Tis a Gift to be Simple...

Ok, thanks for those of you that have been an encouragement on my rogalking adventures and goals. You will be happy to know that the days are moving along well. God had given me a walking buddy...yep, literally we are both answers to each other's prayers...it's awesome how that works out. :) Anyway, not a whole a lot of updates on that goal, but on the off days of my buddy, I'm still trying to get out with some good tunes. I did go the other night and started listening to this cd when the batteries went out on my disc man. Anticipating something great to blog about, I was hoping for some revelation or analogy for life to hit me from that experience. But that was not the case. Rather, it was a peaceful and quite walk and I was reminded that not everything has to be a great emotion-filled realization, but some things are truly just part of the simple story we are being written in to.



That being said, below are a few more thoughts in the SIMPLE goal setting strategy that I had been pondering. I've been working through this for a few weeks now and was hoping to be at a place of having something more final, but I feel that it is still a work in progress....reflections, disagreements, or yep-you've-got-it's are welcome.





SIMPLE. We are complex beings, I get that, but all the more reason to simplify our lives and the plans we make. Excellence and dreaming big can be simple. There is much wisdom in that. (Psalm 19:7, 116:6)



IT"S NOT ABOUT ME. So much of the time the reasons we fail at what we do is because we are focused on self or others, even if we say we are not the competitive type, each one of us has that sense of pride, even on the journey to selflessness it sneaks in. Instead we need to focus on the big picture and that it's not you or I, rather God has a plan; the first step for us is humility.



MEANINGFUL. Following up from not focusing on the me, is focusing on the work that God has called us to and the motives of meaning and purpose. (Col 3:17)



PEACE. PERSEVERE. PATIENCE. Once we get our focus off of ourselves or others for the wrong reasons, it's going to be easier to be successful. (Partial, or maybe even wholly, because the definition of success has shifted.) Peace comes from letting go. Perseverance come from focusing on the bigger picture, yet letting God be our strength for the next small step. Patience comes from the confidence of Christ and brings the humility to listen and to be present with others and to be patient with ourselves, too.



LIFE GIVING...LOVE FILLED. The goal, big or small, whatever we set out to do must be motivated by love. That's a bold statement that causes me to ponder for a second. But, then I move on....Yes, it is true (1 Cor 13)...and the most simple aspect of who we are. Again, when we fail, this could be a reason. Where there is emptiness there is a void to be filled by Love.



ENCOURAGED/ING. Being encouraged...how can you not be!!...which will overflow into...being an encouragement to others....over-joyed (Psalm 30:12).

Pre-Day 3

Another realization with this rogalking stuff is I'm also going to have to be a bit more attentive to watching the weather, as to not let it become an excuse for missing a day. I mean, as much as I love storms, the line needs to be drawn somewhere...so lightning makes a good place for that line to be. Maybe tomorrow will be Day 3....let me check the severe weather map first. :)

In the meantime, I've been developing more of the SIMPLE goal making, in contrast to the SMART goal setting. And here is what I've got thus far:

Simple
It's not about me
Meaningful
Peace and persevere
Life giving...love filled
Encouraged/ing

Of course still developing the ideas within before this show goes on the road. Stay tuned. Suggestions welcome.

Day 2: Check. Unconditional Simple Joy.

Today's cd of choice was Ginny Owens, "Without Condition." I was really hoping for there to be some great song that hit me just right and changed my world. Well, there just wasn't. Today was a pretty mediocre day, all day and I've got some projects needing creativity, that I am currently lacking. (That's why I always thought I could never go into marketing or advertising...what do you do when you run dry.)

But my realization post-rogalk (my new word for run-jog-walk, pronounced "rock") has been it's ok, to have just-ok-days. Not every moment needs to be stellar and filled of epiphanies. Sometimes there truly is joy in the simple things. And it is when we only have those simple things, that we can truly see that joy.

