Simplicity

I shared, in an earlier post, that I was reading a book called The Happiness Project, but I didn't think happiness would necessarily be the word I would use if I chose to do this project. Well, this morning, my word came to me and I'm doing the project....freedom.

So, in keeping with the spirit of "The Freedom Project", I feel clear that my resolution beginning in January, 2012 is....

Simplicity.

While I'm in the stages of researching that topic, there are some things that I have studied and believe: (which all come from Richard Foster's book, Celebration of Discipline):

1. Simplicity is freedom and brings joy and balance.

2. The Christian Discipline of simplicity is an inward reality that results in an outward life-style.

3. Simplicity begins in inward focus and unity.

4. Simplicity sets us free to receive the provision of God as a gift that is not ours to keep and can be freely shared with others.

5. Everything hinges upon maintaining the "first" things as first.

6. Simplicity has nothing to do with abundance of possessions or their lack. It is an inward spirit of trust.

Some of Foster's suggestions when working on the Discipline of Simplicity are:

1. Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status.

2. Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.

3. Develop a habit of giving things away.

4. Learn to enjoy things without owning them.

5. Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation.

6. Obey Jesus' instruction about plain, honest speech.

7. Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others.

8. Shun anything that distracts you from seeking first the kingdom of God.

Well, that should be a good month's worth of work.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:25, 33

Reminsicing...

I woke up early this morning and started reading back through some of my posts from 2011. I realized there seems to be two themes:

(1) I blog about things I have heard from God and
(2) I blog when I'm struggling.

I'm okay with both of those, but in trying to live more balanced, I want to be conscious of adding number (3) which is to blog about things I'm grateful for.

So this morning, I'm blessed that I woke up to find a white board with a note from my husband that included an arrow pointing to our refrigerator. When I opened the frige, there was my lunch, all made, neatly put together in a plastic Kroger sack with the words "BA" written on it in green marker.

Sweet man!

Yesterday, I woke up to a phone call at 6:08 a.m. from my step-daughter, Amber. That kinda scared me because she doesn't call at 6:00 in the morning. When I said "hello", there was a short pause. I may not have this exactly right, but I think my next words were "is everything ok?"

BOY WAS IT!

She had gotten a date that she had been waiting for a LONG time....she has a date to go get her baby girl.

I don't think I'll ever forget seeing her name and the time come up on my phone that morning.

While I could list many more.....TV day with my hubby (6 hours of Walking Dead), a pedicure, four days off after working today, getting to work today, sleeping with my cat, Mercy, who loves to snuggle.....these are a few within the last 36 hours.

I'm grateful!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

I'm Drinking Lemon Water as I Post :)

In continuation of yesterday's post, several more things have come to my mind.

1. Reading more.
2. Being a good steward of what God has given me.
3. Memorizing scripture.
4. S I M P L I F Y I N G.
5. Being more deliberate about praising God from whom ALL blessings flow.
5. Saying I Love You....(that's a whole post in itself).
6. Hugging more.

Goals always felt like rules to me, and for the record, I HATE RULES! But, goals aren't rules and I'm in charge of my goals and the actions I CHOOSE to take to accomplish them.

I'm not sure if my lists are the goals or the actions but something is building in my head and it feels exciting!

The Application of "I Wish"....

I saw this on Pinterest recently...

I commented, at that time, that I should substitute the words "live the life" for the words "eat for the body".

Live the life you want not the life you have!

Don't get me wrong, in SO MANY ways, I LOVE my life. But when it comes to my body, uh...not so much!

So, I thought I would make a wish list, a vision of sorts. If I lived in real life like I do in my fantasy, someday world, this is what I would be doing differently.....

1. Drinking hot lemon water each morning when I wake up.
2. Eating unprocessed, whole foods.
3. Taking my supplements like I'm supposed too.
4. Exercising many days of the week to include cardio, yoga, and weights.
5. Working toward being in a triathlon.
6. Spending time with God each morning in prayer and meditation (He has clearly told me - one hour a day - but I've not done so well with that).
7. Being obedient to do what God is calling me to do without question and on His timing, not mine. (i.e. memorizing James 1 - should have been done by now).
8. Writing.
9. Volunteering at Magdalene House and with the homeless.
10. Teaching music at W.O. Smith Music school and other potential teaching opportunities.
11. Traveling across the city, country, and world as Jesus calls.

