All that is Needed is Provided

As we approach the ending of 2015 and the beginning of a New Year my heart is filled with thankfulness and anticipation. There is something wonderful about reflecting on the moments that have shaped our lives and the experiences that have written new chapters in our story. Remembering the people and places that have made us who we are. And then lifting our eyes to the todays and tomorrows that lie before us. The path of the New Year stretches out ahead. We consider our dreams and hopes with excitement as we pray and plan.   

It never fails, that at this time, a song of times gone past will resonate in my soul. The enduring quality of these lyrics are worthy of holding our reflections and our dreams:  

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father, 
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. 

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! 
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided - 
Great is Thy faithfulness Lord, unto me! 

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, 
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, 
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!*

May we live our best lives with eyes to behold His faithfulness and a heart to comprehend all the blessings showered in our lives. Here, we discover all that is needed is provided. 

Happy New Year! 


*Lyrics: Thomas Obediah Chisolm Music: William Marion Runyan

A Living Gift

Last week, my daughter had a throw back to the 80's day at school. It's always a boost to the ego when you realize you are now old enough for people to consider your coming of age years as a throw back in time. As Natalie left the house that day, she was proudly sporting pink leg warmers and a side pony tail.

Leg warmers. The fashion statement ALL the girls wore my 5th grade year. It was the only thing on my Christmas list that year. And there was not a happier girl around, in the moment I unwrapped the Old Fashioned Oatmeal box and pulled out two pairs of leg warmers. Side note for those who are wondering.... my mom was a master user of cereal boxes for wrapping gifts. This is one of my most vivid Christmas and childhood memories.

And as awesome as that was for me, do you think I have any idea where those leg warmers are today? I barely remember wearing them past one winter. As so many things, here today and gone tomorrow.

As we enter the week where we will exchange many gifts with friends and family, let us not lose sight of the greatest gift of all.

Hope of all hopes, dream of our dreams, a child is born, sweet-breathed; a son is given to us: a living gift. Isaiah 9:6

A living gift. God's son, for us.

Through this man we all receive gifts of grace beyond our imagination. John 1:16

This Christmas, may you receive your best gift ever. The living gift that never stops giving.

Do You See What I See?

Today I participated in a MidAmerican Energy Audit for my home. Let me tell you, it was a lot more than a 15 minute visit glancing at the attic and crawl space for insulation needs. This auditor looked at every single light bulb in my house, shower heads, and even pointed out a tiny spider web on my basement window that showed evidence of "infiltration". 

As I adjusted to this long process, which included changing out 13 of the light bulbs, putting foam around pipes, changing a shower head, and a new surge protector, I decided to do some online Christmas shopping at the kitchen table. He shows up with a new thermostat "much easier to program and use" and proceeded to take out the old and put in the new. That's when he uttered the most famous line of the whole visit... "Don't forget to paint behind your thermostat."  

Unable to control my surprise and laughter, I couldn't help but ask, "In your job, doing this day in and day out for eight years, how many people have you known that have painted behind their thermostats?" 

"None." He replied. 

"But you?" I asked. 

"Yes." he said.

I could go on about how he personally runs an energy audit on his appliances each year (Really?!), but for the sake of this blog let's just point out the obvious... Cory has been trained to see what most of the rest of us never give a moments thought to. 

It made me wonder what I am trained to see. 

Over 2000 years ago, wise men saw a unique star in the night sky. It struck them in such a way that they were compelled to leave their home land and travel west to worship the king that was born. 

After today's visit from Cory, I can promise that I will never look at a thermostat the same way.

I also hope I never look at a night sky of stars the same way. May my life be such that I lead others to see the amazing light that testifies of a king born here on earth. Immanuel. God with us. 

When Light Arrives

Today, I came to a street corner where someone was wearing a homemade sandwich board and carrying a ventriloquist doll. It was rather humorous. Evidently, he was determined to share something important with this unusual methodology. However, beyond slowing down the traffic as drivers attempted to figure out what the sight was, I am not sure his message got communicated to his drive-by audience.

People can go to quite a bit of effort to get their messages across... God, too.  

As we celebrate the birth of Christ, I'm reminded of His message of light. 

