"Takin' Time Out"

Definition: A space or room just below the roof of a building.

 

You may be wondering what in the world is she up to this week and why would you pick the word ATTIC.  Well to be completely honest I have been really busy at work, I have thought about my blog article each morning and nothing was very clear on what I wanted to write about.  So here we are down to the wire and I was committed to not missing another week due to my busy schedule so I have a jar with little slips of paper on various topics I want to write about and I decided to draw from that jar this morning and this is the word I pulled out!  LOL…so here we are sipping on my scrumptious Cinnamon Chai Tea and my wheels are spinning as my fingers begin to type.

 

I was unloading my car late last night and looked at the small pile of remaining boxes I need to go through from pulling everything down from our ATTIC last fall.  This is such a BIG sigh of relief, amazing how much clutter one can gather through the years.  Why in the world do we every stick stuff up there in the first place?  Now if you have a two story house with an access through a door I would be all for it but our ATTIC has these narrow fold down steps that have become very rickety through the years.  Some stuff barely fits through the hole but somehow we managed to cram twenty plus years of memories in the floor of the ATTIC. In all reality it isn’t really the best place for anything as the temperatures fluctuate dramatically throughout the year.  Field mice or small rats like to creep in when the weather changes another thing I want to ask God when I get to heaven what good are those little varmints.  I will never forget my brother in law helping us move on Christmas Eve many years ago from another house into our current one and as we finished up the last load it was all the stuff from the ATTIC.  His exact words to me were, “have you ever heard of Bon Fire?”  This would be a great start…I just commented by saying “How Rude!” but he was probably right.

 

What comes to your mind when you hear the word ATTIC?  I guess I would define it as a place that you sort of put stuff that you used to be interested in and might be interested in again someday or things you think someone else might want someday.  Well that someday came and I had 3 stacks for my children…my oldest ask what in the world was she to do with all those trophy’s from elementary, Jr high and High school.  I stated I didn’t know but they were hers to store in their own ATTIC now or purge.  I did my part by saving them all these years.

 

Memories so many memories. The one box I pulled from the garage floor was a combination of old photos and my husband’s memorabilia on top lay a photograph of his precious Grandmother we called “Granny”.  It has almost been a year since she left this earth.  She lived 105 years.  Now let’s think about this for a minute, imagine what her eyes saw, the changes that transformed this world of ours – it’s staggering to think about it.  For example she went through two world wars, not to mention several smaller ones, the invention of cars, planes, electricity, radio, television and yes even computers and the internet.  The list could go on and on but I think about how hard her life was, her family was not very wealthy in terms of money and material things but she was so wealthy in terms of wisdom, hard work, determination and experiences.  In reflecting over Granny’s life and thinking back even as a child I sorta long to return to a different time.  A time of simplicity, a time for more family gatherings and community.  A time when doors were left unlocked and neighbors would drop everything and help to rebuild a barn.  A time when family and faith were what were most important.  Now don’t get me wrong I have some really good neighbors and they would be here for me if I asked but with the kids grown and gone and our time of sharing meals, kids playing tag football in the front yard are gone.  Also, my family and faith do take priority but this past year I feel life interruptions and work has really gotten in the way of what I want my primary focus to be.  So YES, I am making some changes for 2016 and recommitting to makin memories and “Takin Time Out” more often.

 

My cousin is currently preparing to move from one home to another in fact they actually own two homes but are selling one. The one they are selling is packed with most of their memories of 35+ years together.  In fact she has loves sharing old photographs of our family on Facebook some brought tears of fond memories, while others brought tears of laughter especially the clothes we wore or our hairstyles.  What were we thinking?  Give us another 20 years and we will probably be saying the same thing about what I have on today. LOL!

 

How many of you channel surf…I don’t very often as I am not a big TV person but on occasion I sometimes will stop at the “Cash in the ATTIC” or “American Pickers” it is amazing what I think is junk sells for a pretty penny.  What’s in your ATTIC?

 

In my quiet time I ran across a verse Ecclesiastes 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” I think this corresponds with the things and memories held in those little boxes from the ATTIC…each age or stage of life are precious and beautiful we just have to enjoy or maybe look for the beauty especially during the hard times.  Life is full of negativity or overwhelming challenges but we must dig deep into our souls to find the nuggets of gold and the positivity.  It’s up to each one of us to choose…

 

I think of a very special Victorian home that is my favorite B&B; it has that A line roof. There is where I find my happy place tucked under the angel and in the corner of that roofline, which was once part of the ATTIC.  It is called The Tyler Room, but I like to think of it as my special place.  There are so many fond memories sitting in the corner peering out the window onto the simple quiet little street, some mornings the deer would be feeding in the field and that is where God and I have had some serious talks.

