The past month has been very, very crazy at work and I see no end in sight. It is a stressful time, but I am coping okay...some days more than others, admittedly, but overall I am doing fine. But everyone needs a break! Today I took a day to rest, breathe, and enjoy some relaxation. I am treating myself to a massage, some retail therapy, and a flexible schedule. I am so thankful for this time to chill out!
It is so easy to focus on the crazy world around us: the pressure to succeed, the endless desire for more, more, more stuff. On days like today, it is so healing for me to take a moment to look inside my life, look up to God, and really think about what is truly important. At the end of it all, I think that God will care much more about my attitude while facing a long to-do list rather than if my list was completed.
It is very hard to keep a cool head under pressure. I have always had some trouble with that. I hope that I can get better at coping and overcoming challenges...maybe that is why I always seem to have one in my life. Practice makes perfect.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Today's Bliss: Forgiveness
My blog today is a confession. Remember back on Ash Wednesday when I was so excited to start my Lent calendar? Yeah, well, I am not following it at all! As you can imagine, I have a long list of excuses for not sticking to my calendar plan, but none of them truly excuse me. I am definitely not proud of my effort.
Forgiveness is a huge, wonderful part of my relationship with God, my relationship with my family and coworkers, my relationship with friends. I am so, so far from perfection, as we all are, that I am in need of forgiveness every day! I am slowly learning that being hard on myself and beating myself up for not doing something (or for doing something I shouldn't) is a waste of time. Things happen...all we can do is ask for forgiveness, forgive ourselves, and try to do better the next time. After all, we are all human and we all have to be forgiven sometimes, right?
I praise God for His blessing of forgiveness. Praise to Jesus for dying for me so that I can live a redeemed life, whether I deserve it or not. That is a deep blessing that I will probably never really grasp. Knowing about Divine mysteries like this is why I count my life as blissful.
And, who knows...maybe I'll stick to my Lent calendar tomorrow? :-/
Forgiveness is a huge, wonderful part of my relationship with God, my relationship with my family and coworkers, my relationship with friends. I am so, so far from perfection, as we all are, that I am in need of forgiveness every day! I am slowly learning that being hard on myself and beating myself up for not doing something (or for doing something I shouldn't) is a waste of time. Things happen...all we can do is ask for forgiveness, forgive ourselves, and try to do better the next time. After all, we are all human and we all have to be forgiven sometimes, right?
I praise God for His blessing of forgiveness. Praise to Jesus for dying for me so that I can live a redeemed life, whether I deserve it or not. That is a deep blessing that I will probably never really grasp. Knowing about Divine mysteries like this is why I count my life as blissful.
And, who knows...maybe I'll stick to my Lent calendar tomorrow? :-/
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Today's Bliss: Wandering
N and I did not have anything on our calendar today so we wandered around. We took a walk, went to see a dog show, went shopping, ate a nice lunch, saw friends, shopped some more, ate gelato, bought groceries...we really enjoyed our sunshiny, laid-back day!
I know you look at the above list and say: "dog show?" It was actually a really neat part of our day today. We saw hundreds of dogs; just about every breed was represented. We toured grooming areas and watched several breeds as they were circling their judge in a ring. There were even kids and teenagers doing some of the showing. Very impressive! (And free!) If you have not been to a dog show before and you love the little K9s, you should definitely check one out sometime.
Experiencing something new with someone you love is always fun. Being with them to share joy and a sense of adventure is a great bonding time. I am so grateful for N and his spirit of adventure - he is always ready to try something new.
I hope you have the chance to break out of your routine and wander around your city. You will probably discover something great that you didn't know was even there. That is bliss!
I know you look at the above list and say: "dog show?" It was actually a really neat part of our day today. We saw hundreds of dogs; just about every breed was represented. We toured grooming areas and watched several breeds as they were circling their judge in a ring. There were even kids and teenagers doing some of the showing. Very impressive! (And free!) If you have not been to a dog show before and you love the little K9s, you should definitely check one out sometime.
Experiencing something new with someone you love is always fun. Being with them to share joy and a sense of adventure is a great bonding time. I am so grateful for N and his spirit of adventure - he is always ready to try something new.
I hope you have the chance to break out of your routine and wander around your city. You will probably discover something great that you didn't know was even there. That is bliss!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Today's Bliss: Peace
Yesterday, storms swept through the eastern half of the nation. Many people were injured, killed, and displaced. Today, the sun is shining, birds are chirping, and there is a peace out in nature. N and I have been very blessed to avoid direct impact of strong storms, tornadoes, flooding, and other natural disasters. As I think back to all of the weather-related disasters that I have witnessed in my lifetime, whether on television or in person, I realize how many disasters have not hit me or my family. Praise God for his goodness and protective angels around us.
