February

I think that going into this adventure there was a larger than I thought part of me that was sure that although there would be challenges, ultimately, it wouldn't be all that difficult and would just be fun. 

Well, February proved me wrong.  And kicked my ass while doing it. 

I think that this happened for a number of reasons.  January was so great that I just assumed that February would be the same so I stopped paying as much attention, I also let life and my own fears get in the way. 

I tend to allow myself to get so overwhelmed sometimes that I just. Stop.  So while I was getting beat up this month, here is what I learned (numbered in order of importance).

1. Its ok to be afraid, but its not ok to allow that fear to stop me from doing what I know I am called to.
1. GRACE. lots and lots of grace.
1. Stopping doesn't mean forever.  I have full permission to start again.  Its ok.
1. Although I will fail, I'm not a failure.
1. Project365 isn't just about this year, its about life.  Its building a foundation for my future and for me to be the woman that I was created to be.

Now that February is behind me I'm excited about what this next month will bring.  And if need be, I'm going to fight back.


What about you?  What are the number one lessons that you learned this month?

FebruaRECAP

You may roll your eyes at this post title, but I'm giving myself a tiny high five. I love puns. 

This photo makes me feel March-y: the various shades of green, the soft, floating balloons.

It's all very Leprechaun-ish, don't you think? 

So, March 2nd already? I know, I know...I was the one who said January felt forever long, but I think I sort of blinked through February. I know I did some great things this month, but I definitely did not do a great job with my P365. Also, I'm pretty sure I only read one chapter of a book this month--that's how little I actually accomplished in February.

Alright, so here's February by the numbers:

My February P365:
Be Active: 10/28
Be Grateful: 34/28 {and yet, somehow, I still have over half of my homemade Valentines on my bookshelf?}
Be Expressive: 7/28
Be Bold: 16/28

I would show you a photo of my February calendar, but it's practically empty, so there would be no point. 

A few lessons from February:

* I was reminded that this is the year {my 31st year alive} in which I get to decide which of my True Rules are to be kept and which are to be replaced. Which led me to purchase a Disneyland pass, but will not result in my adopting a puppy.

* I'm learning to embrace a little more of who I am every day. {Part of "Be Bold/Face Fears"} I'm trying to live in the fullness of who I am in every relationship--in every aspect of my life. It's meant having four difficult, but ultimately healing, conversations this week--and it's also meant that I get to wear what I want when I feel like it, instead of thinking through who I would see that day and what the outfit might say to them about who I am. 

So, how was your February? Any tips for meeting goals or facing fears? How about suggestions of fun ways to stay active in warmer weather? {Sorry non-Californians--it's 80 degrees here this week!}

Here's hoping my March {and yours} is full of P365 success! 

And a bit more reading than the last two months!

Guest Post! Nicole's P365 {Part Two}

Nicole shared Part 1 of her P365 Story earlier this week. Take a look at her January journey below!

So what did I accomplish in January?

Get healthier – I’m drinking more water, I went on a 4½ mile bike ride with my family and I’m choosing the stairs instead of the elevator. Nothing earth shattering, but it’s a start.

Be intentional – This goal has really made me stop and think about how I spend my time with people, but especially my kids. 

It’s helped me look for fun in the middle of every day life – like stopping in the middle of making dinner to crawl around on the floor like a mama lion with both boys on my back until we all collapsed in a giggling heap or leaving my phone and iPad in the other room while we watched Sophia the First for the 86^th time or leaving my “to do” list at home when I went to my mom’s house so I just sat with her instead of busying myself with my list. 

It’s been humbling to realize how much I need to improve in this area, but I want to be more intentional with the people I love the most. I’m really thankful to recognize this now so it will only get better!

Spend less and save more – I met with a good friend a couple of weeks ago that offered to go through all of my finances with me and help me set a budget. I made some real progress! I still have a bit of work to do, but I spent considerably less this month and am on track to pay off the last of my debts in the next few months. But to be completely honest, it’s been harder than I thought it would be. I’m still thinking on this one but I’m sure it has something to do with my control issues and everything belonging to God and not me anyway, but I need some more time to let it simmer.

Make memories – This has been so FUN! This month I bought canvases and taped off my boys’ names, then let them finger paint over the whole thing. When the paint dried we peeled off the paint and their names were left in white. They LOVED their creations and proudly put them by their beds. 

We spent one morning on a bike ride with my sister to two different parks to play (which was no small feat, let me tell you!). My sister put a seat on the front of her bike for my youngest and a trailer bike on the back for my oldest while I trailed behind on my own bike. Yes we were totally a “scene” riding down the road, but we had a blast!

I also bought some new storybooks and have been reading a story with the boys every night before bed. I’m pretty sure it’s become their favorite part of the evening…mine too!

Read more – I've read 1 book, a few chapters in another book, several magazines (I know, I know…kind of cheating!), and am regularly reading a few blogs. Next month my goal is to read another few chapters in the one book and 2 additional books. I LOVE to read so I really don’t know why this one has been so hard for me…better think on that some more.

I’ve been so encouraged by Project365 this last month. I love knowing I’m not alone in my daily struggles to be the woman, mom, friend and daughter that God is calling me to be. And I love that it’s not just OK, but rather it is good to celebrate together over the great days AND the not so great days. 