 

While you are “Takin Time Out” this week what do you think of when you hear the word ATTIC?  If nothing else hopefully it brought back some precious memories of years past, sparked by keepsakes or marvelous stories of mischief, discovery and laughter.  What lessons have we learned and can apply for today.  What was once more and can we bring back some of the simplicity of yesteryear to our lives?  I hope you enjoyed reminiscing, until next time my friends, let’s breathe in deep, exhale slowly, work towards being more in the presence of today and truly be thankful for each of our blessings…

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Definition: The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.  A serious thought or a calm, lengthy, intent consideration.  Something that bounces back like light waves, sound waves, image or even your thoughts.

 

 

As we have begun another new year, (can you believe it is 2016?) I felt it only appropriate to choose the word REFLECTION for this week’s post.  Sitting here in the wee hours of the early morning sipping on a warm cup of fresh mint tea…I have to be completely honest with you…I feel a bit overwhelmed, discouraged, full of regret as I have not posted since last September. I have made a commitment and written out some goals for this next year that hopefully will prevent this from happening in the future.

 

The past 3 months are a big ole blur…my day job the one that brings home the bacon has been the most challenging in my 33 year career…I won’t get into all the details but I have learned a very valuable lesson as I reflect back. I can’t undo or redo what took place but I can take those nuggets or experiences and decide what worked and what didn’t to help me move forward.  So much of what I do is directed by other outside sources, so I don’t really get to make the decisions I am more the consultant relaying the changes and how to navigate to the end result and many times the end result are not always positive.  Driving to work yesterday I was giving myself a little pep talk, trying to motivate myself while listening to one of my favorite podcasters. I always like to reflect on the day before and items left on my “To Do List!” when I suddenly realized it is never enough.  Whatever I get done by the next day it is never enough…there is always more to do, a bigger crisis, a fire burning…that my friend is simply called LIFE!  So it’s a new year a new beginning time to begin again and time to commit to “Takin Time Out!”

 

I do know when I begin to feel inadequate I need to turn to God and lay my burdens at the cross. The more I do this the more he bears the weight of my burdens and the load seems much lighter and I move forward one step at a time.

 

When you think of the word reflection what comes to your mind? A mirror, a pool of water with images of the bank glistening and reflecting back or perhaps it maybe your image in the window?  I am not sure what age or stage in life you may be but have you ever considered writing or recording a life reflection story about yourself?  This doesn’t have to be fancy or lengthy it just has to be from the heart. Stories are how we transmit the wisdom, life lessons and compassion we have gained in our lifetime to simply share for the next generation.  They inspire us; connect us to something bigger than ourselves.  They can mark your own life’s milestone, writing about life events, celebrations, trials, tribulations and letting those who eventually read it know a little bit more because it is on paper or recorded to be able to listen to over and over.  I think maybe deep down this is one reason I started this blog a few years back.  I wanted to share with you what my thoughts or experiences have been.  We all aspire to live a good life, to feel that our life matters and to make a positive difference for others to share, why not capture through life reflection stories…maybe that should be one goal or resolution to accomplish this year.  As Proverbs 27:19 states “As water reflects the face so one’s life reflects the heart.”

 

As I was thinking about Reflection a simple story I once heard came to mind but so relates to many things we deal with in life:

 

There was a king who presented his daughter with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.

 

 One day, a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted and filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace. He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward.

 

 He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn’t catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again. This time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace.

 

 But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed. Then again, he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what. He decided to plunge into the river. Although it was disgusting, he plunged in and searched everywhere for the necklace. Yet one more time, he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace that would get him $50,000. 

 

Just then, a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what the matter was. The clerk didn’t want to share the secret with the saint, thinking he might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell him anything.

 

 The saint could see this man was troubled. Being compassionate, he again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it. The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told him about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing.

 

 The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The clerk looked up and true enough; the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.

