You Tube Thursday

Ever have those times in your life where you wish you could just run away to a quieter and slower-paced place?  That's where I am right now with all of the changes taking place both personally and professionally. 

I just want to run away and not worry about anything for awhile.  I'm tired of having to make decisions non-stop and I'm tired of having to interact with people because that costs me a lot of energy.  My energy has been depleted and I need a chance to restore for awhile.  Sadly, since I'm not able to run away right now, I listen to this song by the Dixie Chicks--Cowboy Take Me Away.

I don't agree with their politics, but every time I hear this song I think about a place where I can escape and things are good for awhile--just me, my cowboy, and quiet.  If that's where you are today, then, please--enjoy!

Teaser Tuesdays

http://adailyrhythm.com/
All text and photo for Teaser Tuesdays belongs to MizB of A Daily Rhythm, with the exception of quotations and links I have provided to the book(s) I am reading.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

"We rest not to just be healthy but because God told us to do so.  It's a commandment so many of us see as outdated or irrelevant."

~p. 53, "Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity" by Keri Wyatt Kent

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

Happy 2015!

Photo taken from iStock Photo website

 Happy New Year everyone!  

I know we're almost into the second month of the new year, but I figure it's never too late to celebrate a fresh start.  That's how I feel about this posting--a fresh start.

I must apologize for my absence dear readers.  Life these last few years hit warp speed and all I felt I could do was hang on and pray I didn't get flung too far in the chaos.  

I have learned that life is relentless and that there will never be enough time to do the things that I think need to be done.  That my priorities may not necessarily be the priorities of the others around me, and that's okay.

I've learned that if I don't take the time for myself, and to do things for myself--even when others call me selfish, that I will get lost in the sea of chaos and will never be able to break free to the surface.

I did a lot of thinking in my absence.  A lot of thinking and grieving for the things I've lost.  For the things others have lost, or are losing.  

In the end, I know that I must pray and draw closer to God.  That He is the only one who will hold me close when I feel I'm being swept away by the current.  He will be the one to wipe my tears when I question-"why Me"?  He is the one to pick me up and hold me in his arms of comfort, so that I may have rest.  

After all, in Matthew 11:28-30 He says:

Matthew 11:28-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I have tried to find my rest in the Lord for the past two years.  In fact, it's been my "one word."  However, the more I've been reading in the Bible, the more I'm finding that my time for rest is over.  That it's time for me to start listening for and to His voice, and to obey what He is asking, no, telling me I need to do.  And that's the part I'm most hesitant about doing.  Jumping.

Oh, I've jumped before without looking to see if there was a net, and the Lord provided a way for me to fly.  The problem is, I feel like the bird whose feathers have been clipped and can no longer soar in the breeze.

Does this mean that I don't have faith?  No, it just means that I need to re-learn how to rely on God.  After all, I'm His child, and don't we as parents (whether of the two-legged or four-legged variety) want what's best for our kids?  How is God any different?

And this is what I'm going to be focusing on this year--relying on God to direct my paths.  Will I get it right the first time?  Probably not.  But I do know that God's mercies are new every day.  I just need to remain content in Him.

Well my readers, I've probably told you more than you probably ever wanted to know.  I hope your new year is off to a great start!

I have some book reviews scheduled in the coming months, as well as a milestone challenge that I've accepted.  I also plan on having some weekly posts where you can interact with me.  Stay tuned for more regular postings and thank you for not giving up on me.

Well my readers, I've probably told you more than you probably ever wanted to know.  I hope your new year is off to a great start!

You Tube Thursday

 Another day and I will be officially on Spring Break!  WooHoo!  (All that really means is that I don't have to work one of my jobs for a week, but still, I get a week off of one of them.  Yay!)

I don't have many plans since things have been so hectic this school year, but I do plan on spending some time in God's word.  I've let too many distractions take me away from my focus and I'm starting to feel it.  I know that others have noticed too because my whole attitude and demeanor change when I haven't been spending time with the Lord.

Thanks to Beckah Shae for this video off of her new album Rest:

Your Presence

New Year Already?

Aimless.  Overwhelmed.  Disappointed.  This is how I've been feeling for the past year.  In fact, I'm still feeling this way to an extent.

Aimless.  I used to know exactly what I wanted.  What direction I was headed, and how to get there.  I worked hard and achieved at various levels.  I have no idea where to go from here.  What direction to turn, and what to expect.  I'm walking aimlessly and I don't like it.  It's an uncomfortable feeling.

Overwhelmed.  Trying to juggle my jobs, my friends, my family, and what I'd rather be doing....well, let's just say that not only my physical, but my mental health is suffering.

Disappointed.  There are way too many disappointments to name here.  Nor do I want to drag out my laundry list of issues for everyone.  Let's just say that disappointments have made me reevaluate my expectations--both of myself and of others.  Not that reevaluating is a bad thing, but it wasn't what I had planned on doing.

I've reached a decision. I've had E.N.O.U.G.H.

******************************************************************

Each year, most people come up with a laundry list of resolutions.  Things they want to accomplish within the year.  I stopped trying to make resolutions because I, like many others, broke them before even a month was up. 

Instead, I've been subscribing to the one word theory, that has suddenly become a "trend" out there in the real world.  Last year's word was BALANCE.  Unfortunately, it seemed like the more I tried to have balance in my life, the crazier things seemed to get.  (Hence my feelings above.)

Despite.  No, more like because of the failure of my one word last year, I've had a mini-crisis of sorts.  I'm scared hesitant to choose a new word for this year. 

I HATE failure.  Maybe it's because of my OCD, or maybe it's because of my "type-A" personality, but I hate to fail.  I'm a perfectionist to the core--even though I'm getting better at hiding it from others.

The perfectionist in me wanted to choose a new word.  Actually, not a new word, but last year's word.  Kind of like a do-over.  A mulligan, if you will.

After a lot of thought and endless prayer, I've finally reached a decision.  I AM choosing a word for the year.

After praying and praying and asking for guidance on what I should do, I was given the answer.  Several times over in fact.  In my Bible studies, emails, and even this morning during our pastor's sermon.  I figure if God thinks it's important enough for me to hear it several times, I should probably pay attention.

My word for 2013 is:

My NIV Bible says in Matthew 11:28-30:

28:  "Come to me , all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

29:  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30:  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  



Without getting into a complete sermon,  rest does not mean no activity.  It just means that I'm giving God the reigns.  I'm letting Him lead me.  Reread the passage again.  It specifically says "take my yoke upon you."  A yoke is what farmers use to put on the animals who are working the land.  With the yoke, they are pairing up workers (me) and the farmer (God) controls the reigns.  God also promises that things (burden) will be lighter and that my soul will find rest.

Rest sounds pretty good to me right now.  I'm exhausted.  I'm tired of trying to do everything on my own and not asking for God's help in everything.  Resting in Him sounds absolutely divine.  My soul is weary.  I don't want to carry these burdens of life on my own anymore.  Gentleness and Humbleness give me peace in my heart.  I want this year to be a year of Rest.

Do you have a "one word" for the year?  If so, I encourage you to turn it in to a #Pic4Year like I did above.  A visual daily reminder of what you want to achieve this year.

Happy New Year!