Little by Little

                                                      How do you eat an elephant? 

I have such good intentions. I even made a few lists about them. Turns out I'm an excellent list writer. List follower...that's another topic. Recently, I've been thinking of two list in particular, my bucket/ amen list, and my "nice to do" list. The "nice to do" list is more like a list of good habits I'd like to put in practice. Sadly, both list have been suffering their fair share of neglect. The closing of yet another year has brought them to to forefront of my thoughts. Perhaps it's a good time to edit them.  I don't see myself learning to speak the 5 romance languages any time soon. On the other hand, I did wear a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes. Even if it was for a very short time, it has been done. I can cross it out.  I'm not sure what other goals I'll let go, and which ones I'll add. I do know that I have changed since the list was made, so I'm sure the new list will reflect that. Also, more important than writing a list of all the things I want to do, it would be nice to make a list of all the things God has already allowed me to do. It might serve to encourage me, and change my focus a bit. 

I'm the type that tries to do everything, or I do nothing. This will sound silly, but it takes a REAL EFFORT on my part to go slowly. That attitude can be death to an accomplishment. When I'm overwhelmed I respond with either a frenzy of activity, or not at all.  Where the lists are concerned, it's been mostly nothing at all. It's time to change that. I might not be able to do everything, but I can do something. I decided I'll start with my "nice to do list." "Read one book week is a bit ambitious, but once a month I can handle. Who knows? Maybe I'll be able to recommend a book or two by doing so. God willing, I''ll have more on this in a few weeks.

OK, I'm off to eat my elephant, "one bite at a time."  

Giving Thanks

Needs are many.
Wants are endless.
Lusts are plenty,
Soul restless.

Distracted by desires,
heart be content.
Absent the ideal,
Life is blessed.

God is my riches.
What could be more?
I'm living Thanksgiving,
Like never before.

Yesterday, I spent the majority of the day on the couch. I wasn't sick. I didn't lack things to do. I just couldn't motivate myself to get started. Sometime after 3 o'clock, with the day almost done, and the hubby due home any moment, I finally got up and got started. I'm not sure if I was embarrassed by all that needed to be done, or all that I didn't do. Whatever  it was, I had had enough and got started. I'd like to tell you I got everything I wanted to accomplished, that would be a lie. There are consequences to wasting time. What I can tell you is, even though the day began contrary to plans, it ended well. Life is a lot like yesterday. You may not have started out great, or in the way you wanted, but it's not to late to change all of that.  Each new day brings it's own challenges, but it also brings abundant opportunities. I'm not sure how this day will end, or any of the tomorrows God shall give. But it's important to me that I learn from all my yesterdays, make the most of all of my todays, and approach each tomorrow with hope. Life is a good, not because of our circumstances, but because our God is. As long as we are here we have the luxury of time. Yesterday was just a reminder to use time wisely. Lesson learned. On it!

A Challenge

Yesterday I did NOT want to go to church, which is precisely why I went. I've found that on the days     I don't feel like going, it does me the most good to go. I was not wrong. The message was interesting. I haven't been able to get it out of my head. It was about the power of complaining. We were challenged to go one month-no complaints! I have to admit my first thought was, "this is no challenge for me." I tend to be more internal with my junk, so the whining/complaining thing didn't phase me, well not until later. I got to thinking more about it and realized, I'm more of a baby than I acknowledge. Maybe I don't whine, but I do critique, correct and....ahem...nag. Apparently my family knows it well. Too well. The hubby and kiddo were smiling, giggling and throwing knowing glances my way. After NOT much thought, I concluded that they were absolutely right. 

I'm going to do this. Challenge on! In the month when we celebrate being grateful, this seems a fitting undertaking. The preacher's point: "it's not hard be thankful one day of the year, when you spend the whole year complaining." He wasn't talking solely about imposing self control on the tongue. He was encouraging a change of focus. It was a call to turn from self, and all the ways I'm offended (not getting my way) to the only one great enough to put me in my place, God. Yesterday I barely made it out of church before I noticed that I was doing it again, complaining.  Hmmm... one month huh? This is gonna be a long, rough one.