Limiting beliefs, a muddy reflection, or self-sabotaging habits can stand in our way from reaching our true potential. So as you are “Takin Time Out” this week, what reflections appear strong and vivid in your mind?  What changes, improvements, goals or resolutions do you have on your list for this upcoming year?  I encourage you to write it down…share with a close friend or family member to make it more real and have an accountability partner.  Let’s make it happen…Until next time my friends…”Attract what you expect, Reflect what you Desire, Become what you Respect, and Mirror what you Admire”

 

 

 

 

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Definition: The edge or border of something. An amount by which a thing is won or falls short. Provide with an edge or border. A limit in a condition or process, beyond or below which something is no longer possible or acceptable. An amount that is allowed but that is beyond what is needed.

 

Whew…sipping on a delicious cup of warm herbal tea…I am soooooo excited and are in hopes you will find this week’s topic of interest! As I was “Takin Time Out”, I recently found an amazing discovery in my daily life and can’t wait to share. I am not sure if it is because I have gotten older or the fact technology has brought a new dimension to my daily routine but these conditions are devouring my MARGIN.

 

Being raised by a very loving, organized Type “A” mother she has passed some traits on to me, one of which is being a list maker. I remember the little once red desk now stripped down to its beautiful oak finish positioned on a wall of our kitchen. This was my Mom’s command center. She had her calendar with activities, times and location listed on each appropriate day as well as a pad with her weekly and daily reminder of a “To Do List”, in her immaculate penmanship she used a checkmark to mark off each one she had completed. When I go home even today she incorporated everything in her “Franklin Day Timer” binder with her calendar of events and a list. Personally I have moved to an 8½ by 11 spiral notepad, my handwriting is not as precise so I print and I use a yellow highlighter to cross my items off. I love living by my lists…What about you are you a list maker?

 

This past week I was visiting with a very dear friend and I was sharing all the things I had recently accomplished in my adventure this year of “Lightening My Load” and how refreshing and a sense of renewal was being brought into my daily life…yet I seemed to get frustrated with the timing issue. I was explaining I used to be able to get so much more done in a day than I do now. I was asking her why is this…what is different…I no longer have small children and added responsibility, it really should be easier. My friend quickly responded by saying I hadn’t created enough MARGIN in my daily activity. WOW…BAM…she sure knows how to hit me right upside the head for sure! Yes she nailed it!!

 

She said there was a great book written by Richard A. Swenson entitled “MARGIN”…so yes I started reading it the next day. I haven’t finished it yet but it definitely has some unique and important lessons to be learned. In the opening chapter he states “if you are homeless we send you to a shelter, if you are penniless we offer you food stamps, if you are breathless we connect you to oxygen but if you are marginless, we give you yet one more thing to do. Margin, on the other hand is having breath left at the top of the staircase.”   I am always seeking a more improved way of doing things, getting more things done yet I really need to enjoy the journey while doing it. This is where I think MARGIN can be so important. Do you remember notebook paper? Maybe you have some and if so please take a look at it very closely. There is at least one inch blank space before the lines begin from the top, now look on the left side there is another one inch before a solid red line goes down the page vertically and maybe another one inch on the right side. These are the margins. While in school the margins are where teacher’s would make notes or corrections.

 

This might take a little effort but hang with me for a minute. Let’s take our daily lives and compare to a piece of notebook paper. What happens if we write all the way across the page including the margins and leave no space? We are on the go from sun up to sun down and sometimes burning the midnight oil. Some of these activities are important or a necessity of life but really how many of these “To Do’s” are not necessary and are inflicted by guilt or pride? There is absolutely no room for important messages, corrections or encouragement to fit in if we take up all the space with stuff, running ourselves ragged. If we are so busy running past life we can miss critical opportunities to speak into ­our lives and ultimately this trickles down into the lives of our loved ones. If I am so busy chasing my crazy busy schedule then in reality I have no time to take notice of what could happen in those margins. I am not enjoying the journey either…

 

Creating margin is counter culture. It isn’t what we see encouraged or modeled in our culture…especially if you are climbing the ladder of success. In reality margin isn’t something that happens without effort. It requires a great deal of self-conscious effort to sustain. Margin is about living life to the fullest just like Jesus promised us.

Luke 12:15-21 (NIV) I a perfect example:

 

“Then he said to them, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. And he told them this parable: The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

 

 

These verses are all about greed and filling your notebook paper from top to bottom, side to side. A big part of managing the overload of modern life is changing our expectations and our definition of what constitutes success and then truly determining what is enough! The worldly view is placed on material things, beauty, wealth and success but maybe it is time to redefine success and leave some space in the margin.