Nearby, in the fields outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their flocks from predators in he darkness of night. Suddenly a messenger of the Lord stood in front of them, and the darkness was replaced with a glorious light - the shining light of God's glory. Luke 2:8-9

I love how darkness was "replaced". When light arrives, darkness is no more.  

May it be. 





 

Leaving a Trail

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi





 

It's a cold, rainy day today. A good day for a hot cup of dark roast coffee at the local Java Joe's. As I left the cafe, this clear impression of a leaf on the wet sidewalk captured my attention. There was no leaf present, but clearly there had been recently.

It made me consider the impressions we all leave in life. The finger prints of our touches and the aroma of our presence linger far beyond an interaction. The words we say and the expressions we share make an impression as real as the color of a leaf on a cold, gray sidewalk. 

What are we impressing upon others? Consider those who are near and dear to us, and even living in the same home or working in the same work space. And how about those we merely see in the passing of our day? Do we consider how we live in such a way to leave a trail of goodness? 

To say we don't impress upon others, is not true. It is not a gift that can be refused. How we impress, now that is where we can choose. 

Living our best lives is recognizing ourselves in light of our relationships and choosing to leave a trail of good. Taking a bit more time to... 

• learn someone's name & use it
• share a smile and friendly greeting
• pause to affirm someone's strengths
• pat a back or give a hug
• give thanks for a helping hand
• be that helping hand
• pick up the piece of trash
• send a card of encouragment 

Impressions leave a mark in other people and in our world. Living in sync is living your best life each day and each moment of the day you are given. It's choosing the trail you will blaze and not waiting for someone else to do it for you. We all have the ability to do good and to make a difference. 

Here's to leaving a trail of goodness!

Do It Again

We enjoyed our first snow of the season over the weekend. There is something so magical and delightful about snow. It brings a quiet wonder as it blankets the earth with an innocent white beauty. It is playful and energizing as the crisp air fills your lungs and crunches beneath your boots. 

In these moments, I am a child all over again. 

Sometimes I wonder if we don't spend all of our younger years growing up only to find ourselves in our older years becoming more like children. It is the gift of life. As we embrace it, we find ourselves living more in sync with the rhythm... dancing a bit more, singing a little louder, and telling stories and laughing "just because". 

Maybe our best days are right here in the sacred ordinary.

"A child kicks its legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, Do it again; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough... It is possible that God says every morning, Do it again, to the sun; and every evening, Do it again, to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike: it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we." --G. K. Chesterton

Living your best life is doing it again and again. Loving, breathing, playing, hugging, giving, and remembering such are the moments that fill our hearts. 

As you celebrate Thanksgiving this year... doing it again... may you rejoice as a child. 

Hope is where the heart is

Over twenty years ago, as young 20-somethings, my husband Dale and I interviewed for our first pastoral position as youth pastors in Maysville, Kentucky. 

We flew in for a weekend visit and were hosted in an old farmhouse by a beautiful empty-nester couple in their late 60's. By the end of that short weekend, Emery and Alice and their home had become 'home sweet home' to us. 

Here is where the timeless quality of beautiful hand-crafted furniture, quilts, and dinners met with our youthful energy and visions for the future. Past and future embraced, creating a most amazing present. 

This is hope. A grand expectancy in the good that is and is yet to come. 

The past is the anchor of hope. Tethering us to an eternity of faithfulness and putting us on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. The future is the brilliance of hope. Guiding us into a brighter time and fulfillment of days. The present is where these merge into a vibrant, living hope. A purpose to arise in the morning dawn and to lie down and rest after the day's labor.

Living our best lives is grounded in eternity and lived today. Hope is where the heart is.

Remember your heritage. Envision the future. Live with a grasp on both and you will find yourself walking in a rhythm of grace and hope each day... living your very best life.   

Listen to the Song

Today, I was privileged to spend time with a family in the Critical Care Unit of the hospital. It is an honor and sacred space when you sit with those who pray, wait, and hope. It is the land in between that is tenuous for the soul and tiring on the body, yet precious in the spirit.

It was a gentle reminder of how much words can fail us, as there are no pat answers or easy fixes in such a time.

I realized again how invaluable the gift of presence truly is. Clinging hugs. Wiping tears. Reading scriptures. Listening to music. And then quiet. Even the quiet was a gift.