I LOVE THE WAY GOD WORKS....

After writing the 11 items above, I sat down to read a book that a client let me borrow; a book she had been reading called "The Happiness Project". I needed a good book to read over the Holidays and I thought I might understand her better if I read this one....kinda like killing two birds with one stone (even though I don't particularly like that analogy).

Well, as God does in His abundant sense of humor, I needed this book too. I never would have picked this book up to read, but I needed it. While, I don't think happiness would be the word I'm looking for, the premise is the same.

A quote from the book:

"The laws of happiness are as fixed as the laws of chemistry. But even though I wasn't making up these laws, I needed to grapple with them for myself. It's like dieting. We all know the secret of dieting - eat better, eat less, exercise more - it's the application that's challenging. I had to create a scheme to put happiness ideas into practice in my life."

I think that's the purpose of this blog. Yep, it is....to put ideas into practice in my life.

So here's to neglect becoming action, fantasy becoming reality, and wish fullness becoming truth!

Thank you, Jesus, for being a light unto my path!

What He Promised, He Delivered....

I don't know if it's because of the way I was raised (yeah, right, of course it was) or if it's God's guidance (yeah, right, of course it is) but as much as I love contemporary Christian music, God still speaks to me in the most awesome ways through old gospel music.

If you've heard me talk much, you've heard me talk about one of my favorite memories of my Dad. He would lay on the couch in our living room and listen to a three-inch thick stack of 33 albums. These albums included the Imperials, the Blackwood Brothers, the Gaithers, Jake Hess, etc. It never failed, when I would go in to talk to him, his eyes would be closed and I would have to check to see if he was even breathing. I didn't know it then, but those moments were a huge witness to me. To see my father in silent worship is a picture I will never get out of my head.

This morning, I put on one of those 33 alums (now called an Ipod). These words speak to me now like they did him then.

I love my Dad so much, but more than that, I love the Savior that we share. I am blessed to be going into this Christmas season with the promise of that unconditional love and hope.

In this war, I've been a captive
Just a sinner seeking life and liberty
But, these hands that hold me tightly
are the hands that set my shackled spirit free.

Blessed Jesus, meek and lowly
You have come into my life and made it new
Out of bondage into ever lasting light
I owe everything to you.

There's an end to all the waiting
There's an answer to the who and where and why
All the years anticipating
are surrendered to a tiny baby's cry.

There's a dawn to follow darkness
There's a face to fill the title - Prince of Peace
What he promised he delivered
I am saved, by the hands of sweet release.

Thank you, Jesus!

Decision Day

Sunday was a decision day. I thought my life was going to change forever and the funny thing is, that is did.....just not in the way I thought.

Since the BIGGEST emotional breakdown of my life happened that day, I jumped to ALL KINDS of conclusions about what that would mean (along with freaking out some really important people in my life - but thank you)!

When I finally settled down enough, hmmmm, some 36 hours later and was open to hearing God's voice, I realized that Sunday WAS a decision day, but the decision was going to look REALLY different than I had anticipated.

And I heard God clearly this morning.

ARE YOU GOING TO LIVE FOR ME OR FOR YOU?

Then all of these lovely hymns and scriptures came flooding into my mind. I could list them for hours, but the most important one is

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER.....

For the first time EVER, I saw that statement in a new way, and the ALL was pretty significant. He doesn't want some of me, he wants ALL of me. And the truth is that if I don't surrender ALL, then I'm not surrendering at all.

Dear Jesus, I surrender all. Amen.

Miracles

I have a job where I get to see miracles first hand EVERY DAY! However, I also have a job where confidentiality is a MUST, so I'm not able to share these glorious miracles that I get to experience.

However, there are some things that I can share. One of those this week was an email that I received with many nuggets of truth. In that email were some of the following 12-step slogans.....

I can't...He can...I think I'll let Him

Fear is the absence of faith.

Change is a process, not an event.

My life is none of my business. I just show up every morning and report for duty.

Boy! If I could just embrace these four alone, how much different would my life be.

Here's to letting Him!!!