Pickles & Praise

A new year is right around the corner. With both hesitancy and excitement that means that there are new milestones ahead to be met, new traditions to create, and new adventures to be had.

Lists are a “thing” of mine. Seriously, I make lists to make lists… and scribbling an item off is “satisfaction at its finest.” AND getting through a whole list to inspect everything marked off and tear the paper down the center signaling “total completion” is even BETTER! In honor of my slightly OCD need to think in lists I will let you in on a little window to me and how my brain works (think of my ADD brain as organized chaos.)

I don’t always make resolutions at the new year because I will rarely keep this arbitrary “rule” simply because it’s a rule that I have made but others are pushing me to enforce and judging if I slip or alter it. However, in the spirit of “out with the old and in with the new” it would be unfair of me to not reminisce on what lessons have graced me over the past twelve months and make a list of the core 5 things I plan to focus on. ( In this noggin… lists are not resolutions)

Then, of course, there is the “word.” The number of years that I have been doing this escapes me, but it’s somewhere between the last 3-4 years that I have chosen (and prayed about) a particular word to be applied to my life.

Since we’re all friends here. I thought I’d share my list with you. Honesty, If my word had presented itself yet it would give me great joy to share that with you as well. Alas it has not revealed itself. I’m thinking it might be something along the lines of “risk” or “adventure”… we will see.

I do, however, have my 5 things I am going to focus on this next twelve months. Some have remained the same and others have come clearer into focus and I desire to continue the effort. As you ponder mine maybe you’d like to think of one or two things that you’d add to yours? Here we go!

1. Discipline- This is mostly is involving my discipline in the spiritual sense like reading my Bible more, starting to verse map again, but alas discipline is going to leak all over my other “core things” this year. Discipline is so important and necessary in all that I do that it’s number one on the docket. After all “A person without self control is like a city with broken down walls.” Proverbs 25:28
2. Fitness & Health- Yes yes I know that this is on about 97% of everyone’s list BUT it’s a continued discipline for me that I have grown to enjoy and crave- there’s that word again- It has only been the last 9 months that hard work and heavy lifting have made a big impact on my time. Reaping the benefits of not just the physical but the mental gains of paying attention to my food choices have become life building and exciting to me. Also lifting heavy and climbing that mean stair climber sweating out my stess has changed me … for the better! ( seriously – who knew last year I would turn gym rat… AND LOVE IT) One thing that has stuck with me is that lifting or running or anything else you choose is just as much for your mind as it is for your body.
3. Grow & Chase- This coming year I want to grow and chase the things of God M-O-R-E. He’s altered my perspective and reality more than once this year because I have been so much more open to listening… and then immediately obeying … ( hmmm maybe my word this year needs to be something like “immediately” or “instant”) because I will DO it … but I will doubt, argue, reason, try to discuss with Jesus why I don’t think it’s the best route… Hey Hey … I’m working on it!
4. Travel- This year .. more adventure… I don’t have to travel anywhere that requires an airplane ticket or fancy reservations but I do want to take the time to experience the beauty around me and often… one of my favorite pastors to listen to always talks about how we as Christians get to experience things so much more fragrantly because we get to experience the “thing” and be in awe of the beauty of it… then we get to praise God for it … furthering the gratitude and magnitude of the blessing. Take the Grand Canyon for example. You walk up to a point of the magnificent view, your throat closes a bit because you’re taken aback of it’s vast crevices and beautiful heughs of reds and oranges… a few moments later the sunset collides and exaggerates the color pallet in front of you again. You are completely breathless … utterly in awe. For a non-believer that beautiful moment stops there. It’s beauty is “it” and that’s all…. but we who have a relationship with Jesus get to praise and thank him and talk to Him in wonder for creating it. The same God who created us. For me, I love a good sunset, and it always dials my mind back to God but pair that with the Grand Canyon or a mountain and I’m done… He didn’t HAVE to make sunsets so breathtaking but he loves us and wants us to experience beauty in profound ways. Just like the way flavors infuse together and create a sensation in our mouths when we try a new food dish. Food didn’t have to taste good! It is supposed to sustain us and keep us alive but God is so gracious and amazing that he made it taste exquisite. ( pastor’s words not mine.) Isn’t it incredible though? So travel more, mountains, cities, sunsets, oceans, old architecture, historic places. All of the above please!

lastly but not at all finally or less important.

5. Being Still- …. If you know you know. Being still and silent isn’t necessarily a strong suit of mine and it’s one that Jesus consistently brings to my attention. Growth in this area has come at a cost that is both slow and intentional. I want to continue with this precision and intention. The quieter I have become… the louder I have been able to hear God’s whisper and call on my life. It isn’t always easy either. I have said no to things just to have the quiet and still moment with our Maker that I wouldn’t otherwise have had. It has produced a wisdom and more “in-depth” kindness in me. For that, I will always be grateful and in turn I won’t let this discipline go. It’s a keeper.

As the year moves and flows there will be additions and subtractions but these five things will stay. What are your traditions? Do you make resolutions? Lists? How about a word?

As always friends.. be good… be well… and behave. In Jesus name.