Tuesday, January 9, 2018

It's Tuesday & It's Raining

It’s Tuesday.
It’s raining.

And my heart is a little bit of everything today.

It has joy streaked across in it in vibrant crimsons;
it has wonder at the miracle of today painted in deep hues of blue;
it has a little brokenness and questions penciled in charcoal and grey.

The beauty of all the little things that I love:

The sound of rain and the warmth of fire;
The quiet moments of reading and tea;
The necessary moments of dishes and cooking;
The chosen moments of browsing in the library and practicing piano…

They are so beautiful.

I sat alone today, quietly waiting, the clouds at war with the mountain in front of me and the lightness of a rain-trodden sky. And I thought of the love that Jesus grants to us. I thought of how foolish I am to focus on the words of those around me – letting their words impact me – when there is such an abundance of God’s communication with us. How do I find time to let myself be moved by the words of others when his words are surrounding me and his love is so much more than I could ever seek? There is nothing else that can satisfy me like his love. There is nothing that is worth my attention and time like he is. And his love picks me up in all of its greatness and makes me more than I could ever ask or imagine.

It’s Tuesday.
It’s raining.





Monday, January 1, 2018

Resolutions {[(2018)]}

New Year’s Resolutions 2018

If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
-Thomas A. Edison

Just remember, motivation will start as soon as you do. Get up and get started, and you’ll do more than you can imagine.

One hour of productivity: This is the hour where you drink your first two cups of water, put a load of laundry in, make important phone calls, do ministry business, plan out the rest of your day, do dishes, clean room, and meet deadlines. (Goal: no procrastination, cough, cough)

One hour of skill improvement: This is for honing writing skills, learning a foreign language, playing the piano, etc. (Goal: Learn basics on guitar, sharpen piano skills, become significantly more fluent in German, finish FOMC novel, etc. [make sure to define these goals so that you have something to aim for.])

One hour of reading: This creates new neural pathways in the brain, improves memory, widens knowledge, and stimulates new ideas and thought processes. It will relax you and give you an effortless education. ( www.lifehack.org)   (Goal: 50 books/ about one book a week)

Time with the Lord: Time with your best friend. Write letters, read his, laugh, talk together, go on hikes, seek him on your knees, worship him in spirit and truth. There is no agenda in this; you are literally to just delight yourself in the Lord and bask in his goodness and love. (Goal: Since staying active in God’s Word is such a huge part of growing and staying in the game, you should aim to be reading at least a chapter a day if not more. However, quality time is better than quantity, so adjust accordingly.)

Advanced writing skills: This is your few minutes out of the day where you write about any topic as intelligently and precisely as possible with the highest vocabulary you can muster. It may sound forced and unprofessional at first, but with practice I know you’ll thank yourself for these few extra minutes. (Goal: become a better writer that can imitate writing styles of others and communicate professionally.)

Fitness time: This is your “you” time to work out or stretch. Workouts will happen roughly every other day. Work the muscle group that is not sore. :) Please also take one or two days in between to stretch and relax those muscles. (Goal: 150 workouts/ about 3 workouts a week)

Social media at a minimum: Maybe once a day, preferably less. If you want to talk to a friend, call them. There is no reason for you to scroll through everyone’s days and begin to feel overwhelmed/ jealous/ depressed. It isn’t real, and it isn’t something that will contribute to your happiness. If you can’t limit yourself, social media goes goodbye. ;)

Always be learning: Always! Traveling, reading, talking, writing, thinking. Your brain needs to be constantly stimulated.

Redefine your goals: This happens once a month. You may end up in a foreign country or at school or working, and your goals will need to adjust. These are basic guidelines, and not scriptural truth. They can adjust!

Well, other than that, stay present, laugh a lot, and don’t be afraid. Push to your full potential: spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. You can always do and be more than you think. And remember: God’s love and guidance is enough.

Happy 2018!