Dear Busy

Dear Eager/compassionate/willing,

You are such a goober! 
I’m proud of your compassionate heart.  But look at what you are doing.

You run from one thing to the next, not having time to complete anything you want or NEED to.  You really must take care of these core things before you move on to other things.  I’m sorry--- there are always new things popping up to do… But the things on YOUR list will remain until you take care of them.  Take care of them and then you can move on.  Silly girl J  You are always running with the wind.  How endeavoring you are, and caring.  But if you don’t have your “nest” in order, once you need to land, you won’t have any foundation to rest in.  You really do need to take care of those things you are called to do for yourself.  Trust Me.  You might be able to be a problem solver, for other people, but unless you have things in order for yourself, you won't have a long-lasting impact.  I want you to have long-lasting impact on the people you will meet.  For that to be so, you must be well taken care of.  You must be in order.  You must be rested and so filled-- like, only a plant with great fertilizer really shoots off.  You really need to be sitting in fertile, tended soil.  Right now, you are sitting in clumps of rock and dirt, hurriedly put together.  That won't due for the long-haul.
  No, you don't need the nicest ornaments or material things, but you do need rest, joy, time with loved ones, time to love yourself and time to spend with Me.  Life will have sacrifices.  There will be storms and hurt.
But TURN TO ME!  Don't strive!  Oh, don't give out.  Turn to me and I will help them, too. 

Daughter- trust Me.  Do this.  Wait and see! 

Antidote

i'm thankful that the antidote to fear is faith.

I have been wanting to become a regular runner for a while now.  Get up, put on the tennis shoes, put my hair in a pony tail and bounce out the front door-- I want to do that and both be healthier and enjoy the time outside.  I LOVE being outside.  I seriously think every day I go outside is much better than the days where I am cooped up, even if just for half an hour outdoors.

What keeps me from running?  Lack of discipline?  Being tired?

Perhaps.  But I now believe, as I've been learning more about courage and confidence (these two themes have been running in my life since my freshman year of college)--

I believe that fear is what keeps me indoors. 

Fear of what?  That I will get kidnapped? Partially.
Fear that I won't be able to do it?  Slightly.
Fear that I won't stick to it, and fear that I will look foolish as I run?  I have to say that those two are the largest fears.  Both of them are stupid.  Why should I care what other people think I look like as I run? Plus, I WILL look fine unless I run out too sleepy to remember to switch out of pajama pants.  Even then most passerby wouldn't ever meet me.  The sticking to it matter is foolish because, of COURSE I won't stick with it if I don't begin.  That is automatic failure!  Yuck!

This can be paralleled to our faith.  What keeps us from living the life Christ has called us to?

Fear?

The antidote to fear is faith, and the best way to practice faith is taking action.

Start running!!!!

Hebrews 12:1-2a
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

My Semi-Dramatic yet valid Declaration of War.

I've decided to fight.

I don't want to fall into the wishing game of relationships.  I don't want to think and worry about what I need to do, or should do, or shouldn't do to be in a relationship....

NO.  I will trust God's guidance regarding this relationship business, and His timing.

I will continually lay my feelings, questions, dreams, frustrations at His feet.

God's plan is good, and I WILL NOT settle for anything less!  I may meet him yesterday or 30 years from now, and I say, let it be if that is God's plan. 

I'll scream it.  I WANT GOD'S PLAN, not mine or anyone else's!
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I WILL FIGHT to get good grades.  I'm tired, I'm bored, I prefer other things over homework.
But this is working towards my passion... What is passion if we DON'T DO ANYTHING to see the passion become reality?  If the passion is worth it, WE WORK TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

I will stay up late, I will grit my teeth, I will do what is unnatural and do homework!

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I WILL FIGHT to love the people around me.  There's only so much time in a day.
LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO NOT LOVE the people God has placed around me.  Other things may battle for my time and attention, but what is most important in the end?  I WILL FIGHT to have the peace of mind to walk beside another and listen, instead of thinking about other things or flitting around from one task to the next.  I WILL FIGHT to take initiative instead of letting what God wants to happen fade into the distance!  Lord, help me!

I WILL FIGHT....  This is the life God has given me, and I don't want it to be wasted or fall short of what God left an opportunity to be ....