Learning (how) to live

Lately I feel like I've been relearning how to live. Maybe its the fact that I just graduated college, live on my own, and pay (some) of my own bills. Or maybe its the fact that the word I chose for the year includes living more abundantly (I'm still learning what that really looks like). Regardless of why, I'm much more conscious of how my daily decisions decide the quality of life I'm living now. I realize more and more that I have before me small decisions of "life and death, blessings and curses" as the author of Deuteronomy writes.

5 things I'm learning:

1. I'm learning how to feed my mind, my body, and my soul more healthfully--- I'm eating more vegetables, I'm listening to more uplifting music, I'm reading more meaningful books. 

What I'm eating- Peanut-Sesame-Asian Salad with chicken.

What I'm reading- "Hinds' Feet on High Places." An incredible, allegorical book which tells the story of Much-Afraid's journey with the Shepherd (aka. Christ) to the High Places. Much-Afraid begins her journey in the Valley of Humiliation, where she is pestured day and night by her Fears. Once she makes the decision to go with the Shepherd, her journey is a constant choice to remain on the path that the Shepherd reveals to her and to have the courage to continue even when the way seems impassable and impossible. 

What I'm listening to- Rend Collective Experiment's "Campfire" album, Hillsong United "Oceans."

2.  I'm learning to look for beauty in small things--- like the pink and orange sky on my drive to work, or the way my nephew holds my little niece with so much love and care. 

3. I'm learning to enjoy the moments I'm in, even when they're not exactly where I dreamed I would be. 

4. I'm learning to plan for times of rest, to take the sabbath seriously. At church this past Sunday, Pastor CJ talked about how holy the Sabbath is and how relevant it is to us today. One of the scriptures he used is from Genesis 2 which says that "on the seventh day God finished his work ... and he rested," it goes on to say that He blessed that day and made it holy. CJ talked about how the sabbath is a time for us to re-energize and to enjoy and take delight in creation. A time to check out and not work. A time to play. 

5. I'm learning that big dreams require big trust in God. But I know that what He has called me to, he will provide a way. 

So these are just some of the things I am learning and have been learning. I challenge you to evaluate your life, to ponder the path your on, and to listen to the lessons that God is trying to teach you. Because, believe me, they are GOOD lessons, not destructuve ones. And they might just lead you to living more abundantly then you ever thought possible. 

2014: A year of Abundance and Blessing

So it's a new(ish) year which means new adventures and new goals.

I don't exactly make new year's resolutions, but I do like to pray about the year to come and think about goals for myself. One thing I've done the past three years is to have a "word for the year."

This word isn't just a random word I like or that sounds cool, although that would be fun. Instead, it is a word that represents something I want to grow in over the year and something I feel I will need to focus on.

In 2012, my word was courage.

In 2013, it was responsibility.

For 2014, I unexpectedly heard the words ABUNDANCE and BLESSING.

I am excited to find out more what those two things really mean and so far have come up with the following thoughts/goals that have to do with being blessed and living in abundance: this year I want to enjoy the abundance God has given me, I want to live in (aka. choose into) his blessing everyday, and I want to acknowledge God as my provider of everything good.

Here's to a new year and abundant growing experiences!

What are some of your goals for 2014? Do you have a word for the year?