Summer

Oh Summer, where are you going?

I feel like you just arrived yesterday and already I see you packing your bags. We haven't even got to spend time together....

We were supposed to lay on the beach, listening to the waves crash upon the shore and dream of the coming year. We were going to ride the biggest roller coaster we could find and scream at the top of our lungs. We had books to read...meals to share....places to go. So many plans unrealized and yet, here we are, nearing the end with lightning speed.

So, what do you say? Can you stall the packing for just a little while? Let's just enjoy the time left....dance in the rain, make up insanely silly songs and laugh hysterically, lets slow the pace just enough to enjoy it.

What do you say, Summer? Will you stay a bit longer?

Right Kind Of Change

I found a new quote and put it on my sidebar.

"The right kind of change doesn't take you away from yourself, it wakes you up to yourself."

How many times have we tried to change to fit a mold, only to find it takes us further and further from who we really are. I love this quote and the fact that it focuses on change being something that makes you a better person...a better you. Not something that you're not...just you. I love that. It's the kind of change I seek in my life.

Things I know that need to change, to bring me back to who I am, to the better me;

*accountability...being real and transparent without fear of judgement
*hospitality...having friends over, hangin' out, enjoying the company of others
*healthy...it is a must for me to lose weight and start taking care of myself, yoga pants and t-shirts are not things I find attractive for every day wear, just necessary at the moment. Lose weight. Get a new wardrobe.
*date night...hubby and I need this, and it has to become a priority

These are just a few and they're not based on what others think of me, but they're based on things I know that make me a better person. How do I know? Because at one time, I was doing these things...and I liked who I was then. I want that happy, confident, contagious person back.

Something To Think About

If Southside Community Church (insert your church name here) ceased to exist today, would anyone besides its members even notice?

This questions has been haunting me since Sunday night. What are your thoughts on this?

First Signs of Spring

I love Spring...it has to be my most favorite season. The daffodils have started blooming here and as I look at them and all of the flowering trees, I'm reminded of new life and new beginnings. Isn't it just like God to give us a visual reminder...a time for renewal? Spring is that time for me.

Spring is a time to enjoy creation bursting forth in vibrant color! A time to sit on the front porch and sip lemonade...to have long talks with your beloved and children. It's a time when leisurely walks around the neighborhood refresh the soul. It's a time to slow down...and actually smell the roses.

Spring is my time to slow down, be quiet and still, and just listen....listen for God to whisper in my ear. Are my priorities in line with His will? Or am I chasing leprechauns? What does Spring do for you? Have you stopped to consider what God would like to show you? What is he bringing to your recall?

New Year, Fresh Start

Yes, I do realize that it is January 5th, but I'm a procrastinator at heart! I do love a new year...a chance to reflect on the past, set new goals, clean out the clutter in our lives. So, I've been thinking all week..."what do I really want this year to be about?" What changes do I need to make? What did I do well in 2007? And what needs major improvement? I have a large array of goals, but I try to really focus on a few from each of the areas of well-being....spiritual, physical, & emotional.

Spiritual
1. I will read through and study the New Testament along with our church.
2. I will spend time each week in quiet reflection with my God..."be still and know that I am God."
3. I will find ways to incorporate scripture memory into my every day life

Physical
1. I will lose 40 pounds this year by changing my eating habits and exercising
2. I will give up sodas :(
3. I will at least WALK on the treadmill daily

Emotional
1. I will learn to breathe...instead of becoming angry
2. I will forgive those that have hurt me and not look back
3. I will focus on the positive of each day, noting how much I have to be grateful for

This is just the big things on my list...the ones I struggle with the most and am desperate to see change in this year. I want so many more things this year...to have my home be a reflection of Christ...to live more simply...to spend more time making memories with my family...to allow my creativity to flourish.

What do you wish for the new year? What will you change? For without change, you cease to grow and I never want to stop growing.