(I am going to preface this post with letting you all know that I am not saying that I am happy that so many of us are stuck at home. I am just helping us to have a different perspective...)
Right now most of us are overloaded with something that we usually, constantly mention that we don't have...TIME.
For decades now what has been at the top of our excuse list?? I don't have time for that. I'd love to call, but I just don't have time today. It is my dream to be able to do that, but I don't think I will ever have the time.
Well, guess what guys?? We have time now!
Now what??
The issue so many of us are having now...what do I do with this time?? When your life has been going non-stop for years and then all of a sudden everything comes to a halt your system freezes. This is so out of the norm that part of you literally doesn't know what to do. You have had the same schedule for months, years, maybe decades and now you are looking at a blank calendar.
First off, don't let this overwhelm you. Take a deep breath and just sit for a minute. Then, get excited.
For real...get excited! Why?? Because that to-do list you have been adding to for months now? You can tackle it! Those books you have been so wanting to read? Go read them! That devotional you have been wanting to write? Those closets you have been meaning to organize? That spare bedroom that you have so wanted to transform into an office? That basement that is begging for some tlc? You can do all these things now!
For years so many of us have been complaining that we never have enough time. We are never able to get our lists marked off. We are never able to do the things that we really want to do...only the things that we have to do. This time that so many of us have been given now should wake everything in our systems up.
Read that last sentence again.
Instead of sitting on our backsides for weeks waiting for life to get back to "normal" we should be taking advantage of every single minute that we have.
Now, I also am fully aware of the stress and uncertainty that is running through so many of us right now...BUT, we should seriously be thankful for this time we have been handed. So many of us didn't realize how desperately we needed everything to pause. Like I mentioned earlier, we have put so many things off because of our lack of time and have only been able to focus on the things that "had to" be done instead of things that we felt "needed to" be done. The only way we were going to realize how much our schedule needed a change or how much our mindset needed shifted was if everything in our world came to a screeching halt.
So...not only should we be blowing the dust off of our to-do lists and totally marking every line off, but we should also be reconnecting with our family. We should be re-evaluating why we do what we do every day. Do we love what we do? Are we happy with where we are as a family? Are we making a difference in other people's lives?
In the midst of all of this uncertainty, I truly believe that God has given so many of us a second chance. Time to be still...to think...to pray...to make new plans...to find our purpose. And...when life does get back to "normal" things should be different. How we view our every day should look and feel different. Our priorities should look different a few weeks from now than they did a few weeks ago.
If we used our time wisely and truly did the things that I listed above we should be more confident with where we are and what we are doing. We should have a better plan for each day and a better mindset. We should seriously have a new zeal for life!
AND...we should never use the excuse "I just don't have time" ever again.
Life in the Midst
3/11/20
Stop Watching and Start Living
We have become a society of watchers. What do I mean? With all the social media platforms, we have the ability to just sit at home, in a coffee shop, at the park...wherever we please and just watch what other people are doing. These people may be close family or friends or they may be people we have never met before, but we look through their pictures, read their posts and watch what they do day after day. This sounds kinda creepy when you actually type it all out, doesn't it?
In all seriousness, this is what our day to day life is now comprised of. We have literally become obsessed with watching what other people do, how they live, what they wear, what they eat, where they travel, etc. If we have a few minutes in our day that we don't know what to do with, instead of doing something like going for a walk or reading a chapter in a book we sit down on the closest comfy piece of furniture and begin scrolling through our favorite people's pages to see if we have missed something they have done that day. Has their day gone smoothly? The weather is really cold where they are today, wonder what they decided to wear? Their kids were having a sleep over last night, wonder how that went? This goes on day after day...Meanwhile, what are we doing in our every day lives? The problem that occurs with our obsession with other people's activities is two-fold. We end up not doing much in our day to day except for the things that we have to do like take the kids to and from school, go to and from work, etc. because all the spare time we have we use watching other people. And the second downfall of all of this is we start truly believing that these people have much more interesting and much more impressive lives than we do and will ever have.
How about we make a change?? What if, instead of using all our free time to sit and watch other people live out each day, we take that time and live our days to the fullest. Instead of looking at other people thinking there is no way I could get to the place they are in life, I could never be as successful as they are or my life is never going to be fun like theirs...stop just watching, write down your goals and dreams and go after them! You are just as capable as they are. Stop and read that last sentence again. The only difference between you and them is they have searched out what they really want out of life and they are now following through with their plan to get there.
Now, I'm not saying you need to close all of your social media accounts and never watch anyone again...what I'm saying is that if you feel like life is passing you by, you wish your story was different and you would love to add more pizzazz to your days, then stop just watching and get up and start living!