As I teach my piano students, one of the aspects of music we talk about is the melody and the harmony in a song. The melody is the recognizable part of the song that creates a tune that we sing, hum, or whistle. It is a single note pattern to be played dominantly. The harmony, on the other hand, is a group of notes that is behind, beneath, and around the melody. While played more softly, it provides the texture and mood of the song. 

So often, when I come to critical junctures in life - I look, grasp, and fumble for a melody line. Give me something to be an obvious pattern to follow, something that will provide steadiness to my wobbly emotions and knees. And this is good. 

What I've learned today is that during such a time, just as important is the harmony that plays. Softly and tenderly, almost unrecognizable, yet surrounding us like a warm blanket of reassurance. The harmony of sharing hope and love that reaches beyond knowledge and becomes an experience. 

Living your best life has its good days and some hard ones, too. Listening for the melody will steady your steps, while the harmony carries your spirit. God bless you and those you sit with in such a time as this.






 

A Prayer of Recollection

 

I have been learning a new prayer, one of recollection. It is where you find Jesus at home within your spirit. As real as the air in your lungs and as close as the rhythmic pulse of your heart beat. It is quickly becoming a sacred space. 

Here's a peek of a recent prayer time.

Come, we go to the ocean.  

I take off my backpack of work and responsibility, all the concerns I've been carrying in my mind and heart. 
My shoulders immediately feel the relief and a lingering ache of having carried the weight for too long. 

You gently rub them and kiss the back of my neck. You do not scold me. 

There is only love here.  

I ask you if you want to empty the backpack and talk about it. 

You laugh and say, "That won't be necessary. I was with you in everything you carry. There's nothing more to do with it that concerns me. Let's go play."

I respond to Your outstretched hand and off we run into the water.  

The cool waves washing over me. The salt clinging to my lips. 

I choose not to ask about it but to simply enjoy the moment we share. 

Somehow, in the midst of the play, the weights and entanglements were washed away in the waves.  

I am found, when I am lost in You. 

Living our best lives includes finding a real way to "recollect" ourselves. It is freedom, creativity, and the adventure of being lost and found again. Where do you create this sacred space in your life? Click here for more information on the Recollection Prayer.

The Harvest

Fall is one of the most wonderful times of year! Crisp morning walks, warm afternoon sunshine, brilliant fall trees, carving pumpkins, sipping ciders, and turning on the oven to bake a little more again! And.... we get to rake up all those leaves that swirl in the corners of our property and put on the gloves and climb the ladder to clean out those gutters!! 

 

Yep. The beautiful tree-lined street has given way to dropping those leaves, adding more jobs to our honey do list. Even as I type, I can hear my fellow Iowans... "Sure, but it's better than scooping snow!" 

I've found that every growth in our lives produces a harvest AND a responsibility. 

It is easy to love the fruit of the harvest. The fruit is rewarding and energizing. It overflows with promise, as it not only feeds us and those around us; it also provides the seed for the next season of growth.

The harvest is also a lot of work. It takes time and energy to get the fruit and manage it accordingly. It's cleaning up what's left behind and preparing the soil for a season of rest and the next growing season ahead. 

So it is with our lives, the people we love, and the people we lead. We can't let the adrenaline of harvesting the fruit overtake the responsibility to clean up what's left behind and then to prepare the heart, mind, and body for a season of rest and the next growth season. 

It's so easy to be overtaken with short-term results that we miss the long, steady work of growth in our lives. 

My daughter Natalie is growing as a high school student this year. She is putting her best effort in and yet worrying if it is enough. Yes it is, my child. One step at a time. Go to bed and sleep. We'll wake up tomorrow and do our best again. 

Living our best lives is filled with growth, clean up, rest, and preparations. We do it all over and over again. Let's not short-circuit our lives with short-term results. Living in sync is about rhythm and harvesting the best results long-term. Let's embrace what is happening - put our energy into where it needs to be and allow for rest after the hard work is done. 

Radiant Transformation

I love this tree I found on my morning jog today. I was taken by the bursting brilliance of the red leaves and the gentle turning shades of the yellow in the midst of a vast supply of clinging green life. 

It is a picture of transition and change. A beautiful symbolism of how we ourselves experience transformation in our lives. 

Sometimes so gentle and slow that we hardly recognize it is happening. Other times we experience a bold breakthrough that catches our attention and we know that our lives will never be the same. 

