My 2010 Vision

These are things I will bring into fruition through out 2010. I am more excited about this year than I have been about any year of my adult life. This is the year of dreams coming true. I have spent the last several years dreaming. This year I will reap a harvest.

From Habakkuk Chapter 2:

² Then the LORD answered me and said:

“ Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

What follows is me writing the vision (verse 2a) clear enough for me and anyone else who will join me to whole-heartedly run with it (verse 2b):

First, a note on the idea of running with me: Women are primarily relational. I truly desire, and, in fact, need to be surrounded by people who share a similar goal or the same goal as mine. I have always longed for a team of strong women to join alongside me in ministry and personal growth. This stems out of a desire to share my life with others, to develop into a leader by digging in deep with the ones who want to and never looking back.

Now on the the things that will come into being this year:

Take Me Away This is the teenage girls ministry that I have dreamed of for several years. It’s time to start offering myself and my ideas to the middle and high school girls of Brevard. We will see insecure girls turn into brilliant warrior chicks ready to battle the demons of poor self-images, sexual promiscuity, and the destructive disease of gossip.

Creative Worship It’s time to bring together a group of worshippers so desiring of a place and time to pour out their creative spirits for praise and worship via music and the Arts. It’s time to build a collective group of people who will usher God’s spirit into the setting of a church meeting like no other.

The Definition of Beauty This is a working title for my book, which God gave me the clarification of  last October. 2010 will see the completion of my thoughts on the subject that I’ve realized my whole life has been leading up to.

EatWell.SleepWell.RunWell  This is my year-long campaign by which I will rejuvenate and redefine my body. My choices of food and my bedtime are what will determine my physical health this year, and how well I will be able to train for 5 and 10k races.

Transition Trade The entrepreneurial machine that will enable me to lose my full-time day job to the freedom of planning, writing, and living out everything mentioned above with the resources – the time and money – to do it not just well but abundantly.

*Take note of the umbrella organizations for some of the above: Even Though Student Ministries for Take Me Away and A New Thing for Creative Worship, both of which can be found detailed in my husband’s visionary document for 2010 here.

How will these things come into being?
DAILY DISCIPLINE.
First, by prayer – asking God to bless what I have laid before Him, giving thanks for who He is and how He has provided. Then by reciting this every morning: “I have been brought into this world for bigger things than I can even imagine. I walk with a purpose that I am so passionate about that I will not allow my temptation for apathy or laziness to takeover. I am blessed and highly favored in all my goings and comings, and I am anointed to achieve success in Take Me Away, Creative Worship, The Definition of Beauty, EatWell.SleepWell.RunWell, and Transition Trade at a level that the world has never seen. I am a Warrior Princess, being the child of the King and shall not be defeated!”

Do you want to run with me? If any of these Visions resonate with you, connect with me. I need supporters, fellow laborers for the cause. Comment here, or on facebook, or twitter.

It’s go time, baby!

Mental Imagery

Currently, I’m in love with this Tiffany’s advertisement ::

I saw it in the February edition of VERANDA, an interior design magazine that I picked up one day. I actually tore the page out and posted it up on my bedroom wall. I did this because this photo reminds me of some of the things I really want in life: a ring from Tiffany’s and a baby. That’s not really in the order of what’s more important, though. 

I put the photo on my wall for two reasons: the advertisement is really a lovely piece of art, and the other reason is that in order to achieve your goals, you often times have to have something in front of you reminding you of what you want. Mental imagery is a technique used by many people who are striving to meet certain goals. I’ve heard of it referenced to athletics. Athletes need to visualize what they’re supposed to do. But it goes for everyone. You need to see yourself as who you want to be before you are ever that person, before you can ever become that person. 

So, now every time I walk out of my bedroom, on the wall next to my door, I see this photo, and I see myself as the little red-haired mother with a Tiffany’s ring on her finger.

Been doing some dreaming again.

Yes, about being a writer. We went over to new friends’ house last night where we also met one of their friends. The married couple hadn’t ever really heard all of mine and David’s story, and the girl we met was also very interested in hearing it. (She had, after all, at the time we arrived, just spent the last hour filling out her eharmony profile.) So there I sat, once again, though it had been a while since this kind of instance took place, with two girls staring wide-eyed at me, ooing and gooing over the events of my life as I told the story of how David and I met, wooed, got engaged, and married.

“I’m going to make a movie out of this! You should write a book!” they said. And it’s true. I should, definitely should write a book about us. Even if it never gets published.

At the moment, my pursuit of writing consists of my blogs, my random poetry and paragraphs added every now and then to existing stories, and the vague but still open door with freelancing for find.com.

Too many of us writers just dip into the writing pool ankle deep. Will I be one to dive in head first?

Another year over, a new one’s just begun

Sappy, I know. But it’s in the new year that you’re totally allowed to be as sappy as you want. (Any time of the year works for me.) You can be way too sappy with your list of resolutions. You can be sappy with taking the time toremember all your fond memories of 2008. But whatever.