In all seriousness, this is what our day to day life is now comprised of. We have literally become obsessed with watching what other people do, how they live, what they wear, what they eat, where they travel, etc. If we have a few minutes in our day that we don't know what to do with, instead of doing something like going for a walk or reading a chapter in a book we sit down on the closest comfy piece of furniture and begin scrolling through our favorite people's pages to see if we have missed something they have done that day. Has their day gone smoothly? The weather is really cold where they are today, wonder what they decided to wear? Their kids were having a sleep over last night, wonder how that went? This goes on day after day...Meanwhile, what are we doing in our every day lives? The problem that occurs with our obsession with other people's activities is two-fold. We end up not doing much in our day to day except for the things that we have to do like take the kids to and from school, go to and from work, etc. because all the spare time we have we use watching other people. And the second downfall of all of this is we start truly believing that these people have much more interesting and much more impressive lives than we do and will ever have.
How about we make a change?? What if, instead of using all our free time to sit and watch other people live out each day, we take that time and live our days to the fullest. Instead of looking at other people thinking there is no way I could get to the place they are in life, I could never be as successful as they are or my life is never going to be fun like theirs...stop just watching, write down your goals and dreams and go after them! You are just as capable as they are. Stop and read that last sentence again. The only difference between you and them is they have searched out what they really want out of life and they are now following through with their plan to get there.
Now, I'm not saying you need to close all of your social media accounts and never watch anyone again...what I'm saying is that if you feel like life is passing you by, you wish your story was different and you would love to add more pizzazz to your days, then stop just watching and get up and start living!
1/20/20
What do you want your kids to say?
A thought that I have had recently that I just can't shake...what are my kids going to say about me?
Years from now when my kids are talking about me to other people, what are they going to say?
When a topic that I am interested in comes up, will they say, "Oh, Mom has always talked about learning more about that" or "Mom talked for years about how she would love to go there..."?
Or will they say, "Oh, our Mom loved that place so much that she made sure we went there every year!" Or, "Mom had that as her goal and she didn't quit til she hit it!".
I cringe at the thought of my kids telling other people how much I wanted to do a certain thing, but I just never did or how I so wanted to go to a certain place in the world, but I just decided not to. I never want my kids to tell their friends, spouses, and especially my grand kids how I so very much wanted to achieve a certain goal, but I just didn't put the time into it.
I want my kids to say with pride that their mom never gave up. I want them to see me not only doing what I need to do every day for them and their father, but also working on things that grow me as a person. I want them to hear me talk about my goals, to see my plans written out, to see me hit obstacles, but never actually stop moving. I want them to be so a part of my goals that they are as excited as I am when I achieve them! I want them to see that with the right plans and especially with the right mindset that they can accomplish anything.
Friends, what are your kids going to say about you?? This thought is not meant to scare anyone...but it is probably making some of you a little uncomfortable and that's a good thing. We should be putting serious thought into how our kids view us and what they learn from our actions. So do that this week. Do you think your kids admire you, respect you, want to imitate you?
I think we all need to take a step back and really dwell on this. If we are talking about goals we have, dreams we wish we could reach, places we would love to go, but we never put any action into that, what are we teaching our kids??
We are in a brand new decade guys...let's start having some new mindsets! Let's start doing the things instead of just talking about them! What we say every day and what we do every day not only affects us and our outcomes, but it even more so affects our kids' mindset and goals. So...let's do the things!
Years from now when my kids are talking about me to other people, what are they going to say?
When a topic that I am interested in comes up, will they say, "Oh, Mom has always talked about learning more about that" or "Mom talked for years about how she would love to go there..."?
Or will they say, "Oh, our Mom loved that place so much that she made sure we went there every year!" Or, "Mom had that as her goal and she didn't quit til she hit it!".
I cringe at the thought of my kids telling other people how much I wanted to do a certain thing, but I just never did or how I so wanted to go to a certain place in the world, but I just decided not to. I never want my kids to tell their friends, spouses, and especially my grand kids how I so very much wanted to achieve a certain goal, but I just didn't put the time into it.
I want my kids to say with pride that their mom never gave up. I want them to see me not only doing what I need to do every day for them and their father, but also working on things that grow me as a person. I want them to hear me talk about my goals, to see my plans written out, to see me hit obstacles, but never actually stop moving. I want them to be so a part of my goals that they are as excited as I am when I achieve them! I want them to see that with the right plans and especially with the right mindset that they can accomplish anything.
Friends, what are your kids going to say about you?? This thought is not meant to scare anyone...but it is probably making some of you a little uncomfortable and that's a good thing. We should be putting serious thought into how our kids view us and what they learn from our actions. So do that this week. Do you think your kids admire you, respect you, want to imitate you?
I think we all need to take a step back and really dwell on this. If we are talking about goals we have, dreams we wish we could reach, places we would love to go, but we never put any action into that, what are we teaching our kids??
We are in a brand new decade guys...let's start having some new mindsets! Let's start doing the things instead of just talking about them! What we say every day and what we do every day not only affects us and our outcomes, but it even more so affects our kids' mindset and goals. So...let's do the things!
12/17/19
Please Keep Going!