So, of course the entire cd is great...but if I had to pick favorites...Without Condition, I Am Nothing, and Springs Of Life...Yep, can't truly pick just one from this album. It is an all time fav.

Day One. Check.

So, in the course of a conversation today, got on the tagent that I am going to start running. "We are not all made to be runners," I was told. I truly think they did not intend it to be discouraging, and I did not let it be so, just interesting and an encouragement, really. Today was an ease-it-in-day. Just some fast walking mainly. Decided to pick a cd for each day. Today was Keith and Kristen Getty: In Christ Alone. It was a smooth hour or so, although I realize it will get more difficult and although today I wanted to lace up and get out there, I realize every day will not be as such. I asked God to remind me of that and give me the strength to keep going when it is hard. I know without Him I will fail. The best song from the cd today was "Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer" and although it was not my theme song today in terms of struggling through the journey, I could appreciate it and it calmed my heart in anticipation of when it will be my theme song...."at the end of my heart's testing, With Your likeness let me wake."...ok search the web for the full lyrics. Good stuff.

Also, learned...step one - discman...step two - lace up....step three - bug spray ;)

21 days to make or break a habit...Day One. Check.

Speechless into Action

As mentioned yesterday, there was a lot of reflecting to be done. I had some out of town errands to run today anyway, so I hopped in the car with a few cds today. The ones I decided to listen to were Soundtrack 2005 and Soundtrack 2006. That is probably an entire different blog topic, but the basic idea being songs that were important to me those years. I had plans to continue one for each year, but those are currently the only two that exist. I am thinking 2010 may be another one in the works.

Anyway it was a beautiful day for a drive and God provided crystal clear blue skies like the ocean and a few puffy clouds, like the waves. Perfect for listening and reflecting. So long story short, there were two main take aways....

First, it is neat being in this profession where about every quarter there is an opportunity to reflect, regroup, and start again. I've been doing that with work stuff recently and have some exciting ideas to implement, or design then implement. :) Anyway, I am grateful for that chance to pause and reflect and should probably do it more often for work and not-work stuff, really every three months is not that frequent.

Second, it's time to make some goals. (Note from my new year's blog, I'm not very good at that). I have been asking God lately for dreams and then the strength to fulfill those dreams through Him. So, I've got a short list this time. I know there will be failures along the way, but got to start somewhere and pick back up when failures happen.

1. Starting Running
2. Travel abroad in the next year and a half
3. Organize my home life

Start Running: I know this is big and not so SMART, i.e. no specific distance, timeline etc. But I am starting a new goal making technique called SIMPLE. ("S" stand for simple, still working on the other letters ;) This has been on my list for a while from more of a long-term aspect and it's going to be easier to start now than 10 years from now. I know it will be hard as it has probably been since grad school that I even was semi-disciplined with jogging. Step one - disc man batteries ready to go. Step two - lace up!

Travel abroad: Also, on the list for a while. Going to start work on the details to stay with a friend - step one. Step two -- get passport. Step three - find traveling buddies...if you are up for it, let me know :)

Organize home stuff: Ok, this may come as a surprise, I am really not very organized. In the last year I forgot to pay my insurance once and missed a car payment for no reason at all. (Ugh, yeah, I know, right? I didn't let myself forget that one for a while.) Anyway, I've also gradually accumulated stuff that I don't need. And although moving makes you trash some stuff, that's been four years ago and it is probably time to revisit my student teaching files and my "oh, you can make something out of that stash." Again, simplicity is the goal!

Well, that's it for now. Stay tunned for updates :)

Speechless

So, I just caught the second half of this song on the radio. If I had heard it before, I don't remember, but it for sure is now the song I dig most! It seemed pretty catchy at first. Even better once I got past the rhythm, the words were so powerful. I got on-line to hear the entire song and here I sit with un-dry eyes. It's one of those songs that is caught between a declaration and a longing-prayer, depending on the day and season. So powerful. I will continue to listen and reflect more later.