Yes, I feel a little sappy about how my life is slipping away from me. But I’m also quite proud of my accomplishments. Yes, I am a long long way a way from where I want to be. But if I wasn’t, then I wouldn’t have any goals. I am ready to embrace 2009, because I have prepared. In November, we were encouraged by a little retreat David and I went on. That’s also the month we got our gym membership. It was the month it all “clicked” at work, the month I made some break throughs with some of my girls in the youth group.

And I’ve had December to dwell there in that place where things were good and right and in balance. But the time for dwelling is no more: it is time to run.

First pics of 2009

I’ve begun!

Last week, I left my job. This week, I’ve started my new one. 

It is a refreshing change. I’ve just finished my second day of training (this is week one out of seven), and I’m actually in the “associate relaxation center” at the moment. It’s a bit cheesy, but that’s short for “room where you can check your e-mail and such”…or post blogs. Mind you, the “break room” is entirely different. That’s a lot bigger with tables, a sink, refriderators, etc. And you might be asking why in the world I’d still be at work using the computer when I’m free to go home. That’s because my husband David works here, too. He started back in July. Yes, we do/will be doing the same thing. Yes, we get to see each other periodically through out the day. Yes, we drive to work together. It’s really cool. But anyway, since he works here and is out of the classroom training, he works until 5 (whereas I only work until 4:30 right now). So, I’m waiting on him. And actually, we’re going on a date tonight, so we have plenty of time until our movie starts.

So far, my training has been interesting. I feel all grown up learning all these impressive health insurance terms and abbreviations. If I were talking to you right now, and I spatted off a handful of things I’ve learned so far, I’d sound incredibly intelligent and professional. I know, however, that it’s only general business jargon. We will get into lots more specifics soon, and eventually I’ll have a fairly interesting and specialized steady job. But I have to remember that I am still quite easily replaceable in my new call center environment. So, it’s a very good thing that I don’t have all of my self-worth and value wrapped up into my professional career. My proverbial eggs are scattered in many baskets. And whether you believe it or not, that’s the way the job culture is moving. Job security is worse than ever. You should know that going into a job – no matter where you are. But I’m not being cynical. I like and am grateful for my new place of employment. I’m just saying the things that no one ever tells you. This great country of ours ought to reconsider what we educate our children on: yes, keep English (you know I LOVE English), Math, Science, and History, but let’s add in a little Money Management and Personal Finance Creation and Responsibility. No one ever taught me that except my father, who tried, inasmuch as he knew, and I was too stubborn and ignorant to all of that then. Education taught me how to get a job, and I’m (almost) positive I could get a wonderful one with my degree. But it didn’t teach me how to create, built, and maintain personal financial freedom. That’s unfortunately a concept too many people are afraid of. 

Well, I’m not afraid of it. I’m positive about my dreams and goals. I see the road that’s going to take me there. It’s certainly not my new job I’ve just taken, and it’s also just certainly not going to be paved with the most expensive asphalt, smooth and comfortable when it’s new, or lined with freshly bloomed flowers. But at the end of the road, there will be a garden like no other with yellows and hot pinks and purples and the deepest of greens. You have no idea what I’m talking about. But these proverbial flowers, along with my eggs in my baskets are real. You just haven’t seen them yet. After all, who only ever believes in something they can see? 

I apologize for getting (quite unexpectedly) so metaphorical with you. If you’re still reading, you’re a gem. Make an effort to believe in your dreams, too. They are resilient, I promise, but only if you keep them alive. Go, and live to your fullest! 

If you’re thinking…”I don’t even know where to start!” you’ve got to figure out what you love and why, and you’ve got to find a vehicle by which to accomplish your dreams. This is a land of opportunity – there are plenty. Go find one. (Just make sure it’s legal, k?) Or ask me.

I am not timid or hesitant or insecure when talking about these sorts of things. It’s sort of my mantra at the moment – Go and live, choose every day to be a success, grow and become all you were designed to be! If you think it’s too positive, well, it might not be something you’re open to right now, and that’s okay.

I just know I have so much to give in this world, and I do not want to sit aside somewhere suppressing it until I die. I have a lot to give to my new job, no matter how useless it is in the long long run, because it’s important and necessary now, and I need to develop some discipline and accountability to a company at this point. And I have a whole lot to give to the youth of my community, because I have a heart for them – to teach them how to relate to their world. I have so very much to give to my husband and future family one day, and to my friends, and to myself. 

So, yes, I’ve very much, indeed, and going back to the title of this blog, begun.

Reoccuring Dreams

I’m sure it was about 4:00 am when I woke up from my dream. The funny thing is I remember thinking haven’t I dreamed this before? It’s not actually the same dream, but the image of a house that has occurred twice now. It’s a large house with really no hallways, only doors and more rooms with stairs leading to the next floor occasionally. I always think to myself in the dream how great it would be to live in a house like that, as if I’m going for a tour of the house in my dream.

I’ve been thinking of touring homes recently. I’d just like to build up a dream for a house I’ll have one day. If I can remember much of what this house in my dream looks like, I’ll have it built. Wouldn’t that be cool?