After a wonderful, refreshing women's retreat, I returned home to the chaos of parenting a tweener and some four-legged children. Let's just say the afterglow of the weekend has vanished—quickly! Too funny that the morning devotional that fell on today's date was about avoiding the dangerous pit of self-pity. How does God know that today—all day—was going to be a day of continually reminding myself of this admonition?
One of my friends and prayer partners called me around mid-day to ask whether I thought it was okay that she step away from the challenges on her home office computer and check out for the rest of the day. Yes, of course. Sometimes we need to do that. I then shared with her my own struggles along with a painful prayer request that was heavy on my heart.
Thank God that we can do that...that He invites us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us. For those of you who have been wounded by a church, and have since cut yourself off from anything to do with God (I've been there), know this: the God who loves you, the Jesus who died and rose again with the keys to death, hell, and the grave, invites you to come boldly before his throne of grace to make your requests known.
The poem that follows was contributed by someone who wanted to share her heart about being real with God. I hope it will encourage you to be daring and try this for yourself. He welcomes it!
"I Can Be Real" — Contributed by Kim McDougal
The shoes are off, lights are out and I'm all alone with you
You, who are the only real thing that never changes
And so when my soul aches and my eyes burn with fire
I know I can turn to you for solace.
The air around me is thin and chokes me about the neck
Still my comfort and peace lie deep within
And when no one has the right words to speak
I can be silent with my mouth and talk to you from my heart.
I can be real with you, let my hair down
Throw a fit, get angry and vow to never speak again.
I can tell only you my inner struggles
Express my hatred for pain and suffering.
I can cry my eyes out, cry in fact an ocean in my pillow.
I can scream to the top of my lungs all the way up the hilltops.
I can pray for hours to nothing but silence
And yet, deep down I know you alone hear me.
My words don't go unnoticed by you.
My tears don't make you ignore my pain.
My silence doesn't make you give up on me.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that I can be real.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Progress Report: 90-Day Journey
Yesterday marked 16 days that have passed since I kicked off the 90-day basic training experiment. (To recap, I'm doing four things each day: 1. Purposeful thanksgiving. 2. Starting in Scripture. 3. An organization project. 4. Some type of exercise/movement.)
As I related to the church small group I meet with on Thursday nights, I've been thrilled with the results. So I'm sharing this update to help encourage any of you who've been thinking about the daily steps you'd like to take to help get you to where you want to be by the time the next New Year rolls around. Here's what I'm learning along the way.
1. Consistency is liberating.
I have to admit, when I first considered adding four steps to what I needed to accomplish each day, I thought "Great! Just what I need...another four things to cram into an already overcommitted day." But what I've discovered is that consistently implementing these steps has actually been very freeing.
For example, before starting this experiment, I'd look around the house and think, "I need to get my house organized," but I didn't know where to start, and I never had countless free hours to devote to the process. However, by taking on the goal of completing one organizational task a day, I've made huge progress. Some days, I spend five minutes on a project (such as sorting mail so that it doesn't stack up). Other days, I've had the time to do a much larger task like cleaning and organizing my bedroom closet. I don't worry about what I'm going to get done each day. I just take whatever time I have, and pick one thing I can finish during that time.
2. Checking off these four items each day is very personally satisfying.
Instead of going to bed each night fretting about what didn't get done that day, I feel deeply satisfied about the things that I did accomplish. Since I've taken the time to note them on my checklist, I can look at those items and know that I invested a little (or a lot) of time in the things that I wanted to accomplish that day. (In other words, the day wasn't just about what I finished for work or as a mother, but about making progress toward completing some things that are important to me personally.)
3. Success is cumulative.
The first day of this journey, I unpacked suitcases and got toys and laundry put away. Since then, I've cleaned off a corner of the kitchen bar that's been a catchall for miscellaneous junk for months (probably years) now, sorted and tossed expired medicines, and decluttered and organized my bedroom closet so it's a walk-in again, among other things. In nearly every room of my house, I can now tell a noticeable difference from the organization projects, and that feels awesome! I can't wait to see what all will be accomplished by the end of this 90 days!
As for exercise, I've done more crunches, strength-building exercises, yoga stretches, aerobic routines, and power walks then I had completed in the past three months combined. I can feel it in my energy level, my stress level, and how my clothes are fitting. What's not to love about that?
Step by Step
Looking back over these past couple of weeks, how like the Lord to suggest this 90-day training program of incremental steps—projects—to me. As it says in Psalm 37:23 (New Living Translation), "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
While it's my nature to want to craft a 5-year plan that prepares for every contingency along the way and is too enormous to be manageable, it's God's way to direct me to follow his leading each day, each step along the way. And wouldn't you know, His way is getting results and bringing peace, rather than extra burden, along the way!
As I related to the church small group I meet with on Thursday nights, I've been thrilled with the results. So I'm sharing this update to help encourage any of you who've been thinking about the daily steps you'd like to take to help get you to where you want to be by the time the next New Year rolls around. Here's what I'm learning along the way.
1. Consistency is liberating.
I have to admit, when I first considered adding four steps to what I needed to accomplish each day, I thought "Great! Just what I need...another four things to cram into an already overcommitted day." But what I've discovered is that consistently implementing these steps has actually been very freeing.
For example, before starting this experiment, I'd look around the house and think, "I need to get my house organized," but I didn't know where to start, and I never had countless free hours to devote to the process. However, by taking on the goal of completing one organizational task a day, I've made huge progress. Some days, I spend five minutes on a project (such as sorting mail so that it doesn't stack up). Other days, I've had the time to do a much larger task like cleaning and organizing my bedroom closet. I don't worry about what I'm going to get done each day. I just take whatever time I have, and pick one thing I can finish during that time.
2. Checking off these four items each day is very personally satisfying.
Instead of going to bed each night fretting about what didn't get done that day, I feel deeply satisfied about the things that I did accomplish. Since I've taken the time to note them on my checklist, I can look at those items and know that I invested a little (or a lot) of time in the things that I wanted to accomplish that day. (In other words, the day wasn't just about what I finished for work or as a mother, but about making progress toward completing some things that are important to me personally.)
3. Success is cumulative.
The first day of this journey, I unpacked suitcases and got toys and laundry put away. Since then, I've cleaned off a corner of the kitchen bar that's been a catchall for miscellaneous junk for months (probably years) now, sorted and tossed expired medicines, and decluttered and organized my bedroom closet so it's a walk-in again, among other things. In nearly every room of my house, I can now tell a noticeable difference from the organization projects, and that feels awesome! I can't wait to see what all will be accomplished by the end of this 90 days!
As for exercise, I've done more crunches, strength-building exercises, yoga stretches, aerobic routines, and power walks then I had completed in the past three months combined. I can feel it in my energy level, my stress level, and how my clothes are fitting. What's not to love about that?
Step by Step
Looking back over these past couple of weeks, how like the Lord to suggest this 90-day training program of incremental steps—projects—to me. As it says in Psalm 37:23 (New Living Translation), "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives."
While it's my nature to want to craft a 5-year plan that prepares for every contingency along the way and is too enormous to be manageable, it's God's way to direct me to follow his leading each day, each step along the way. And wouldn't you know, His way is getting results and bringing peace, rather than extra burden, along the way!
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