Tag: reflections

“It Only Takes a Spark”

While at Family Camp, a conversation came up about old camp songs. “Kumbaya” was at the top of everyone’s list, but at the top of mine was a little song I learned when I was in elementary school. A friend of mine, who had just returned from camp, was singing it and I asked her to teach me the song. I loved the easy lyrics and melody and I began singing it all the time, even though I didn’t really understand what it meant. I didn’t come to know the Lord until I was an adult, but that little song was like a seed planted in my heart. So, when this song came up at Family Camp, I sang the little tune. A couple of my grandkids were sitting there listening and simply gave me a nod when I was done. “That’s really cute.” my granddaughter said with a little grin. We just giggled and moved on to some other old camp songs.

But I keep thinking about that little song. For me, the sweetest part of this hymn are the words, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going.” and maybe that’s why I found it so endearing at such a young age. Even then, I always believed that my purpose in life was to be a spark in this world; to spark inspiration and encouragement into the people in my little piece of the world.

My tidbits of encouragement are always about hope and silver linings, but I do that with one foot on the ground and lots of experience with life’s ups and downs. While I’ve always had a positive attitude about life, I do know that sometimes being a “spark” isn’t easy when faced with life’s challenges. Life isn’t perfect and sometimes it’s hard to see our way out of the forest. Happiness isn’t a constant state of being and worry can’t be wished away with optimistic quips and quotes. Change can be earth-shaking and filled with worry and doubt.

But I also know that even in our darkest moments, God will help us find our “spark” and will remind us that all things – not some things, many things, or most things – I repeat, ALL things, are possible through Him who gives us strength.

It only takes a spark to get a fire going
And soon all those around can warm up to its glowing
That’s how it is with God’s love
Once you’ve experienced it
You spread His love, to everyone
You want to pass it on.

It was such a simple little campfire song with such a powerful message and now, as a mature follower of Christ, I know it’s full meaning. We are called, as believers, to share our faith. We should have so much hope in Christ that we want to pass it on! We know full well, especially living here in California, that it only takes a spark to set a blazing and destructive fire. But the spark that we, as believers, must share is positive and life-giving. We should be intentional and prayerful in how we use this God-given spark. Whether it’s to share the gospel message to someone who doesn’t know Jesus, or to bring that hope and light back into someone who’s faith has been shaken, pray that we see this spark come ablaze in those that God puts in our circle of influence.

What spark has God lit in you…or is trying to light in you?
What is He compelling you to do?
Do you see that someone’s spark is fizzling?
Who is He telling you to reach out to?

Friends, a spark is a smile, an encouraging word or text message, an invitation for coffee, a powerful verse, a hug, your attention and time, a meal, a prayer, a conversation on the phone or in person, an encouraging note in the mail, or a link to a song that just seems so perfect.

Some sparks seem so small, while others seem huge. But both types of sparks are of vital use for God’s glory. One of the greatest disservices we do to ourselves, in our life with Christ, is feel that what we do is too little and not very important. But one little spark spreads faith, encouragement, and hope. Just one little spark! It’s important that we listen for His calling and that we share and serve however small or big that might seem. He leads us and will take our little spark to get the fire going.

I will make you a LIGHT for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13


Simply, Cindy

The Uncluttered Life: The Beginning

This is actually where it all began. The Uncluttered Life journey, that is. It’s been a year and half since I was taken out of the big work world. Now, just for the record, my intent isn’t to start this off on a negative tone. I’ve gotten past all of that, but recently, I realized the lasting affect it’s had on me. I have since come to terms with that big movement in my life and have embraced – and LOVE! – this new place in my life that I’m in. I’m only sharing that little blurb because it sets the picture of how this all came to be.

