When was the last time you had a really good look at yourself?  As objective as you could get, have you analyzed your attitudes, behaviors, and choices?

God has me under the microscope lately. As His child, I invite Him to search me and know me, I ask Him to reveal my hidden sin.

It is uncomfortable sometimes.

Especially when I want to rationalize my attitudes, behaviors, and choices…

I love a phrase I heard today from our guest speaker Ken Esau. He is an Old Testament teacher from the Bible School our one son is attending. He said, “ We are to get behind Jesus and follow Him into life.”

When I don’t like the way life is going, I jump in front of Jesus and get busy trying to fix things back to the way I like them. Yeah, I know, it is ironic. I never once have succeeded. I have never once been happier or better off for it. Yet, it continues to be my default setting. You would think by now I would know better. Trust me, I wish I did.  I am the slowest learner around I think!

I am crazy hard headed!!

What does it mean to you?

What does it look like in everyday life?

“We are to get behind Jesus and follow Him into life.”

When I heard this phrase I thought of how baby elephants grab their Mama's tail and follow right behind.

I was reminded of that game where you are blindfolded and someone leads you through an obstacle course.

I always found the best way to play was to have that person directly ahead of me and follow them by gripping their arms, paying attention to their voice, physical movement, and honing all my other senses on them. When I did this, I got through the obstacle course. When I got bold and tried to step out on my own, I would walk face first into a wall or trip over something.

It also reminded me of learning to ballroom dance with my husband. To learn how to follow his leading, I would close my eyes and actually let him lead me.  I spent the first four classes this way.  As soon as I start to anticipate his next move, I fail to follow correctly and ruin the dance.

Following is hard. It requires trust and submission.  Following means no matter what comes my way, I am going to grip Jesus and let him lead me through, even if I don’t like how things are shaping up. I am going to grip him tight, tuck in behind him, step where he says to step and do what he says to do. I cannot do this if I do not know him. I can only do this if I am spending time in the Bible, learning who he is, allowing him to teach, correct, and transform me. This only works if I am spending time in prayer, listening, confessing, and practicing thankfulness. I have to live in step with the Holy Spirit, giving Him space to speak and learning to hear His voice.  I cannot follow on my own strength. My spirit is selfish, controlling and uncooperative on its own.

I know the only way to finish well is to get behind Jesus and follow Him into life.

I want to finish well.

That means I need to follow Jesus well!

The Discipline of Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving, that makes the topic easy to pick this week! But, it isn’t actually an easy thing sometimes. We all give lip service to thankfulness and gratitude, but does our knowledge impact our behavior?

I am speaking to myself…

I go in spurts.

In my life, I have witnessed the benefits of gratitude and giving thanks:

• People who are honestly grateful are attractive to others. We are drawn to positivity. You can be going through huge challenges and learn to see the good. Honest gratitude doesn’t treat challenges and trials as trivial. Honest gratitude sees the silver lining in the midst of it all. It is the difference between “It could be worse..” and “Even in this…”

• Gratitude helps chase away anxiety. In the middle of a very dark time, it was listing gratitude or all God had done and was doing that got us through. When anxiety threatened to overwhelm me, reciting or reading that list grounded me, helped me breathe and get through the next moment. It was pivotal, undeniable, transforming.  Maybe that is why studies suggest people who practice gratitude before sleeping have a better sleep.

• Practicing gratitude changes our perspective. It refocuses us and brings balance to what we are thinking. It helps put things back in their proper place. ie. mountains return to being molehills.

• Research suggests that gratitude helps with resiliency. Generally, people who have endured trauma recover better when they practice gratitude. 

• It keeps us from being entitled and expecting life to go our way. In acknowledging what we have to be thankful for, we recognize that a life without that blessing is an actual possibility. We come to value it and recognize it’s worth rather than take it for granted.

This is by no means an exhaustive list. I am sure a google search would reveal many more benefits to developing the discipline of gratitude in our lives.  

Now to practice what I preach...

I am thankful for:

• A God who gave everything to save us and longs to know us personally
• This beautiful world we live in
• That I enjoy the freedoms and peace this country offers me
• I have an amazing family, the best parents & sister ever
• A faithful husband who loves me and our family the best he can
• Kids who are fun loving and love to be with us
• More amazing, real authentic friends than we deserve
• An amazing faith family at our church
• Our daily needs met in abundance

Ideas to create and expand the discipline of gratitude:

• Keep a journal by your bed, start and end your day by listing a few things you are thankful for
• Share something from your day you were thankful for at supper every evening together
• List a few things you are grateful or while doing your least favorite chore 

What are some ways you practice gratitude?

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Help I am a Mom: New Ground

Our family is quickly transitioning from a household of teenagers to a house of young adults who may or may not live here...in our home, with us.

This is not my favorite transition.

Ok, so I am not fond of transitions in general. I am VERY not fond of this one!!

This is new ground.

It is funny because each stage has been a wonderful surprise of joy, delight, and challenges. This parenting thing, while not for the faint of heart, is very interesting and crazy fun!

My kids are on new ground too.

There are endless possibilities in front of them. This can be overwhelming! Guiding them during this time is often very hands off.  I want to see what they are going to do!! Not what I think they should do!

From my perspective. The young adult years are a great place to be. From their perspective, it can be a little daunting at times. OK, a lot daunting. Well, really the future feels like a tidal wave that is going to crush them.

Here is the thing I want my kids to know about new ground.

1. There is a lot of adventure to be had when on new ground. put aside your angst and grab your exploration gear!!
   
2. You have never been here and never will be again.  Have some fun with this!!
3. There are many ways to approach new ground. Mix it up a little! You don't have to do what everyone else is doing!
   
4. There is no hurry. That needs repeating! THERE IS NO HURRY! This is not a race.You have time.  Stop looking at what everyone else is doing, comparing and getting anxious. Take your time and enjoy the journey. 
5. It's your journey, it isn't supposed to look like anyone else's!! You are one of a kind, there is no one like you, no one's journey will look like yours. There will be similarities, but your road is your own.
   
6.  You will never be this free from commitments, responsibilities, and have this time again. It is a really special time. So reflect, dream a little, learn what you want and do it!
7.  Life is actually happening. You don't have to wait for school to be done to start living, life is what happens while you are in school. 
   
8. Ask questions. What did people do when they were your age? What do your friends want to do? What do people wish they had done? When you are 80, what memories are you going to wish you had?
9. Pay attention! What is interesting? What don't you like? What gets you excited? Do you like routine or do you need change? Do you like things to be predictable or do you like a challenge? Do you need the challenge of constant learning?  Job shadow, ask people what they do and what they like about their jobs.
   
     
10. Life is not a straight line. Don't' worry so much about what you are going to do with your life. The road you are on is going to lead you where you need to be. don't be so wound up about it!!

No one gets to the end of their life having done it all. We all wish we would have traveled more, taken that risk, explored that opportunity.  The goal is to get to the end of life with as few "I wish I had..." statements as possible!  Listen to your heart! And as my husband used to say as our kids went out the door...

Make good choices!!!