 

If we live life with margin it does not guarantee a life free of problems but it can give us many richly rewards like peace, nurturing relationships, less anxiety, mental space for creativity and time to reflect on what really matters so we can practice awareness and gratitude which is what God truly wants for each one of us.

 

This is one reason I started this blog and entitled it “Takin Time Out!” This is where I can let important messages take root in my margin, add creativity, nurture my soul and become more how God intended me to be. What about you? Are you filling up your margins with unnecessary “To Do’s”? I encourage you to leave some space…create a margin in your day and let’s enjoy life to fullest until next time my friends…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 Definition: Covered in prickles. Ready to take offense.

Synonyms: spiky, spiked, thorny, barbed, spiny

 

What a week…I look at my poor hands, a bit swollen, scratched up, stiff and very sore. I started in on a project working an hour or so in the coolness each morning this week before going to work pulling the unwanted weeds, dead plants and laying new mulch. I am getting ready for fall which hopefully will arrive soon living in Texas we are always ready for a break from the heat. I can’t wait to bring out my pumpkins, plant some mums and fall pansies. As I worked through each section of the yard and flower beds, I realized our yard has a type of very PRICKLY vine that intertwines in between the bushes with these long roots that caused the irritation in my hands. Even though I wore gloves, those PRICKLY little thorns seemed to have crept through anyway. Lord, may I ask you…what good are they or what purpose do they really serve?

 

Even though my fingers are a bit stiff as I am clicking away on the keyboard I am hoping the venom from the nasty little PRICKLY weed will subside soon. Oh well no pain no gain it was worth it…I love yard work it is therapy to my soul. Nothing more refreshing than digging into the fresh moist soil and I absolutely love when I run across a den of earth worms and watching them squirm back down into the rich coolness of the soil. As I thought about the word PRICKLY the first thing that came to my mind was a PRICKLY pear cactus. I grew up on the plains in Southeast Colorado and the pastures were full of this ornate vegetation along with the sagebrush and soap weeds. As with many people, I did not realize the many uses a PRICKLY Pear cactus has to offer. It is known as a fruit-bearing plant that produces in the fall a luscious purple, red, or yellow fruit that is made into jelly, jams, pies, breads, wine and many other scrumptious items. Its juice is rich in vitamin C. For some it is called the Indian fig. Amazing how something so PRICKLY can offer such an incredible variety for your tasty pallet and have a beneficial effect on your health. I encourage you to check it out the next time you are at your specialty grocery store.

 

Hmmm, as I am sipping on my scrumptious cup of white pear tea, I remembered a book I recently read it is written by Debbie Macomber entitled, “God’s Guest List” and there was one whole chapter devoted to PRICKLY people. I have to laugh, this is a very good way to define people’s personalities and their reactions to certain situations, especially those folks who have a tendency to grate on your nerves. Just yesterday I had a voicemail from a client who is very direct. I appreciate this about her but I would say most of the time she seems irritated and not very patient at all with most circumstances. You naturally have your guard up with each conversation you have, I would have to classify her as a PRICKLY person. You know those types of people where you are walking on egg shells and waiting for the bomb to drop? As I was listening to her message rather than being on guard, I just burst into laughter of which I could do because I was by myself. She was soooo upset over a situation and was directing her complaint to me like it was my fault. I am definitely just a third party available to assist and help get the answers or resolve certain issues. I picked up the phone and returned her call she starts in chewing on me and then in the same breathe she stated she was with a client and didn’t have time to talk to me. Yet she barked out the same message she had left, in this particular case she was upset she had not received a paper bill in the mail, she informed me she does not do “ONLINE” anything yet in the same breathe she proceeds to tell me that when she pays her bills “ONLINE” it takes an extra week before payment goes out and because she didn’t receive it on time this was going to cause her to be late. Number one I do not produce the bill the carrier does, number two I do not mail the bill the carrier does, nor am I the U.S. Post office who delivers it nor am I in her office to retrieve the mail and personally hand it to her. I assured her the bill was produced like every other month; it is generated around the 15^th of the month and mailed out just like it has been for the last five years she has been with this particular carrier. I did retrieve a copy of the bill and emailed to her assistant of which she still was not happy. It was simple not good enough she wanted to know why she did not receive hers in the mail with a coupon she did not want an online copy. I had no answer and I explained she had 30 days to pay the bill with a 30 day grace period and her only option was to pay based on the copy I supplied. I stated once she was finished with her client she could call me back even if it was after 5:00 to discuss further. I never heard back from her. LOL!

