BE.
There is beauty in slowing down. Again, this goes against the American way, but I have learned that taking time to just BE, can be a day-changing experience. Even if all I hear is the refrigerator humming in the background, I know taking time to just sit is just better for everyone in our household. I am a “sense of the urgency” person, when in all reality, most of things that occupy my mind probably are not. It’s time to just starting BEING instead of DOING.
Thanks for encouraging us to just be! Also with our move we realized just how much STUFF we had, we also want live simply and give away what we don't need. Thanks for all your blog posts. Now with Facebook being deleted I will remember to check out your blog, it always encourages me!!