Daily Blogs

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Packing, purging, and processing

I’ve done a LOT of purging over the past 3 years, but it’s amazing how much stuff one person can accumulate.

Deciding what to keep and what to give away or sell can be tough. I wanted to share with you my technique for purging.

  1. Is this item useful?
  2. Who gave it to me?
  3. Can this thing be easily replaced, if needed?
  4. Why do I like this item so much? (If I can’t seem to shake my desire to keep it after the first 3 questions.)

Christmas is already a time when I start to sift through my possessions. Being a stingy hoarder is something I guard against vigilantly. This kind of attitude smacks of fear and ungratefulness and the highest level of selfishness.

Add to Christmas time my upcoming move (it’s a month away) and I’m about in full blown purge mode.

I only have one rule when moving: Everything must fit in my car.

I realize having a family will change this rule. The day will come soon enough, though, when another vehicle–maybe a trailer or truck–will be needed to move me. So, for now, I am sticking to my guns on this…

My bend toward minimalism is another big factor in keeping my stash of possessions at a manageable level.

We need to question what we own. It’s a telling picture of what matters most to us in life.

I’m not one of those people who rants and raves about the woes of capitalism and consumerism and how the two are intricately linked (which they really are, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing).

I just know that my value system in regards to possessions is being radically changed because of the gospel.

I also know that most people have never stopped and ask themselves critical questions on the subject either.

In light of all these things, I’ll leave you with two questions to think on:

What are the guidelines you use when purging?

What questions do you ask yourself when making a purchase?

 

 

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God’s simple answers

  Great news! I am very close to having Rhema paid for this year.

This is all because of God’s faithfulness. 

Several months ago, God spoke to me in a time of prayer about paying attention to the opportunities right in front of my face. 

The wisdom of God is awesome. A lot of it is quite simple too. 

There was no angelic voice or writing in the sky. 

Pay attention. 

Look around. 

That’s all I heard and all I needed. 

Maybe it’s all you need too. 

I encourage you to see the hand and wisdom of God in the simple things. 

Don’t get flustered if it’s not shown in a grand gesture. The still, small voice is the primary way we are led by God. 

I am convinced now that the reason we miss God sometimes is because He didn’t use a megaphone. 

We wanted something cool like the story that one guy or gal told at church that one Sunday night. 

Why can’t you talk to me like that, God? 

We whine and our pitiful cries drown out His instruction.

Pray. 

Be quiet. 

Listen. 

Obey. 

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Fences versus Prisons

“I’m cool with whatever. You decide.”

My friend looked at me with gracious (and patient) eyes as I sidestepped her question.

“I wish you’d tell me what you’re really thinking.”

The comment took me aback.

I am terrible at telling people what’s really going on inside of my head.

Never giving your input isn’t the ultimate form of humility and self-sacrifice.

You’re really hiding by slamming the door of trust and connection in someone’s face.

And you’re driving the people you love crazy.

I don’t care.

It doesn’t matter to me.

If that’s what you want to do.

We say these things, but deep down we do care and it does matter and you have wants.

It’s impossible to not care about everything.

(Can all of the exasperated people on the receiving end of these comments say, “Amen!“?)

I’m the world’s worst person at being an overly passive, peace loving person….

This is a real struggle for me.

My (un)natural tendency is to keep things buried deep down inside.

Another friend recently told me that standoffish nature in college held me back in many ways–and it’s true.

I kept people at arm’s length.

She expressed her thankfulness when I became a more open person. The change opened a lot of doors of opportunity that remained shut in years past.

Let me be very clear:

We all need to have boundaries and to guard our hearts. Prison bars and barbed wire fences, though, are a bit much.

Now, I’m building a nice fence that looks less like a maximum security prison and more like a simple property marker.

My challenge to you is to honestly answer the next question asked of you.

Can I get your opinion?

What do you prefer?

Is this something you want to do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mockingjay, Part II Review

  This past Saturday, I watched The Hunger Games: The Mockingjay, Part II. 

I am not disappointed. The last movie followed the book as closely as the first three movies. 

In fact, I’m going to make a bold statement:

This movie series is the best in terms of book adaption. 