Back then I regularly dressed in slacks, skirts, blouses, cute shoes, matching purse, and all of the adornments that pulled the entire outfit together. When that part of my life ended, I put all of those things away. It was as if a part of me was gone and I associated these things with the person I “was.” My slacks were shoved to the back of my armoire. My skirts and blouses remained hanging in the closet, collecting dust. My shoes were all tossed to the closet floor and changed out for flip-flops and slip-on tennies. Beautiful purses were shoved into a box in the corner of the room. And my adornments…I kept only a few things out and dumped everything else into a big box lid and shoved it under my bed, where my toes have kicked it ever since.

I put a part of myself away. A cluttered mind and heart, I’d say…

So after kicking this box lid for the five hundredth and fifty-first time, I decided it was time to pull it back to the surface and go through it all. You know how we all have that big ol’ ball of Christmas lights to untangle in December? Well…that’s a good picture of what this looked liked. I cleared my dining room table and brought every single piece of jewelry out and began the four-hour task of dusting, untangling and sorting. Yep…four hours.

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It’s interesting the pull of emotions that came with this task. It brought back a painful memory for me, but also a new excitement for a life that I have embraced and love. I truly have the fondest of memories for those years of my life and I allowed a moment to kind of snuff it out – and to snuff out a little flame in my heart. Pretty jewelry, tangled and dusty, was the perfect reflection of that little area I had tucked away. I wanted that piece of me back again.

I decided, as I was conquering this huge task, that I would do my best to be brutal. I could only commit to “do my best” because well..I do love jewelry. To me, it’s like the signature on a painting; the final touch. Beside me was a bag, to put everything that I didn’t love or that needed repair and couldn’t be fix on the spot. I wasn’t going to keep anything that was not useful in this moment.

For three days I kept this now untangled, sorted, and sparkling collection on display in my dining room. When my kids and grandkids would stop by, they were shocked by the amount that I still had…even after filling a decent sized bag with the items I wouldn’t be keeping. It wasn’t on display for them as a “look what I have!” sort of thing. No, it was for me. There was something painfully revealing in it all. Some sort of connection to a part of my heart that needed to be faced and revived. I suppose one would think it crazy of me, but I spent a lot of time sitting there, looking at it all, touching, remembering…feeling.

Materially, I couldn’t help but feel shame in such a collection of stuff. I was probably everyone’s favorite person to invite to the jewelry party. I couldn’t help but wonder if having all of this was to fill a void I had then. I joked with my husband one Saturday morning over coffee and told him, “If you’re wondering what to buy me for any occasion; my birthday, Valentine’s Day, Christmas…DO NOT buy me jewelry. I think it would be best if you bought me therapy!!” We had a good laugh over that, but honestly, I think there’s some truth in it. Now, please don’t get me wrong. In telling you my little stories, I am in no way trying to say that we shouldn’t enjoy the fruits of our labor. But for me, this was excessive. Okay, maybe for anyone…this is excessive. Right?!

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Spiritually, this day took on a deeper meaning inside of me. Just like these pretty items that were tossed in a box lid and pushed under a bed, so was the condition of my heart. Inside, I had a big part of me that was tangled, dusty and broken. My home, my jewelry, my clutter, was a direct reflection of what the outer me had become. I didn’t realize the rut I was in; jeans, frumpy t-shirts, and flip-flops had become my new uniform. I mean, we all love days dressed like this, but this really became a reflection of the inside me.

With the untangling, dusting and fixing of each pretty piece, it was as if these motions were doing the same inside of me. It was as if a part of me that lay dormant began to wake up again. I felt inspired to reclaim my life; what I was and what I am now! In spite of the daunting task, I felt a spark of excitement to MOVE!

While I had no idea I would need this in such a big way, God knew that this moment would approach. I’m left feeling thankful, even for that rough time of my life. I’m a very deep and passionate person. As I said yesterday, I only allow people to see what I want them to see. I’m a fighter at heart, so I always do my best to move forward and rarely allow people to see into the true depths of my heart. I am not one to reveal my pain and suffering. So while this might seem an odd realization about a pile of old jewelry, this was a deep picture of what God does in our lives. As I was lovingly cleaning pretty things, He was lovingly cleaning something pretty deep inside of me.