Peace is something that I yearn for in the midst of a busy day, in the midst of a chaotic schedule, in the midst of conflicts, in the midst of literal or metaphorical storms. This makes me so, so thankful for a quiet evening spent with my family, a Saturday that has unscheduled hours to watch Downton Abbey and read a book on my Kindle, a Sunday afternoon when I can play a game of Sorry with my husband (even though he beats me 99% of the time). :-)
Praise be to God for his faithfulness and his patience. Praise him for peace, love, and mercy. Praise him for the bliss that we can all have if we just bow our heads, ask for forgiveness, and focus on living the way He wants us to live.
Peace is something that I yearn for in the midst of a busy day, in the midst of a chaotic schedule, in the midst of conflicts, in the midst of literal or metaphorical storms. This makes me so, so thankful for a quiet evening spent with my family, a Saturday that has unscheduled hours to watch Downton Abbey and read a book on my Kindle, a Sunday afternoon when I can play a game of Sorry with my husband (even though he beats me 99% of the time). :-)
Praise be to God for his faithfulness and his patience. Praise him for peace, love, and mercy. Praise him for the bliss that we can all have if we just bow our heads, ask for forgiveness, and focus on living the way He wants us to live.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Today's Bliss: Laughter
I cannot believe that it has been nearly a week since my last post. The past several days have flown by!
I simply had to post today because I love to share a good laugh! I have written before about Cake Wrecks, my all time favorite lunch-time blog read. Well, today's Cake Wrecks post is an absolute must read. You just will not believe it! Click here and enjoy.
I also wanted to update you on my Ash Wednesday post detailing my Lenten calendar commitment. So far, I have not done so well. The first couple of days were great, but then the calendar became filled with suggestions to go online and read articles or watch videos...this is definitely not at all what I was expecting and I actually had a lot of trouble loading a video that I really did try to see. Looking ahead, I see several more active assignments on the calendar so I think I will be a bit more dedicated to completing them. I'll keep you posted!
I hope you have had a blissful week so far. I am not sure that is how I would initially describe mine, but I am determined to find the bliss amongst disappointment, frustration, stress, and any other negative thing that comes my way. Blessings to you as you journey onward in your bliss!
I simply had to post today because I love to share a good laugh! I have written before about Cake Wrecks, my all time favorite lunch-time blog read. Well, today's Cake Wrecks post is an absolute must read. You just will not believe it! Click here and enjoy.
I also wanted to update you on my Ash Wednesday post detailing my Lenten calendar commitment. So far, I have not done so well. The first couple of days were great, but then the calendar became filled with suggestions to go online and read articles or watch videos...this is definitely not at all what I was expecting and I actually had a lot of trouble loading a video that I really did try to see. Looking ahead, I see several more active assignments on the calendar so I think I will be a bit more dedicated to completing them. I'll keep you posted!
I hope you have had a blissful week so far. I am not sure that is how I would initially describe mine, but I am determined to find the bliss amongst disappointment, frustration, stress, and any other negative thing that comes my way. Blessings to you as you journey onward in your bliss!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Today's Bliss: Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is not usually thought of as a blissful holiday, I know. But this year, I have already found some bliss this day and hope that it continues throughout the Lenten season. I have found bliss in the reminders that Ash Wednesday offers to me: of Christ's suffering so that I could live...of God's love that frees me from all bonds...of God's faithfulness and peace that he offers me so freely...of Christ's determination to triumph over evil.
Over the years, I have gone back and forth with "giving up" something during Lent. Some years it feels like the right thing to do and other years it does not. A family joke every year growing up was my grandfather always giving up watermelon and cigarettes; well, watermelon wasn't in season and he didn't smoke, so his Lenten fast was easy for him!
I have given up desserts, sodas, sugar, snacks...all of these were good reminders of the sacrifice I should be making for Christ, but they were not extremely meaningful. A couple of years, I added things to my daily routine instead of giving something up. I added daily prayer time and devotions, Bible readings, meditation. These were a much deeper thing for me and I really enjoyed it.
Last year, a friend in my Sunday School class told me about a Lent Calendar that she was using during her 40 day focus on God. This calendar had a different suggestion for you to follow every day during the season and there were some interesting additions and subtractions to your daily routine! The Lent Calendar is created each year by Mars Hill Church, the home church of one of my all-time favorite writers and preachers in our modern age: Rob Bell. I half-heartedly followed the calendar last year, but this year I am focused and ready. I have a copy of the Lent Experiential Calendar on my desk at work and in my kitchen at home so that I have no excuse to forget to read it daily!
If you'd like an idea of some things on the calendar:
Today's suggestion is to have an ash cross put on your forehead. (I should be able to do this tonight at our worship service at church...day one: done.) Tomorrow's suggestion is to write a prayer to God explaining the habits, behaviors, and sins you want to die to this Lenten season.
If you would like to download and print the calendar for your own use, just click here.
Have a blessed Ash Wednesday and a deep, meaningful Lenten season. I hope that you find bliss in it!
Over the years, I have gone back and forth with "giving up" something during Lent. Some years it feels like the right thing to do and other years it does not. A family joke every year growing up was my grandfather always giving up watermelon and cigarettes; well, watermelon wasn't in season and he didn't smoke, so his Lenten fast was easy for him!