 

I have another dear friend who seems to have the same demeanor, I wonder if these two ladies are related. She is never happy or satisfied with the responses you provide. When you give a reasonable explanation or solution to the issue she seems to always have an excuse why it won’t work or offer other ideas that are absurd to me. PRICKLY People are everywhere, there are some weeks they just flow out of the wood work and I again I ask God what purpose are they serving and why are they causing me so much anxiety? I don’t know how to change them but I do know how to change my attitude towards them. I must control how they affect me and defuse the tension to not allow these PRICKLY folks to make me cranky too. Cranky people often offer us the gift of a fresh opportunity to develop patience. Fortunately the word helps to give me wise counsel and I can take my action plan from the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled, where there is knowledge it will pass away.”

 

When you think about it this has a magic formula. I encourage you to reread and apply it to any PRICKLY situation and your heart can be immediately calmed. Improvements begin almost immediately. Think about what the world would be like if we all used this as a guideline in our everyday life. Never rude, always kind, patient…it would be like heaven on earth. Our secret weapon is love…even towards those who seem to be unlovable.

 

I am hoping we don’t become the PRICKLY people on someone else’s list. There is no doubt we will have times we are out of sorts or a bit cranky, that is our human nature. But this is not the same thing as being a chronically difficult person. If you are in danger of sinking into a permanent porcupine-like state or are already there I suggest as you are “Takin Time Out” this week you figure out what is bothering you and work to resolve it. Sometime you may need professional help to guide you through this and there is nothing wrong with that, life happens…circumstances can cause damage that can cause the irritation but the whole key is to find the root cause of it and fix it. Are you getting enough rest and deep sleep? Do you eat right and regularly? Do you drink enough water? Have you had a physical lately? Reduce your stress and not feel like you always have to be ON…especially in today’s world with all the wonderful devices of reaching out and touching someone. Sometimes we need to shut all this off, tune it out and be still. I encourage you to go outside, find a quiet spot in nature and sit, be careful there are no PRICKLY bushes near by…Breathe in deeply, close your eyes and let your ears take over…what unique sounds do you hear? Calm your mind, calm your heart and recite the Love Chapter, I promise it will truly make a difference. Until next time don’t let a person’s PRICKLY exterior cause you to become PRICKLY too…

 

 

 

 

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Definition: go in a specified direction or manner; change position. Change or cause to change from one state, opinion, sphere, or activity to another.

 

As I sit here in the still silence of the pre-dawning of a new day, sipping on my warm cup of Earl Gray tea with a couple drops of stevia…I breathe in deeply and let it out slowly. I love this time of day, no one else is up except my adorable chocolate lab Sage, staring at me from her bed. The birds haven’t even awoken I only hear the ticking of the clock, the motor on the refrigerator and the air conditioner kicking on.

 

As I am “Takin Time Out” wondering what word we should talk about this week? MOVE or MOVING came to mind, we seem to have done our fair share this year and yet we are still living at the same address! LOL…This is the time of year college bound kids head off to college; some are MOVING into their dorm or apartment and begin living on their own for the first time. Others are returning from summer break. Many parents are what we refer to as empty nester which requires a major adjustment in life. What once were demands of homework, sporting events, piles of laundry, extracurricular activities and meal planning suddenly becomes no more.

 

I remember my first major MOVE from Southeast Colorado to Amarillo, TX. My Dad said why not just take the bare necessities since you are not sure how long you are going to stay. I said ok but a carload, a truck and trailer later we began to laugh, my things were what made my home and to me that was the bare necessities. Several MOVES later some of those things are not so important. It is more about makin memories and enjoying one another. Now don’t get me wrong I still like décor and certain things as they still make a house a home. However, if it no longer brings me joy and is weighing me down I am ready to release it and let it go; hoping someone else will find some joy in having it.