Do you see the relation there? I believe that our clutter is a direct reflection of something so much deeper inside of us that only He can fill.

So you might be wondering…”Well, what did you do with all of that jewelry?” Well, friends, I cleared off a lovely shelf that was overflowing with other clutter (more stories to come), found some pretty baskets, trinket boxes, and frames that I misplaced in another cluttered location 🙂 and put them on display where I can see them – and wear them! – every single day.

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As you can see, it’s more than I could probably wear in a year, so the process isn’t over for me. But I’m going to allow these items to linger here for a while, as my heart continues to heal, feel, and reclaim its beauty from the inside out.

An aside: Do you have an excessive area that you collect? Is there a deeper void that you’re trying to fill?  What needs to be untangled, dusted off, fixed and maybe even tossed, in your home and heart? The realization of this is your beginning to healing.

Up next…the clothes!!
Oh, I have so much more to share (with tips)… 🙂

*raising my cup of coffee to you*
Cheers!

 

Oh, Lover of My Soul…

It was two weeks ago, at about this hour, that I was sitting at this very keyboard when a message came through on Facebook; a note from a childhood friend telling a group of us that another childhood friend had died sometime during the early morning hours. She was found in her bed…

…and I was undone.

For two weeks I have struggled with my words, something that usually just fills my head and heart and easily rolls right out of my fingertips. But every time I sat down to try and write something, I just stared at the blank whiteness on my screen.

She was beautiful, inside and out. A woman with a colorful past, with a heart so filled with vicious love, it consumed her. Her life wasn’t perfect – but let’s be honest…is there any one of us that can make this claim? No. She had her quirks and faults…all that she willingly named and claimed. I adored and even admired her for that. There’s so much of myself that I keep tucked away from prying eyes, but she didn’t care who saw the anguish and longings of her heart.

But she wasn’t someone who begged for attention. She didn’t write “oh woe is me” kind of comments. She’d get her vents out there where they no longer had a hold on her brain and then she’d be done. In spite of her venting moments and troubled loneliness, she was one of the biggest encouragers I knew. “Smiles & Laughter” was her regular sign-off before the end of the day.

I notice, on her last day, that something was up. That morning she called out to her friends to send her some energy for the day. A few of us chimed in with good thoughts that she took to heart. All seemed well. But that afternoon, something had changed. Her posts were ones of anger…

…and I didn’t respond.

I thought she was just having one of her venting sessions and soon she’d be okay. Her last post of the day said, “I hate life…”

I saw it and responded with “Praying!” I woke up the following morning (two weeks ago today) with her heavy on my heart. I sent her one of my favorite passages, Lamentations 3:22-24…Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Along with that, I told her that I was praying she’d wake up feeling refreshed and renewed.

…and she never saw my note.

When the message came through, I wanted to scream. I literally gasped, both hands over my face, and all I could utter was, “OH GOD!! OH GOD!! OH GOD!!…” It took me days to process this type of grief I was feeling…disbelief, guilt…and anger!

My prayers were anguish cries “at” God, “I told her that because of Your love we are not consumed! Well, she was consumed, God. Consumed by her loneliness!!! My words feel empty even now. She never even saw them…” And this went on for days as I wrestled with Him. While I’m good at explaining things, it’s impossible for me to fully explain how loved I felt in those moments. Even in my anger, I could feel His hugs.

I believe He cried with me. After all, she was His as well as I am. The anger in me subsided a little, but then came the guilt. You see…she had moments like these. We had many private message, behind the public comments, and so many times she would tell me what a gift I had for encouraging and comforting her. She never felt like I was shoving God down her throat, but that I always brought some sort of BIG hug along with my words. So guilt moved in on me. I saw the change that afternoon, and I didn’t say a thing…until it was too late. Now I know that God is always in control, but I didn’t use the gift that He has given me to even try to mend her battle wounds. I am ashamed to admit that I passed it off as, “She’s having one of her vent sessions and she’ll be fine.”

