Looking back on January 2011

I'd like to give a little update on some of the things that God has taught me through my goals for 2010 Change... Live with Less!!!

I think the first thing that God has shown me is the incredible value of waking up with a purpose.  When you get up in the morning purposefully, with a plan for what you want to accomplish that day, it changes everything!  You feel invigorated, filled with meaning, and when you go to bed that night, there is a reward, a strong sense of accomplishment.  In truth, I am not by nature an organized person.  I don't function well under a "do this at 8; do this at 9, and this at 10" kind of mentality.  I am a smell the roses kind of person.  Under a rigid schedule I would just die.  I would wither away, never to be seen again.  But this is not what I'm talking about.  What I'm talking about is thinking about the day, setting a few must-do's, and leaving room for the many unexpected interruptions of living in a house of seven people.  It's about setting realistic goals not rigid goals.

And here is God's sense of humor:  I married a man who flourishes under the "do this at 8, this at 9" kind of schedule.  And we have learned that each other's differences are not wrong; they are just different.  With that knowledge, we can appreciate each other, understand each other, and encourage each other rather than look down on one another saying "what's the matter with you, why don't you just do things like this?"  There is a mentality that is easy to fall into that says that if the other person would just come over to your side and live the way you live, then they wouldn't have so many problems.  That is where problems really start.  What we need to do is realize that God made us individually very different to complete each other.

This leads to another goal that I set, to respect and encourage my husband.  To respect his differences and support him -- but more than that, to value him and his differences.  Perhaps there is nothing more encouraging or supportive than the feeling that you are valued greatly.

In the days to come, I intend to post more nuggets of things that God is teaching me through this set of goals.