Something that occurred to me the other day...there is a horrible misconception that so many of us have about being led to do something. If you are following God, looking to Him, talking with Him, letting Him guide you...then you are going to have a time where it feels like He is nudging you in a certain direction. Whether this leading comes from things that other people have said, thoughts that you have repeatedly had, or just a gut feeling, He uses many ways to put desires into us that help us know where to go and what to do. I wholeheartedly believe this.
The problem that we fall into though is that we get to this point and then things come to a grinding halt. We may say that with everything in us we want to do what this is that He has called us to do, BUT then we realize how much effort it is going to take OR we start working on whatever it is and things get really hard and our next thought is...this must not be His will then...
Friends...when God calls you to do something it is not going to be as simple as walking through a few open doors to get there. Yes, He is going to help you, BUT that does not mean the journey is going to be easy. I know of so very many people who have felt pulled to start a new business, write a book, change jobs, move to a different area...but when they actually started moving in that direction and began figuring out what it would take to hit the end goal, they panicked or froze up and determined that they must have heard God wrong.
When God calls you to do something, there is going to be one or a few difficult parts that are going to surface along the way. That's just how it is. The world we live in is not perfect and is not run by our God, so there are going to be hindrances that come your way. BUT...our God knows this and will give you whatever you need to be able to conquer what comes at you.
So, please don't give up, friend. I know you are thinking about what you have felt called to do right now. Keep looking to God. Make a plan. And go do what you know you need to do. It may take longer than you had hoped...You may need to revise your plan a few times..but, when you get to where He is wanting you to be you will be forever grateful that you kept going.
The problem that we fall into though is that we get to this point and then things come to a grinding halt. We may say that with everything in us we want to do what this is that He has called us to do, BUT then we realize how much effort it is going to take OR we start working on whatever it is and things get really hard and our next thought is...this must not be His will then...
Friends...when God calls you to do something it is not going to be as simple as walking through a few open doors to get there. Yes, He is going to help you, BUT that does not mean the journey is going to be easy. I know of so very many people who have felt pulled to start a new business, write a book, change jobs, move to a different area...but when they actually started moving in that direction and began figuring out what it would take to hit the end goal, they panicked or froze up and determined that they must have heard God wrong.
When God calls you to do something, there is going to be one or a few difficult parts that are going to surface along the way. That's just how it is. The world we live in is not perfect and is not run by our God, so there are going to be hindrances that come your way. BUT...our God knows this and will give you whatever you need to be able to conquer what comes at you.
So, please don't give up, friend. I know you are thinking about what you have felt called to do right now. Keep looking to God. Make a plan. And go do what you know you need to do. It may take longer than you had hoped...You may need to revise your plan a few times..but, when you get to where He is wanting you to be you will be forever grateful that you kept going.
12/8/19
Friend, You've Got This!
Somewhere along the way, most of us fell into a horrible complex...
The mentality that we aren't enough. We aren't capable. We aren't worth it. We don't have what it takes. Everyone else is meant for greatness and has the ability to achieve incredible feats, but not us...
Social media has only fueled the fire on these defeatist thoughts, too. It's truly sad how we can be feeling good about ourselves and then after a few minutes of scrolling through posts it all goes up in smoke. Suddenly, nothing about our lives seems amazing anymore. Everything everyone else is doing and accomplishing is so magnificent and completely beyond our reach.
STOP.
Friends, we have got to stop this right now! I want you to start repeating one or all of these phrases to yourself every single day. Are you ready? Take a deep breath...now say this...I AM capable. I AM worth it. I AM brave. I CAN do this.
The people succeeding in life, reaching their goals and living their dreams? They are just like you! Let me say that again for the people in the back...They are just like you! There isn't something astoundingly special about them. How are they doing what they are doing? Two things...they have the right mindset and they don't let themselves give up. THE END.
So...you've totally got this my friend. That thing you know you are called to do. That goal you have had floating around your mind for years. It's time to go do it!
The mentality that we aren't enough. We aren't capable. We aren't worth it. We don't have what it takes. Everyone else is meant for greatness and has the ability to achieve incredible feats, but not us...
Social media has only fueled the fire on these defeatist thoughts, too. It's truly sad how we can be feeling good about ourselves and then after a few minutes of scrolling through posts it all goes up in smoke. Suddenly, nothing about our lives seems amazing anymore. Everything everyone else is doing and accomplishing is so magnificent and completely beyond our reach.
STOP.
Friends, we have got to stop this right now! I want you to start repeating one or all of these phrases to yourself every single day. Are you ready? Take a deep breath...now say this...I AM capable. I AM worth it. I AM brave. I CAN do this.
The people succeeding in life, reaching their goals and living their dreams? They are just like you! Let me say that again for the people in the back...They are just like you! There isn't something astoundingly special about them. How are they doing what they are doing? Two things...they have the right mindset and they don't let themselves give up. THE END.
So...you've totally got this my friend. That thing you know you are called to do. That goal you have had floating around your mind for years. It's time to go do it!