I know God is trying to get my attention through all of this goal setting and intentionality and memory making. I can feel it. And even though hearing from God can sometimes be scary (not because God is scary, but because I might actually have to do what He is saying!), I’m pretty sure He is telling me to slow down, to stop hiding in the busyness of my life, to create space to hear from Him and to make the most of every single day. 

I think it’s about time I listened. After all, the fog is lifting which means blue skies, not storm clouds, are trying to peek through.

Milton On Gratitude

{via English Muse}

I saw this quote yesterday and have been mulling it over ever since.

I'm amazed at how much my "experience of life and the world" has morphed since beginning the Thank You Note piece of my Project 365 and {I know I say this once a week, but} I really can't wait to see how much more things will change--I will change--in this year.

Who {or what} in your life has become typical, possibly even overlooked?

How can you express gratitude to or for them this week in hopes of reigniting the awe you once felt for them?

I'm very excited for a bike ride on such a beautiful day!

Hope your Monday is equally as fun and relaxing.

love. love. love.

H.O.P.E.

Hope is our family word of the year for 2013. 

We pick a word every year and it becomes like a filter through which we see the world around us.  It also shapes how we think about decisions, solutions, outcomes.  It changes how we think and it grounds us to a character trait of God that we want to understand, implement and become part of our DNA.

My mind was wondering the other day and I ended up pen to paper, writing down topics that I would like to journal or research and then journal or blog, etc.  I then wrote the word Hope across the top of the page and out came an acrostic.

Hope - 2013

H - Honor God
O - Oppose the schemes of the devil
P - Praise His Holy Name
E - Expect His Goodness

If I did these four things every day all day, I think my life would look different, better, full of... Hope. 

So that is what I am setting out to do.  Join me and let's see what happens together.

Guest Post! Nicole's P365 {Part 1}

A little about Nicole, in her own words: I’m a single mom of two wonderful boys (2 ½ and 4 ½ yrs). I love cooking, baking, reading, crafting and finding “deals of the century”. I love my friends and family and they are really important to me. I would do anything to help a friend, I’m loyal to a fault, and I don’t like mean people.

I’ve never been one for writing yearly goals. Sure, I’ve set goals for myself and I’ve definitely accomplished things in my life (some would even say BIG things). But when it came to the whole “New Year’s Resolution” thing, I’ve never really understood it and for sure never participated. But for whatever reason, I decided 2013 was the year I wanted to set some goals for myself. It’s probably mostly because I’ve just come out of the hardest 2½ years of my life, a time in my life affectionately referred to as “the fog”. And since the fog is now lifting, I kinda have to figure out who I am again. So after lots of hemming, hawing and arguing with God about my goals for the year, I finally landed on these: 

• Get healthier (lose weight, eat better, exercise)
•  Be intentional (more focused when I’m with people esp. my kids)
•  Spend less and save more (set a budget and stick to it)
•  Make memories! (at least one fun activity a month w/ my kids; write down their “funnies”; take more pictures AND videos)
•  Read more 

I wrote them with a dry erase marker on my mirrored closet door so I would look at them every morning. And I’m really surprised at what a difference it’s made. I certainly haven’t been perfect, but I’ve been more focused. And I’m learning not to be so hard on myself by celebrating the wins (even the little ones) instead of beating myself up for the losses.

More about Nicole's P365 to come...

Let's change the world

For the last 3 years I have had the opportunity to attend Catalyst.  It is a 3 day submersion into the most creative and inspiring speakers, leaders, musicians, poets, and artistry.  It is deeply thought provoking and widely motivating.  More than half of the speakers stir my soul in such a way to leave my seat of the room and go explosively change the world.
I believe that inside every attender of Catalyst is a world changer: both in idea producers and efficient executors, which are equal parts that make anything successful. 
Then the conference comes to an end, a couple thousand attendees pour out of the building, life goes right into the weekend.  And Monday morning, sadly, looks almost exactly the same as last Monday. 
But what if it didn't?
What if the over 2,000 attendees of this conference, along with all other Christians attending conferences, got together and really did rock the world?
The US House of Representatives has 435 members.  I would guesstimate that of the over 2,000 Catalyst attendees, there are approximately 500 churches represented.  The House of Reps pass laws that impact the entire country.  In any given year they pass anywhere from 200-500 laws.  Christian leaders don't have nearly that many goals on an annual basis, nor should they. 
First and foremost is the goal of seed planting and calling seekers into the destiny of their lives.
Second, we want them to grow in relationship with the trinity and begin the process of a transformed life.
Third, a life lived to the purpose defined by God, leads to maximized relationships, life-giving serving, and continually inviting the rest of the world to the hope we have in Jesus.
What if this year there was a laying down of individualistic goals, dreams, and ambitions, and picked up the idea of just one goal: working together to bring Christ to every one's life.  What would this take?  How would I live differently?  Would this be a slight shift or a radical change?
Could we all die to self in such a way that we laid down our personal plans so we could pick up one unified platform and really explode Christ follower-ship?
If 435 House Reps can change the whole country, what more can 500 churches accomplish? 

A-freaking-lot. 

And because this is just west coast Catalyst conference - meaning there are so many more churches, along with this analogy be askew in so many ways, I just think it is our time, it is this generations turn, to take the states by storm.