Tag: ThisBeautifulLife

Creating Inspired Moments

thestarbucksapronI have a few Starbucks aprons I’ve picked up, second hand, along the way.  One of them has a printed tape inside the top of the apron.  I’m assuming it was positioned there so that it would be seen (and intentionally read) each time the barista positioned the neck strap and donned the apron.

As with many other aprons I have, I’ve worn this one many times.  Until recently, I never even noticed the black tape sewn inside the top band of that apron.  Thus, I’d never read the message intended for the baristas:

We create inspired moments
in each customer’s day.
ANTICIPATE   CONNECT   PERSONALIZE   OWN

I’ve written about aprons a few times — even have some for sale — that’s how important or meaningful aprons are to me.  And I think they ought to have a more prominent role in kitchens.  But that’s another blog-post for another day.

Creating inspired moments… 

 Do I do this?  I mean, do I intentionally work to create inspired moments?  Immediately I dismiss the notion —  I mean, how can *I* create an *inspired* moment?  Inspired moments are, after all, simply that: inspired.  But then I think on this some more.  And some more. I think on Proverbs 16.9: “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”  I make plans and the Lord makes/creates/directs inspired moments.

Inspired — from Webster’s 1828: Breathed in; infused; Informed or directed by the Holy Spirit.

So then,  inspired moments are those moments that are composed, directed, or Divinely influenced.  Immediately my thoughts are taken to Genesis 24.27 (Abraham’s servant): “…I being in the way, the Lord led me...”

And then I’m humbled:  Lord, I want to be in the way… I want to be in the way where You’ll lead me.  I want the moments I live to be: inspired moments — the actions I take to be: inspired actions — the decisions I make to be: inspired decisions.

And then I’m inspired:  Lord, will You do this for me, in me, with me?  Can mornings be filled with inspired moments? Can our dinner meals together be not just meals but inspired moments?  Can I learn to watch for opportunities for inspired moments? Can I learn to speak to my children in such a way that it will not be me, necessarily, but an inspired word?  Can I intentionally, daily, work to create an atmosphere of inspired moments in our home?  Instead of mundane dailies, can I work to see my tasks as inspired moments? Can I love my husband in ways that will capture his heart and affirm my desire for him in inspired moments?  Can I live as a woman whose daily walk is one of cultivating opportunities for inspired moments?

O, that I not forget tomorrow what the Lord has taught me today.  When I put on an apron – this, or any other – may I remember the awesome opportunity I have to walk in the way of inspired moments.  May I seek to anticipate, connect, personalize and own the opportunities set before me.  Ultimately, may the Lord be the inspiration of all my moments.

THM or A Plan On The Shelf

THMbookshelfOctober 17, 2013 I received my book… and I wrote about the THM journey here with additional entries following.  I wasn’t so much seeking to be a trim healthy mama as much as I was determined to be a healthy mama who happened to figure out how to be and remain disciplined and trim.

I had such determination and such confidence.  And success, too.
Life happened. And failure.

This morning I’m cleaning up from a few different events in the last several days and all I see around me are large bowls, serving platters, large carafes, stacks of other dishes, paper products… all the aftermath of food. Lots of food.  My scale showed me that, too.

In the early days, I was trying to figure out how THM was going to fit in with my life. This bookshelf in my kitchen sort of represents my life. But, I’m telling you, it took no time to figure out that that was the wrong question – the wrong premise on which to embark on the THM journey. I couldn’t even reword that premise to be: how can my lifestyle fit into THM?  Though, I did learn to adjust right away, feeble as it was, it wasn’t at all bcz the THM plan  fit into anything and not even bcz I fit into the THM plan.  It was simple determination to deny self and walk on in faith that I could be free from the grip of undisciplined consumption and THM plan was the path to that freedom.

Somewhere along the way, small compromises deterred me from wholeheartedly walking on that freedom path.  Small and then absent minded great compromises dull the sharp resolve of discipline. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of the plan, of my resolve to be self-controlled and resolute regarding food (read: sugar).  And nothing cements repeated failure more than repeated lack of determination.  I typed and then removed a sentence here — it went something like “…lack of a plan.”  But I had a plan.  I had a very good plan.  And when I stuck to the plan, it worked very, very well.  It’s a good plan.  But a plan on the shelf is not the same as a plan in the mind, a plan in the hand, and a plan in the will and a plan in action.  A plan is worthless when not accompanied by resolute determination to carry it out.

Excuses?  Loads.  Loads of ’em.  Reasons?  Many.  Many valid reasons if reason excuses failure.  And then there’s the worst of all: Compromise.  I look at where I am today compared with where I was seven months ago and I reason that where I am is surely not where I was seventeen months ago.  I reason, I’ve only gained 5 or 6 pounds in the last seven months… that’s not too bad, really.  I mean, considering, I already lost 35 pounds, so only gaining 5 or 6 pounds is not that bad.   Not that bad is one the greatest enemies I have. Compromise is an enemy when it’s not used very carefully and in the right situations.  Rarely is that the case.

Is the 5 or 6 pound gain the problem or the failure?  No.  Taking my eyes off the plan (could be any plan by the way — not stuck to the THM-only-no-other-will-do notion) is what’s disconcerting to me.  Failing to be, and remain, determined is what I mean.

I want to be, to become, and to remain: Determined.  I don’t want my plans to be on the shelf…

The irony of this thought was not lost on me this morning as I was reading my Bible — reflecting on the content and cross references.  I thought, why do I ever get away from doing this?  Why is this hunger for the Word so diminished  sometimes? So prone to wander… Why are these precious insights so dimmed on one day and not another.  Determination.