…but even there, God has comforted me.

God is in control, and I am not. I have no idea what happened that night…it seems that no one does – or isn’t saying. It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t need to know the details, in fact I don’t want to know them. All I know is that I lost a precious childhood friend and my heart deeply misses her presence .

I lean towards introvert tendencies. I am an open book in various areas of my life that I choose to share with others, but there’s much that I tuck away. I am always in tune to my audience of readers; never wanting to offend. But…I am guilty of missing opportunities to speak life, truth and healing into the battle wounds of those who call me “friend.”

Never again!  

My Dear Friend – I am so sorry that I said nothing. I miss your presence every single day, but assure you that your presence will forever remain in my heart. Because of you, I am changed in many ways. When I feel those nudges to speak encouragement into someone, I won’t just pass them by. Holding up my coffee cup to you.
Smiles and Laughter to you, Sweetie. *cheers!*

Oh, Lover of my soul – You are truly my Comforter, my Savior, my Rock and Redeemer. This has been a rough heart lesson for me. Help me to be confident and bold in my faith…to speak the words that You always put into my heart. I am so thankful that I can have childlike faith, stomping my feet in anger and grief, and that you love and hug me even tighter. Thank You for helping me find my words.
You’re a good good Father. *hugs!*

(Please forgive lack of edits today…this was all about getting the words out of me.)
Holding my cup of coffee up to all of you, dear friends. *Cheers!*

 

lover of my soul

“I know the plans I have for you…”

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What I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me–and not without results…It was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.
~I Corinthians 15:10

Good Morning! How are you all doing?! It has been so long since I’ve sat down for a little chat. Part of the struggle for me was not knowing where to begin again. Today, I just decided to…begin!

I’ve been reflecting this week. Last year, at this time, I was faced with huge changes in my life. I lost my job and was left a bit unsteady. I still remember the HR Gal (whose friendship I always cherished) telling me, “Cindy, a year from now you’re going to look back and see that this is the best thing that ever happened to you.”

Okay, seriously…when you hear that at your exit interview, those are not encouraging words. I put my poker face on, and showed her much grace. She was someone I considered a friend and felt her words were truly sincere, but inside I was thinking, “How on EARTH can you say that with a clear conscience?!”

Well…here I am…a little over a year later and her sincere words have come to fruition – and she was right. While our budget is much tighter, we have our heads above the water and I’m enjoying the freedom of an early retirement. It was truly the best thing that happened to me, because God had other plans…

In January, I took on a voluntary position to be my pastor’s assistant. I only work a few hours, a couple times a week…but, I LOVE IT. When I left the big work world I told everyone that I would never – EVER – go back to office work. Sign me up to be anything but! Funny thing…I really love being back in an office. I love the office chatter and an atmosphere that feels so familiar to me. More than that…I love that I’m giving it freely. I know not everyone can do that, so I’m thankful that I can.

We can get caught up in the “what am I going to get out of this” attitude when we step out in an act of service. I’m human – I have – and I do. But this time, it’s different. This year has been a huge journey of deep soul searching for me. I think God must have giggled a lot through the year as I stomped my foot and said, “But I don’t wanna…!” I felt like I had lost my sense of self with my job, but I hadn’t. It’s who I am and that’s why I was good at it. I don’t mean for that to sound all self-centered, because I do believe that God wants us to acknowledge and embrace the gifts and talents He give us. He wants us to increase them, not hide them away. And that’s exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to stuff that part of my life into some box and leave it be.

This has been the biggest part of my personal journey…realizing that these gifts and talents are a deep part of who I am. What a wonderful attitude adjustment I’ve received through this entire experience.

