with a thankful heart

January 20th...JANUARY 20TH!! Really?!?!! Twenty days into the new year already...So how are you doing with your well-intended New Year Resolutions thus far? I, for one, am doing GREAT! Ok, full disclosure - my only resolution this year was not to make any hard and fast resolutions - so I am on track with that :) Not that I don't have a laundry list of areas in my life that could use a little tweaking, it's just starting out the new year with a glaring list of "to-do's" did not top my bucket list, so I opted out. For instance:

1. Sure, I hope to lose that SAME 10lbs (must have lost those same re-occurring pounds every other year for the last 30yrs - you do the math, makes me hungry just thinking about it...)
2. I would LOVE to be more organized. My husband is a sheer genius in that area. But having two geniuses in the house might be a bit much, so I will let him reign in that area - and besides, what would I do with all that extra time I spend looking for my glasses and cell phone if I methodically put them in the same place every day?
3. I could put an end to my well cultivated penchant for procrastinating - note the expansive break between my newly resurrected blogging posts and my pre-2012 posts, but hey, it's not like I was standing still, I just went in a different direction for a bit (alright, quite a bit) but ta-da - I'm back, at least for now :)
4. And then there is the area that in all honesty I truly do want to step it up a notch - my personal time alone studying scripture, praying, giving thanks in all things... for those of you who confidently have that segment of your life mastered - well done! For me I remain a work in progress, and I am confident, I will remain "in progress" Lord willing, as long as I remain this side of heaven.

In regards to #4, What I am mindful of these days is the myriad of subtle ways I live inconsistent with my core beliefs. And as Britt Merrick http://www.realitysb.com/ has been known to say, living an incongruent life is exhausting. (or something like that, excuse my paraphrasing Britt) Last year I read One Thousand Gifts: Dare to live your life fully right where you are by Ann Voskamp. It is a very thought provoking book. I confess, her style of writing hurts my head at times, never-the-less I kept going back to it and it continues reverberating in my mind.

I am struck by how often I cease to be in awe of every good and perfect blessing I have that has come from above. Indeed, every GOOD and PERFECT gift I have has comes from above - of that I am certain, it is just that I don't always give thanks. I grumble inside. I get sidelined by unmet expectations. I WANT too much... I could go on, but I am fairly certain you get the drift.

So I guess #4 is actually #1 on my bucket list for this year. If you know me and see me around, or check in here from time to time, I hope you might be able to share with me what God is doing in your life as well this year. I remain ever confident of this - He who began a good work in me (and you) will be faithful to complete it! For that I am MOST thankful :)

Ponder on... xo