If you hang out much around young children, you know this is exactly how growth happens. Consider learning to walk. Slowly. Faltering. One step forward and two steps back and boom on the bottom. And then suddenly - it's done. She knows how to walk. And by then she is not only walking, but running and there's no stopping her.
 
The slow and steady work that gives way to the suddenly.

Don't judge yourself when you are in the stumbling barely recognizable beginnings of a life change. It's challenging and kind of messy. Yes. Just the same, it is as beautiful as the changing colors in this tree if we only step back and see the big picture. Your can trust your suddenly will come and what was once hard will become easy. Your life will never be the same.

Living your best life is colorful, radiant, and filled with various shades of transformation. The depth of the bold breakthroughs are set within the shades of ordinary and and every color in between only adds richness. 

Remember to enjoy today everyday. This, my friends, is how you live in sync with the rhythm of grace and live your best life.

Golden Years

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. - Greek Proverb








At the beginning of 2015, our church hosted our annual Vision Night. It is here I shared our prayers and dream of having a ministry devoted to 'tweens' ages 10 - 12. Following the service, 74-year-old David made a beeline to me. "Sign me up!" he said with enthusiasm. After we clarified what he was signing up for :>)... I knew down deep that somehow our tween vision was really going to happen this year.

Here we are 10 months later and his enthusiasm has not slowed down - but grown! He has hung artwork in their new classroom, dug out resources for class time, encouraged parents, and done an incredible job of connecting with the young people. He brags on their artwork, asks how they are doing, and even shares his own needs so the kids can pray for him. David consistently prays for the young people and families and wants nothing less than God's kingdom to be revealed in their lives. 

He is a model of following Jesus in the golden years. 

As I look around at the world I live in, I give thanks for the 'grandparent generation' we are blessed to have. They are the ones who...

• give big hugs and make us feel loved and valuable no matter what
• have good conversations that aren't distracted by their cell phones
• remind us of our manners and what's important in life
• share stories and jokes and wisdom along the way
• celebrate our accomplishments, big and small
• faithfully pray and give generously to us

Are they perfect? Have it all together and figured out? Nope. Most are well aware of that. But they do have a purpose and I am thankful they are here to share it. 

Let's honor the older generation and make sure they know how precious their investment is in our lives. Their purpose has not diminished with age. They are truly in their golden years and have the most to offer us. And let's listen to their lives and follow their example. 

Living our best lives includes receiving from those who have gone before us and allowing it to shape us into better people as they are. 

Daily Delights

Today I took a quick jog on my lunch break. With a full schedule planned for the day, I didn't even take the time to put on headphones to listen to music. I'm so glad. About halfway through my run, the church bells began to ring. Within moments, echoing peals of Amazing Grace filled the air and my heart. 

Absolutely delightful. 

Refreshing. Centering. Joyful. Wholeness. 
All this richness in under five minutes. 

Which brings to mind a moment from yesterday, when my daughter Natalie arrived home after a five-hour show choir rehearsal... "Mom, it smells so good in here! What did you make?" Watching her peek into the apple crisp on the chilly fall afternoon was nothing less than absolutely delightful.

I remember that feeling from my own childhood. Coming off the school bus in the afternoon, I RAN into the old farmhouse as mom always had a snack awaiting us. Very often, something warm and yummy that she baked fresh. Best part of my day! Every single worry and care I had melted away as I absorbed the wafts of homemade breads, pies or cookies. 

One of the keys to living our best lives is to find and relish daily delights.

Too often we relegate the care of our lives and stress management to things that take more time or money than we have on a daily basis. Massages, vacations, long workouts, leisurely dinners, movie nights, sleeping in... you name it. All wonderful, but highly impractical in our day to day living. 

I suggest you make a list of daily delights today. Things you can do in 10 minutes or less that really can make a difference in the amount of joy and peace you experience. 

Here's a few to get you thinking...

• Get a move on it - stretch, breathe, jog or walk a lap around the block.
• Listen to your favorite song REALLY loud.
• Light a candle and enjoy the scent, as well as the flicker of the flame.
• Slow down to savor a favorite beverage or snack.
• Shower or in a tight pinch just wash your hands / feet / hair with a favorite soap.
• Read the comic section in the newspaper.
• Pray through a Psalm.