I guess my take-away from this is…what are your true gifts and talents? What are the things that you are just naturally drawn to? Are you stuffing those away, thinking that they’re of no use? I would encourage you to do a bit of journaling. Sit down and write out what you feel your God-given gifts and talents are. Be still, and allow His voice to drift through you and write down the ideas that settle in your heart. And then…think of a way to just begin. Give it a try! You just might be standing in the way of inner peace, freedom and happiness as you begin to embrace, claim, and use all that He has gifted to you.

Happy Friday, Friends!
Hope you have a wonderful day!

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“You are the only person on earth who can use your abilities. No one else can play your role, because they don’t have the unique shape that God has given you.” ~Rick Warren

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~Jeremiah 29:11

O Christmas Tree

It’s one of my fondest memories as a child. The first time I got to decorate the tree with my dad. While my mom was busy baking, my dad would set up the tree and then decorate it. I can still remember him telling me how to spread the colors around. To step back every now and then to make sure the ornaments are balanced; you didn’t want a big clump in one area or the same colors too close. Once we were finished, he lifted me up to put the star on top. It seemed like the honor of a lifetime to a little girl.

I have always loved Christmas trees and it is the first decoration I put up when the season arrives. One of my favorite things to do is turn out all the “lamp” lights in the room, and just sit and look at the lit up tree. I am fascinated by the simple beauty of it.

When I enter a home at Christmas, I’m not as interested in anything else but the Christmas tree. Big and grand, small and simple, real or artificial…they take center stage. When HB and I drive around to see the lights on homes, my eyes are always fixed on the front windows, trying to catch a glimpse of the pièce de résistance.

There’s something so beautiful and nostalgic at Christmas time. It often takes us back to a place or a moment from long ago. So what about you? What is it about Christmas that tugs at your heartstrings? Do you have a special memory or tradition? I would love to hear all about it.

As the day is quickly approaching, I pray that you embrace the moments and enjoy the simple beauty that surrounds you.

~❄~CindyLu~❄~

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Healing Balm

It happened two days ago. The work week had been a busy one, but I was feeling like I had an energetic spunk in my step. I was on track and moving through a very productive day. In spite of falling off of my healthy band wagon over the past month, I was feeling particularly good about myself; good hair day, cute outfit, jewelry that rocked, and high heels. Just feeling good and focused.

The mail had just been delivered to my desk, so I was walking around and handing it out to my coworkers, giving them all a cheery “Hello!” as I dropped items onto their desks. With a busy month behind me, and a fairly clear calendar ahead of me, I was feeling pretty jazzed about the forward momentum I was feeling. As I finished up and turned to walk back into my office, I felt the punch! BAM!

“What the…?!?!” I had just been sucker punched right in my back!!   As I tried to relax and hobble back over to my chair, I told myself, “Don’t even think about it. Just relax. Mind over matter…mind over matter.” But as I sat there, the pain became so intense I thought I’d go crazy. Before I knew it, the entire area was becoming a huge knot, seizing to the point of pain if I even moved my right arm. And good grief, it was right in that upper area of the back that’s impossible to reach, but I sure tried. I thought that if I could just rub it out, the knot would subside and relax. However, the stretch to try to reach it caused the pain to go up the side of my neck.

The feeling of old age and worry began to creep in. I don’t just flick off those pains like I used to. No, my brain begins to take me on a mental rollercoaster ride of possibilities as to what could be causing such pain. Instead of thinking I’ve simply pulled a muscle, my mental ride loops me around twists and turns of, “Is it my heart?! Is it some sort of foreign growth?!” Yes friends, I am a closet worrier when it comes to health issues. I guess when you’re diagnosed with hypertension (which I always thought was just over-the-top positive energy) and are told “…it’s the silent killer, especially in women,” well…the brain can take you on some serious loop de loops when even normal stuff happens.