So many areas of our lives are so inextricably linked.  Isn’t the Lord so merciful to let us see these connections, fall and get up, by His grace, taking His hand?  Isn’t it gracious of Him to bring to remembrance different parables to keep our eyes on Truth?

 

The Current Truth

Oct05springhetti

I began working on my new This Beautiful Life journal/planner/notebook, and once again I’m stymied by my answers.  I see the designated spaces for specific answers and am reticent to write mine down.

My tendency is to be very tentative about what goals I write (thinking if I write it, I’ll be committed to doing it).  One day I might only write a few goals — another day I might write down things that would take two lifetimes to accomplish.   My abstract sequential / concrete random thinking style seems to prevent me from ever making a definitive list.  Have you ever analyzed your thinking style? There are different tests you can take to determine your thinking style — and I’m sincerely not so sure it’s crucial to do it, know what it is, or whatever, but this might help you understand yourself (and particularly your children — and your husband) better, and help you get why you (or they) do things the way you (or they) do them.  Just an idea for you.

So, back to my “priority journal” [Chloe’s: This Beautiful Life] and that box: The Current Truth.  That box shows up on five pages.  There are five sections corresponding to five priorities.  It’s hard for me to narrow down five priorities.  Would that be hard for you?  So, I’m thinking about my priorities: what are they? Why are they important (or, important enough to be in the top five)?  As I think on these things, I have to realize that my priorities and the things I prioritize —by how I spend my time— are not the same thing.  That’s where that  The Current Truth reality box is staring me in the face like a mirror.  And I have to say: wow, my current reality is not where I want to be.  And, if my current truth or current reality is not what I want it to be, what I’m doing each day is actually pulling me away from, or destroying, what I want or where I want to be.  Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. –proverbs 14.1  What I’m doing or how I’m spending my time or money or whatever is quite revealing as to how serious I am about accomplishing my priorities.

You know, there’s another way to get a pretty clear picture of priorities… might be too hard to hear, but ask your husband what he thinks the current truth is regarding a particular priority you have.  Or, maybe you have a son or daughter who could give you invaluable feedback.  Maybe a trusted friend.  Maybe all you need is a pen and paper.  Write down your priorities — what they look like at their best and what’s the current truth?  Better yet, get Chloe’s book.  Honestly, you’ll be so surprised at how life changing, complex and invaluable this simple little book will turn out to be in your life.

So today I’m sitting here, writing things down, looking out over the yard… and, honestly, the way looks stormy and the road looks long.  I don’t want to write anything else down and I don’t want to do what I must.  I don’t want to commit to anything bcz I so often fail and I’m pretty uncertain about a lot of things – things over which I have little control.  And, I don’t want to have another list of stuff I didn’t get to or didn’t do.  I relate to the apostle Paul and think of what he says in Romans 7: “…For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not…” — 7.18-19

But if I don’t press on… well, I sure don’t like where that would leave me — that, and I know I don’t want to be that girl.  So… I press on.  That’s my current truth.  And, it’s because of the Truth that I will do this.   I will seek Him and I will trust Him. That, and I truly do want this to be a beautiful life.

quotebeginFor it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”
philippians 2.13

This Beautiful Life

teapotcupdrawing As I mentioned in my previous post, one evening a month, I have the privilege of sharing a message with a “TitusTwo” group of women.  As I wrote out that message on Communication, I was mindful that there was going to be a presentation by another sister at the meeting.  My friend mentioned that her friend had written a book and would be sharing about it with the group. Thinking  there really might not be time for me to share a message, I still wanted to be prepared — but looking back now, I’m not sure it was necessary for me to share a message that night.  Sometimes best things get covered up by good things. I can say that now, especially since I’ve mulled it over many times in the last few days, that that book was the best thing and could’ve/should’ve been the only thing we concentrated on that night.

I’m so glad to be growing older as I see with the passage of time, there’s less urgency to have things go according to my plan and more necessity to be flexible to walk in the Lord’s steps.   As He leads, I want to follow.  I wish I could’ve just typed: As He leads, I follow.  But the reality is, I’m still prone to wander.

You notice, I entitled this blog entry: This Beautiful Life.  This is the title of the book.  The book is half empty.  Right now, the book is filled with power.  When it’s full, I believe I will be able to tell you the book is powerful.  

the current truth 

I thumbed through the pages… those words caught my eye.  When I glanced at the priority pages… I saw the spaces for different action points, and began to mentally fill them in.  I came to those three words and let them sink in: The current truth.  There’s a lot of power behind those words.  We all have things we think about ourselves — sometimes deceiving ourselves into thinking we’ve got less to work on than we do or less to improve than we really do.  Sometimes we’re duped into believing that we already are pretty much doing the things we’ve planned to do, or that we’re not straying too far from our daily responsibilities.  Then there’s the angle of what others think is true about us and what we think is true about ourselves.  I instantly think of the Lord talking with His disciples… them talking about other people and Him talking about the disciples themselves:  But who do you say that I am?  The current truth is a bold reality check.  Get the book and you’ll understand this application.

Well, you might be thinking that what I’ve just shared is the last thing you need: another book, person, voice, or whatever, to beat you up for what you’re not doing or for what you oughtta stop doing.  No, that’s not at all what this book is designed to do.  But daring to amplify on those three words: the current truth, just may be the unlocking of chains that bind you to a problem or a way of reacting or responding.

So, what is this book, anyway? Chloe wrote this book This Beautiful Life (which is a working book! It’s a semi-guided journal, a planner, a calendar, a mirror) to help you. 

quotebegin…help you clarify your own unique gifts and callings,
and move forward in them with joy…
[that the Lord] guide you in the vision He has for your life.
May this help you become a stronger and more confident woman,
secure in your relationship in Christ and your role in the world.
May you have joy as you go about your days with purpose,
living out your own beautiful life.quoteend

get it.