And I’m Back In The Game!!!

I missed you so, so much!  So I took a small hiatus from writing because of finals, then to take two amazing trips to see the best friend in Colorado, and now summer school is in full swing.

While I had every intention of writing throughout the last few weeks (there are about 7 unfinished blog posts to attest to that)…I didn’t.  First off, let me say I love that some of you sent notes, text messages or had in-person conversations that the weekly posts were missed.  It was truly an encouragement and such a blessing to me.  Really the time off was a testament to how God continues to remind me how much my expression of thoughts into words, and words into ideas continues to be a joy for me and a way to honor Him.

Emily Freeman in her book, A Million Little Ways writes, “at the most basic level of our identity, your job, and my job is to be a poem, the image bearers of God, made to reflect his glory. The art you and I were born to make is released out of the core of who we truly are, where our spirit is joined in that place reflects the glory of God. This is our highest purpose and, ultimately, our greatest joy.”  It’s a beautiful thought that the things that are artistic about me are ultimately an expression of His creativity.

So the time off, while bittersweet was truly a reminder of some very key things within Masterpiece living.

1. We set out on a goal, but need not be discouraged when things don’t turn out like we plan.

I didn’t meet my goal of posting at least once a week, but it is not the end of the world.  This is sometimes the hardest place we can sit because we all have plans and expectations.  And in being our own worst critics can too quickly get down on ourselves when our goals don’t come to fruition.  The reminder of when the plan doesn’t turn out, all is not lost was essential for me to live in and come out of.  Your encouragements reminded me that growth in quality will always win out over quantity.  So thank you for playing a part in that lesson.

2. Being able to stop and ask if the things I do are for me, for people or for God.

As much as I’ve made headway in eliminating some of the people pleaser syndrome it is crazy to notice how quickly it rears its ugly head…almost as if it is my default mode.  Ugh!  It’s the worst.  So being able to stop and ask myself…”who is this for” was really good for me.  One of my friends sweetly reminded me that when I started writing it was to document my healing journey so that if others went through it they could learn from what God taught me.  It was also so that I could look back and see the fingerprints of all that He had done in restoring my heart, my mind, my body, and my will to be undeniably His.  So in taking time off I was able to get out of just producing posts for others and really be attentive to what and how God was teaching me.  Ultimately the more I am aware of God’s active presence in the various areas of my life, the more I am attentive to others and in turn conscious of myself.

3. Being overwhelmed is a key indicator that something needs to change.

I appreciate my iPhone because when the battery is getting low it gives me those warning messages prompting me to charge the device or soon I will be out of juice.  Wouldn’t it be great if we could plug those alerts into our day-to-day lives for our moodiness, our energy level, or our connectedness in relationships?  The world would be a different place if we had a finger on the pulse of where we fall short.  I don’t know about you, but even when I feel overwhelmed, I think I can trick myself into just digging in more to get it done as opposed to taking some time to re-evaluate where my time and energy goes.  But the time off really reminded me that I cannot do it all and it’s one of those lessons I hate having to come to grips with.  This is not my wanting to be a superhero, but wanting to feel capable, like I have a handle on things, and as if I can get adulting down pat, but sadly, not always a thing.

The overall encouragement to myself and also to you is that no matter what we do or do not accomplish in the long term, each day is another opportunity to try again.  Each day we are given new ground to readjust our expectations and start fresh so that way we are living in a state of progress instead of a state of frustration over lost things.  That our lives reflect the deeper purpose we are designed for and in our expressing ourselves we are indeed representing the creativity and glory of God.  Grace and peace to you my friends!

Until next time…Live as a Masterpiece!