I immediately logged into Avocado (a great site for couples, by the way) to have an IM chat with my husband. “Are you there?!” I type. (pause…for what seems like forever) “Yep, I’m right here.” he writes back to me, seconds later. I begin to tell him about the pain I’m in and I write, “Please tell me that I’m okay.” Seriously….this man of mine is amazing in so many ways. He never ever treats me like the big baby I sometimes turn into. Instead, he assures me with all sorts of encouragement that he knows how to speak in my own language. Thank you HB.

He writes back, “You are fine, my love. You’ve had a lot of stress going on and I think it finally hit you.” I write, “You think so…?”

Huh. Stress? Could it really be that? I took pause for a moment to go through the mental list of things that had taken place over the last month or so.

Hmm, let’s see…my old boss retired, a new boss stepped in. Attended new meetings and assisted in office moves. Made travel arrangements for out-of-town wedding. Went through address book to find someone to take care of the animals while the family was out-of-town. Attended non-work meetings and events. Planned, coordinated, bought decorations, food and other necessary items for out-of-town rehearsal dinner.  Hosted rehearsal dinner. Attended most romantic and fun wedding ever! Paid bills. Scheduled and rescheduled meetings and events. Paid bills. Oh yeah…broke my tooth (the week before the wedding), made dental appointments for that. Paid big dental bill. Oh wait…that reminds me…excuse me for a sec while I take my blood pressure medication. 🙂

Yeah…I guess HB was right. I guess it was possible that a little bit of tension here and there punched me right square in my back. And this morning, when I woke up, I was reminded of it all over again.

So what do I do with all of this? How can I use this, in a positive way, to move forward?

In looking back on my big mental list, I was hit again…with a visual of what a control freak I really am! While I do love to create casual and relaxed settings for others, I practically kill myself in the process as I seek to acquire perfection.

This morning I picked up my “Jesus Calling” devotional and just have to share what today’s message said:

Trust ME enough to let things happen without striving to predict or control them. Relax, and refresh yourself in the Light of My everlasting Love. My Love-Light never dims, yet you are often unaware of My radiant Presence. When you project yourself into the future, rehearsing what you will do or say, you are seeking to be self-sufficient; to be adequate without My help. This is a subtle sin–so common that it usually slips by unnoticed.

The alternative is to live fully in the present, depending on Me each moment. Rather than fearing your inadequacy, rejoice in My abundant supply. Train your mind to seek My help continually, even when you feel competent to handle something by yourself. Don’t divide your life into things you can do by yourself and things that require My help. Instead, learn to rely on Me in every situation. This discipline will enable you to enjoy life more and to face each day confidently. ~Psalm 37:3-6; Philippians 4:19

Wow. Like balm to my sore muscles, just the thought of this Truth eases the tension within me. Why is it that I continually take the reins as I charge through the days of my life? I did have several spiritual moments throughout the busyness listed above. But that’s the thing…they were truly just moments. I didn’t really have Him with me as I charged in to make all things perfect.

We’re told to give thanks in everything…so that’s what I’m choosing to do today. In spite of the pain I still feel in my back, I’m feeling thankful that it caused me to slow my mind down enough to re-think the things that I do and the chaos I can create when I take control and go it alone. So today, I’m refocused spiritually…with Him out in front of me.

So what about you? Got any events on the horizon that you are over-the-top controlling? Come on, be honest. Have you even taken a moment to sit down, relax and depend on Him for your abundant supply? If not, I can’t encourage you enough to get your focus back. Re-read the words from my morning devotion.

My favorite part…”Instead, learn to rely on Me in every situation. This discipline will enable you to enjoy life more and to face each day confidently.” Oh yeah…Healing Balm…I just felt it rubbed into that little knot in my back.

Have a blessed day, friends.

~CindyLu

friday chats

 

Monday Morning Chat / September 8th

Today I return to…

Work. It’s been a wonderful and relaxing nine-whole-days of vacation. We spent time with family and friends, but much more importantly (sorry family and friends), time together…just the two of us…reflecting on what’s behind us, deciding about what’s right here in front of us, and dreaming about what’s out there in the great beyond. A good vacation is one where you feel like you truly had one – and we feel like we had a great one.