I have given up desserts, sodas, sugar, snacks...all of these were good reminders of the sacrifice I should be making for Christ, but they were not extremely meaningful. A couple of years, I added things to my daily routine instead of giving something up. I added daily prayer time and devotions, Bible readings, meditation. These were a much deeper thing for me and I really enjoyed it.
Last year, a friend in my Sunday School class told me about a Lent Calendar that she was using during her 40 day focus on God. This calendar had a different suggestion for you to follow every day during the season and there were some interesting additions and subtractions to your daily routine! The Lent Calendar is created each year by Mars Hill Church, the home church of one of my all-time favorite writers and preachers in our modern age: Rob Bell. I half-heartedly followed the calendar last year, but this year I am focused and ready. I have a copy of the Lent Experiential Calendar on my desk at work and in my kitchen at home so that I have no excuse to forget to read it daily!
If you'd like an idea of some things on the calendar:
Today's suggestion is to have an ash cross put on your forehead. (I should be able to do this tonight at our worship service at church...day one: done.) Tomorrow's suggestion is to write a prayer to God explaining the habits, behaviors, and sins you want to die to this Lenten season.
If you would like to download and print the calendar for your own use, just click here.
Have a blessed Ash Wednesday and a deep, meaningful Lenten season. I hope that you find bliss in it!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Today's Bliss: Energy
It has been a while since I last posted anything here; the winter blahs have been in full force for me lately. I have also had some stress at work and it has overwhelmed my ability to think clearly and feel at ease in my office. But today was different. Today, I felt energized, motivated, ready to face the day with gusto! Today I greeted the day with a new sense of confidence and readiness to face whatever came my way. It was a good day, especially considering it was a Monday!
As a look back at my day and ask why I felt so renewed, the only answers are: rest and God. This weekend was incredibly restful and relaxing at our house. With little on the agenda, I had time to catch up on some things, accomplish looming tasks, and enjoy time with N. This was complimented by yesterday's church service, which was a very refreshing time. The service began with all of us making a list of things that we wanted to get from the service. I noted: comfort, peace, direction. These pieces of paper were then collected and placed on the altar. Taking time to really think about what I needed from the service was powerful and it really helped the experience be a meaningful one.
Another major highlight of the service was the music. We had a choir visiting from Boston and they had some soul. They moved me with their spirit, energy, and ability to communicate faith through song. I clapped, swayed, and rejoiced with them! The sermon was good also, a reminder of the light that we are called to shine in every corner of the world that we live in. A reminder to be what we are called to be: a shining example of God's love. One of the most powerful parts of the sermon was the gentle reminder that every single person we encounter has God's light inside them...whether they know it or not, whether it is obvious or not, it is there and we are called to help bring that light out so that it can shine in the universe also.
When I left the service, I felt that I definitely received all of the things that I listed on my paper at the beginning of the service. And I was reminded of my very favorite scripture verse. One that I have tried to live every day (even though I frequently do not succeed as much as I wish I could).
Philippians 2:14-18
Do everything without arguing or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
The feeling of peace that I felt after the church service was still with me today. Praise God! And I pray that it will be with me tomorrow...and the next day...and I pray that others around me will have the energy and peace to faithfully face the day before them as well.
We are all called to be bright lights in this world. I hope you will help me shine like a star. I'll try to help you, too.
As a look back at my day and ask why I felt so renewed, the only answers are: rest and God. This weekend was incredibly restful and relaxing at our house. With little on the agenda, I had time to catch up on some things, accomplish looming tasks, and enjoy time with N. This was complimented by yesterday's church service, which was a very refreshing time. The service began with all of us making a list of things that we wanted to get from the service. I noted: comfort, peace, direction. These pieces of paper were then collected and placed on the altar. Taking time to really think about what I needed from the service was powerful and it really helped the experience be a meaningful one.
Another major highlight of the service was the music. We had a choir visiting from Boston and they had some soul. They moved me with their spirit, energy, and ability to communicate faith through song. I clapped, swayed, and rejoiced with them! The sermon was good also, a reminder of the light that we are called to shine in every corner of the world that we live in. A reminder to be what we are called to be: a shining example of God's love. One of the most powerful parts of the sermon was the gentle reminder that every single person we encounter has God's light inside them...whether they know it or not, whether it is obvious or not, it is there and we are called to help bring that light out so that it can shine in the universe also.
When I left the service, I felt that I definitely received all of the things that I listed on my paper at the beginning of the service. And I was reminded of my very favorite scripture verse. One that I have tried to live every day (even though I frequently do not succeed as much as I wish I could).
Philippians 2:14-18
Do everything without arguing or complaining so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
The feeling of peace that I felt after the church service was still with me today. Praise God! And I pray that it will be with me tomorrow...and the next day...and I pray that others around me will have the energy and peace to faithfully face the day before them as well.
We are all called to be bright lights in this world. I hope you will help me shine like a star. I'll try to help you, too.
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