 

This year our daughter and son-in-law bought their first home and we helped them MOVE in. It was a very exciting, spending time rearranging the furniture, hanging home décor and drapes. I began lining the shelves in the kitchen and bathroom with contact paper, when my son-in-law asked what I was doing and I explained this is what my mother and grandmother have always done. It helps protect the shelves and is easier to keep clean due to spills you can usually just wipe it down or replace it over time. I had to chuckle to myself…it is funny how we pass quirky little things down from generation to generation. A couple weeks after their MOVE, our Aunt MOVED from a four bedroom house to a three bedroom house, she indicated she was downsizing. It took us three weekends in a row driving from Dallas to Houston to help get her home improvements completed and settled in to make it feel like home. We loved every minute of our time together. The next month our oldest daughter and son-in-law decided to remodel their kitchen. So we boxed up their things and MOVED the appliances out so they could begin demolition. Hopefully this week the remodel will be complete and we can lay some more contact paper on their shelves. LOL.

 

I recently changed offices MOVING from room down the hall and around the corner to a new office space. It meant clearing out my desk, MOVING the computer and the décor I have to make it feel like my space. It was a bit overwhelming but yet refreshing at the same time.

 

My husband has a job out of town and he rented an apartment where he will be living during the week and come home on the weekends. So guess what that meant yet another MOVE and more contact paper to lay. I selected furniture and home goods from our home that would fit into his new place. We MOVED him into his 3^rd floor apartment which makes it nice no one living above him and he has vaulted ceilings. Plus it is a good exercise program going up and down three flights of stairs.

 

As I look around my home it is a little sparse but I am excited, it is a good opportunity to purge, clean and guess what I am going to replace and lay new contact paper on my shelves and drawers. LOL. Yes, MOVING is part of life. I have read where it takes 21 days to change or break a habit. So I have given myself the next 21 days to get-r-done and make some positive changes at home. Cleaning out closest, cabinets, drawers and in some cases even rooms, I am excited! Less is More, I am ready to begin again and lighten my load.

 

Life is all about continuous change and progress. For each of us the ability to MOVE forward and to achieve all God has created us to attain we must not hold on too tightly to the past. All that will do is prevent us from reaching our full potential. We must eliminate other people’s opinion, feeling we have to have an explanation for everything, do not set expectations of others too high, no regrets from past mistakes…we must learn from them and MOVE on. Do not dwell on heartbreak, do not hold grudges, quite making excuses, overcome insecurity, avoid the drama and let’s not forget to be thankful for what we have. Too often we focus more on the negative rather than the positive. I read a quote recently that makes sense; “MOVE On! It’s just a chapter in the past. But don’t close the book, just turn the page.”  I know for many the hardest part of MOVING forward is not looking back and just turning the page.

 

I encourage those of you who find it hard to MOVE on to read this verse daily as encouragement. Philippians 3:12-14 “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Let him take the lead.

 

Have you ever considered all the things we use daily that have MOVING parts? Take a look around your home, your car, what activities you encounter day in and day out. We have MOVING sidewalks, MOVING trains, tractors, trucks and more.  Those with small children know for sure as the toddlers and children seem to never stop.  They are the energizer bunnies. We are always on the MOVE but not always in the right way.

 

Probably the most important MOVEMENT is MOVING our bodies for those of us who can! We need to maintain some form of physical exercise daily. Setting up a routine in taking long walks or a jog will keep us healthy and happy. Perhaps take the stairs vs the elevator at work if you can. Park your car a little further out in the parking lot vs finding the closest spot near the door and specifically schedule time outdoors; perhaps pulling weeds, gardening or walking your pets. I encourage all of us to be a hill seeker, I know most of us avoid hills especially if we are riding a bike but really when you get to thinking about it what is so great about flat? Flat tires, flat hair not so good especially living in Texas and flat returns. Life truly happens on the hills, it gives us opportunities to prove to ourselves that we are stronger than we ever imagined.

 

I recently read modern Americans are the most sedentary people in world history. We sit nearly all day in our homes, cars, and offices – all before lying in bed for hours every night sleeping. I call it the sitting disease. I know for a fact it can cause weight gain and other chronic illnesses. The American Cancer Society ran a study from 1993 to 2006 and found that sitting six or more hours a day, compared to three or fewer, dramatically increased the odds of dying early of a preventable condition like heart disease. So while you are “Takin Time Out” this week you might want to think about how you can MOVE a little more. Until next time my friend remember MOVING your mind first and the body will follow! Let’s MOVE more to be the hill seekers, MOVERS and shakers…

 

 

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