Healthy Living. Along with vacation, we threw a little bit of caution to the wind (okay…a lot) and decided to just have careless fun here and there with treats we love (can you say “ice cream?”). We decided that there wouldn’t be any guilt associated with it, but that we would just enjoy each and every little moment. No looking back, because we knew that this would be a little speed-bump in the mix of it all. When I hopped on the scale this morning, the reality was definitely there…but my thought was, “But wow…that was fun.”

Writing. Somewhere along the line, I just fell off the wagon. It’s like the words just flowed out of me and then….nothing, absolutely nothing at all. Hopefully you’ve noticed through reading other articles, that I am an encourager. I believe with all of my heart and soul that it’s my God-given gift. I have to admit that the death of Robin Williams shocked me beyond belief, because I just had no idea he suffered so much. But the thing that really threw me, was how so many jumped on the depression band-wagon. Now, I don’t mean that with any disrespect, because I know it’s a real thing. Even big encouragers, like me, have had their moments in the gutter. But it seemed like everyone who had ever suffered, whether in a big way or a small way, started hopping on board. All of a sudden the boards were filled with depressing messages, and people were discounting the encouragers of the world with messages that said, “Quit telling us that everything will be okay.” “Quit telling us that there’s always hope.” Seriously…I read these things in people’s comments on their FB pages.

Well, good grief…what does that leave for an encourager to say?! I was stumped and quite honestly, all of the sadness and gloom made my heart sad. I had no words because I felt that no one wanted to hear them anymore. It seemed that everyone just wanted the world to hear that they were depressed and they all just wanted to linger there.

To all of those that suffer from depression…my heart truly and compassionately goes out to you. I’ve had moments of depression and anxiety, so I know it can be quite debilitating. But, something within me has always been a fighter and I don’t want this life to entrap me and hold me down. So I fight back at life. I’m someone who clings to the smallest glimmer of light. It’s survival for me. And so…I can’t just turn my head and leave you laying there in your sorrow and grief. I must encourage because it’s what I do – it’s who I am. And so…God pricked my heart again and encouraged me to write. I figure, if just one person out there reads my random ramblings and feels encouraged for even a moment, well then…I have succeeded.

So here I am again. Ready to get back to work. Ready to get back to pursuing a healthy and simplified life. And ready to share the words that fill my heart with the hopes that they will fill yours.

Wishing you ALL a wonderful light-filled Monday!!
~CindyLu~

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Fresh Perks

Lately, I’ve been struggling with “commitment.” I think you just reach a time in your life where you feel like you’re all committed out. Well…that’s where I’ve been.

My introvert-self longs to draw in to where the world can’t ask me for anything. I have long suffered from a disease called “helium hand”…where my hand raises without any thought and causes my mouth to say, “Yes, I’ll do that.” But my teeny extrovert-self encourages me to resist the urge to retreat, because there are dangerous extremes to each side.

Everything in life requires a commitment of some sort…if I want to lose weight, I must commit to eating yucky good stuff  to reach the other side. If I need a cavity fixed, I must commit to the necessary steps to be pain free again. If I want a happy and healthy relationship with my friends, family, and hubby…well, it all takes commitment and sometimes hard work.

So, if I want my life to be filled with purpose and meaning – joy and happiness, I won’t find them by retreating into my cave. It means, stepping outside, getting my hands a bit dirty, so that once I’m on the other side I can look back and say, “Wow…I didn’t think I could do that. That wasn’t so bad after all.” That’s where my encouragement, strength, faith and hope comes from. It’s where the will comes to continue on the road in forward momentum.

So this week…I’m focused on the commitments ahead. I’m sure about some but nervous about some others. But I know that I won’t go anywhere if I just stay right here. So onward I go and Upward I stay focused.