Most of all, enjoy your life right where you live it. What is right around you that you really enjoy looking at? Smelling? Hearing? Take the extra moments and absorb it today and always. 

After all, living your best life is simply about living your best day every day. Enjoy it. 

Oh the Places We Can Go!

Last Saturday, I stirred up my inner adventurer and took off on a bike ride looking for where it would lead me. I had only discovered the trail near our house weeks ago and have been excited about exploring it ever since. In this photo, you see the railway bridge turned bike trail bridge over the Des Moines River. A cool find indeed! 

As I consider how simple and enjoyable this outing was; I can't help but realize how I make life harder than it needs to be at times. The analyzing, processing, thinking, sleeping on it brain often churns long and hard as I make decisions. I think I need to "be responsible" and have this perfect, completely thought out plan in place. And pause, hesitate, and second guess myself into moving at a crawling pace. 

Now hear me, not that it's wrong to seriously consider and process our decisions. I would just say it's wrong to give into our fears and risk avoidance all in the guise of "being responsible". Consider this...

So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above. Philippians 3:14

Did you catch it? Run. 

Yes. Do it. Tap into the inner adventurer and go for it. 

Living your best life is letting go of the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves. It's thinking as much as we have to, but not more than we need to. It is RUNNING towards our goals as we abandon the if only's and what if's.

It is seeing the goal and wanting the prize. Embracing the I am's and I can's. It is breathing the fresh air of anticipation and new beginnings deep into our lungs.

Oh the places we can go. This is your best life. Go out and run it.




 

In His Hands

This teddy bear is a fond keepsake of mine; crafted from a little patchwork quilt my Grandma Klocke made for our baby dolls. I was one of 63 grandchildren, so I am pretty sure it swaddled many baby dolls over the years as young children played 'house'. Who knows how many adventures that quilt went on with us farm kids!

When I look at the assorted fabrics, I can't help but wonder where they all came from. Each one has a memory it lived... a dress that was worn to church, an apron that prepared the family meals, and a flannel shirt that worked the field. Maybe some was left over from making a new wedding or baby quilt. 

Sewn together the quilt tells a story of life. The joys, the heartaches, the hard-working, the laughter, tears, and a bunch of very ordinary days in between. The life we live. 

There's something amazingly beautiful when it all comes together. 

It is so in our lives as well. Every experience, moment, relationship and memory contributes to the amazing patchwork of our lives. Not one needs to be left out. Even the very ordinary or dreary shades find beauty when placed by a master quilter.

"We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan." Romans 8:28

Living our best lives is an invitation to accept every moment of our lives and to offer it to the Master Quilter. He knows how to handle the thin, worn out fabrics. He knows how to weave in the dull and darks with the bright and beautiful. Each one is held, laid out, and affirmed as an important part of the whole. Each one knit together into the story of life.

In his hands it all comes together. 







 

Stretched But Not Broken

We've all been there, in small and big ways. Whether it was training for an athletic event, writing a late night research paper, applying for a job promotion... or hearing a medical diagnosis, parenting difficult children, facing financial devastation, or the loss of a loved one. That point where we crash head on into the hard reality that reminds us we all have limits. 

Stretched.  

Life's challenges test the strength of our mind, body, and spirit evoking all sorts of emotions and thoughts... we want to run, hide, kick, fight, escape... and sometimes all at the same time. Oh, and those voices... How did I ever get myself here? I can't do this. This is insanity. What am I going to do now? I should have... could have...  would have's... On and on. 

Fear is driving us and we don't even know it. We are worrying, anxious, intimidated and doubtful. 

And then there is... Courage. 

Yep, right here. The ability to face the difficulty, pain and fear.

How so?

On our knees. Several years ago, I remember processing a very dear friend's Leukemia diagnosis. Having lost my husband and mom recently, I wasn't handling well the possibility and prognosis that I could lose another loved one way too early in life. I remember being in a small group of friends and praying together. The Lord gently drew me to my knees. He said, "Becky, if you bow before me; you won't bow to the fear." I found great peace. I encourage you to go to your knees as 'life hits' and quietly spend time with him. Courage anchors your soul. 