Many times, I walk away saying, “Great movie, but it’s nothing like the book.” 

Not in the case of The Hunger Games. 

So, here are 5 things I learned from the movie:

  1. War is always personal. 
  2. Desensitization is like a sedative. Under it’s spell, nothing short of a lived experience is likely to wake you up. 
  3. There is great power in democracy. 
  4. Utopia sounds like a wonderful place, but it’s an unreachable one as well. 
  5. Never let anyone tell you that influence doesn’t matter. We all make decisions based on influence every day. 

If you’ve read The Hunger Games, I’d love to hear what you learned from the series. 

Also, I want to know your opinion:

Do the movies do the series justice?

 

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AIDB Christmas Chapel

Tonight was our last chapel of the school year. 

We had a big gathering with all the schools from the Alabama Institure for the Deaf and Blind (AIDB). 

The chapel was packed! 

I played a shepherd in the children’s reenactment of the nativity story. (My leopard print tunic made me the most fashionable shepherdess of them all.)

There was drama, dance, music, and a brief message was preached. 

Afterwards, we ate dinner together. The kids received goody bags full of Bible study material, candy, etc–the staff did too. 

Everyone enjoyed the time of worship and fellowship. 

I am happy to be a part of such a thriving deaf community that really pours into the lives of the children. 

Please pray for the chapel volunteers and staff at the school. 

They need guidance and wisdom for the upcoming year as more events like this are planned. 

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Let’s go to the movies!

Tonight’s post will probably be the shortest….

It’s late (11pm) and I’m headed to watch the last Hunger Games movie. 

Interested to compare this movie to the book. 

Will it follow the book faithfully? (The others did.)

Movie review will be posted tomorrow. 

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Christmas traditions

Do you have a favorite Christmas album? 

There’s one CD that lives in my CD player during the holidays. 

Everyone has certain traditions that make Christmas time special. 

Here are mine:

  1. Watch The Grinch
  2. Go Christmas caroling
  3. Read the Christmas story at least once a week
  4. Eat a few  gingerbread cookies (it’s even better when you make them yourself)

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

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Just commit already!

Hesitation is the leading cause of road kill. 

Making decisions can be tough. We all want a road map, the quickest and surest way to success. 

There’s nothing wrong with planning–unless your planning leads to nowhere. 

At some point, you need to make a decision. 

Most people will agree with this statement. I can hear the amens now…

Our actions tell a different story. 

We hesitate. 

We become afraid. 

We get hit by a bus going 70 miles an hour. 

When you’re scared of commitment (just pick a side of the road already!) there are consequences. 

No one wants to become road kill. 

I’m convinced that the secret of confident people is not that they have it all figured out. 

They’re simply willing to commit. 

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On being nice

Let’s talk about being nice.

Did you know that you don’t have to agree with someone to be nice?

It is possible. 

Not everyone thinks your ideas are awesome. 

Not everyone goes to the same church as you. 

Not everyone…(fill in the blank)

And you can still be nice. 

There was a time when social media was fun and encouraging. 

I’m trying to stay positive, however, my newsfeed’s had nothing but garbage on it this week. 

This mean streak is disheartening because it’s not promoting the heart of Christ: His love of everyone on this planet. 

My encouragement to you, my friends, is to really think before you post. 

Just be nice. 

Show love. 

Promote respect. 

I know we can’t change the whole internet, but we can make our little corner of it a brighter space. 

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A great reading year 

I will probably not reach my goal of reading 50 books this year. 

Right now I’m at 43  with 3 books to finish. 

But I’m proud of my reading list. The range of topics and the mix of fiction and nonfiction was perfect!

Plus, I had a LOT of fun. 

The books that I chose were interesting and educational, inspirational and challenging. 

Also, I’ve recommended more books this year than ever before. 

Getting to know my friends and their reading habits was quite an experience. 

It taught me that paying attention in conversation is the best way to know what someone will read and enjoy. 

Overall, 2015 has been a great reading year. 

Going back to school will definitely change my 2016 reading list…

I’m hoping to squeeze in some personal selections (aka non-school related). 

Who knows if that will happen until the summer, but I’m not complaining. 

What are some books you’ve enjoyed reading this year?
Did you reach your reading goal?