Walk through. There's still a life to be lived. Choices to be made. One day at a time, courage enables you to call upon your resourcefulness and embrace the difficulties. Just as resistance builds up muscle in your body; it is here that you find the emotional and spiritual strength that carries you through. You find opportunities that you never thought of and progress is made. Slowly and steadily courage helps you gain ground.

Rise up. And lastly, there's something so powerful about using the very difficulty that resists you to lift you up. Think of how an eagle uses the headwinds to lift her so she can soar. In these moments, a song of praise is born. You give to someone else. You find that there is no mountain that can stand in your way. 

Living your best life is realizing we may be stretched, but we will not break. Don't let fear hold you back. Rest, walk, and rise up in courage! 








 

Tools for Living

This weekend, I enjoyed having some extra time to begin working on the overgrown jungle in my backyard. We've had a summer with delightful amounts of rain, causing all vegetation to flourish here in Iowa. Pictured here is my handy dandy Ace shovel which was invaluable at the efforts of eradicating the weeds, which were over my head in places! I was reminded again of the importance of a good tool. 

Whether you are a cook with a favorite knife, an artist with a particular paintbrush, or an editor with a must-have laptop... we all know what a good tool is in our industry... and how much of a difference they make in getting the job done well. 

What are the tools of living our lives well? 

Naturally, there are a few paths in which we could walk into this topic - from practical tools such as organization and time management to physical well-being, social and mental health. Today, I feel compelled to take a path of the heart. 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 

If everything we do flows from it, we can quickly see the importance of caring for our hearts. So, what are the tools for heart health?

• Love. Unearned. Just because. Acceptance. As a blanket swaddles a newborn, so love holds us close until the fears disappear and we know that everything is okay. No matter what. Everyone needs it.

• Joy. Exuberant delight. Quiet celebrations. Purpose for the day. A song in the night. Joy is oft' as surprising as a rainbow and as charming as the birds' song in the morning sunrise. Gratitude. Tears. Laughter. Let it fill you.

• Peace. Joy at rest. Awakened presence. All is well. With my soul. Peace is a lighthouse, the beacon to shore for weary travelers. Hope arises. Faith anchors. Sleep comes.

And tomorrow we begin again. For living well is one day at a time. For you and for all the people in your life. Your best life begins with the heart.

Your Life as a River Pt. 5 of 5

Several years ago my daughter and I went on an adventure tour on the North Shores of Hawaii and tried out paddle boarding. We got our boards and entered the bay with our fellow tourist companions; including an experienced Australian who shared a few tips after Natalie went overboard and a honeymooning couple who were going in circles as we finally made our way out into the deeper water. 

After an hour on the beautiful paradise waters, it was time to turn back in order to get on the bus for our return trip. As we arrived back in the bay, we came upon the hilarious sight of the honeymooners still circling the bay! I guess it was good they were in love, because they sure didn't make any progress that afternoon.

There was no learning a new sport without getting the board and paddle into the water. And there is no moving forward in our lives to a goal or a dream without starting somewhere and living it. 

Our final post in this series is the simple, but often the most challenging aspect in our lives... lead yourself in the flow. We have our Source, our Direction is set, we are in the Current, and the banks are established... what's left is the daily living out of life. Moving from head knowledge to actualizing our values and priorities in the daily rhythm of life. 

So often, we get stuck right here; circling in the bay of life. 

Waiting for something to happen. 
Waiting to understand.
Waiting to be or feel more ready.
Waiting for someone else. 
Waiting because we want the end results without the steps to get us there.  

Living with good intentions, but never transitioning to living with intentionality. 

The reality is.... we could all wait forever and never get anywhere in life. Not that there is never a season for waiting; but even so, that is an intentional time with specific things you do or don't do for a reason. 

Rather than waiting... how about we start? Do one thing. 

I'll never forget the advice given to me by a financial planner years ago. After my appointment and putting together my plan, I looked at the advisor and asked him what I was supposed to do now. He looked at me and responded, "What are you going to do today? Your life is really just a series of today's all strung together." And he's right. 

Live today. Wake up tomorrow and live your today again. If you can learn to live intentionally for a day, you can for a week and so on. For some of you, it starts even smaller... if you can plan and work effectively for an hour, you can work effectively for a morning. 

Living your best life means living with intentionality. One day at a time. One step at a time. 

Now, go do something.