Hope you’re able to embrace whatever commitments (both easy and difficult) you have in store for you this week. Get off the sidelines and get into the game. Because something more rewarding is waiting on the other side. 

Happy Monday!

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To Be Continued…

When I first sat down to write this little piece, on this last day of April, I was going to start out by saying something along the lines of, “Well, as my Simple Life journey comes to an end…”

April was a month where I began a personal journey; my Simple Life challenge to get rid of stuff that is cluttering up our home and lives. This ended up being such a huge lesson for me. It’s been like throwing the proverbial rock into the water and seeing the ripple effect as it reaches outside of its circle and beyond.

When I started this journey, I thought it was about material junk, but it’s been about so much more than that. In addition to the “stuff,” it’s been about crazy schedules, unexpected forks in the road, stacks of paperwork, unplanned interruptions, scads of emotions…it’s been about life!

I thought, by the end of this month, I’d be reporting that my home is immaculate, that everything unnecessary has been taken away, and that all that is useful has a designated spot. But that is not the case. I thought I’d be able to say that after 30-days of effort, everything is perfectly simple. Nope.

But what I can say is that we have a clearer vision of where we’re headed. While we’ve made gigantic leaps and bounds in getting rid of junk in various areas of our lives, there’s still a lot of work to be done. We will continue to move on, in forward motion, to creating a simpler life…mentally, physically and spiritually.

Without telling our entire story here, I can attest to the fact that we have lived a very busy life for the past thirty years. We’ve worked since we were teenagers, had four sons by the time we were twenty-eight, have served on school and sports boards and committees, and have led church meetings and ministries. So now…our hearts long for a bit of rest.

I know there will always be things to do. Our schedules will always have unexpected interruptions. I know that living life – even a simple one – means being flexible and helping where needed. But I’m definitely going to be slower at jumping…more thoughful before raising my hand to sign up. I’m going to take time to think and pray on things before I take gigantic leaps to fill the holes. I believe my life and my health depends on it.

As we move into May, HB and I have decided that in addition to forward momentum on the home front and the continued effort to get rid of material junk that crowds us out, we’re planning to face our physical and spiritual clutter. Back in September we adopted a new way of eating – or some may see it as “not” eating – when we went wheat and grain free. It was a major change for us, but it reaped very rewarding benefits; like HB’s blood sugar and my high blood pressure levels lowering. So as we continue to move into this brand new month, we’re not only bringing with us everything that we learned over the past month, but including new motivation for simple and healthy living.

On the spiritual side…we both feel as if we’re in a stagnant state of the heart. So we plan to use some down time to reconnect and refresh with God in His proper place…front and center. We need this as a couple and as individuals, as we believe this is the strongest root to living a simple and abundant life.

So, as you can see, this isn’t the end of the challenge, but the beginning of something new and improved. Simple Life just became Healthy Life!

We will keep you posted as we walk forward, maybe even jog, into this new lifestyle.

~CindyLu~

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Simple Life – It’s About Time

Simplifying our home is beginning to take shape. We’ve paired down on the amount of stuff that we have. I’ve bagged up lots of clothing, and have boxed up décor items, appliances, dish sets and glasses that don’t have a true use in our home.

As I go along, I continue to come across things that I realize I don’t want or need any longer. Gee…is something changing in me? It feels good to have space – or air – on shelves and counter tops, as well as in dressers and closets. Who knew that de-cluttering could be so freeing?

But I do have to say one thing…even a simple home gets messy.

We thought that when we became empty nesters, our home would always be clean, figuring the mess was made by our boys and their friends. Well…this is not the case.  Truth is, HB and I can be messy at times and have found that we are perfectly capable of using up every dish, glass, and piece of silverware in the kitchen. I still manage to leave heaps of clothing and shoes on the floor. The heaps are just smaller now. Papers still pile up near the front door, on side tables and the counter tops. Dust accumulates on shelves and floors, and fluffs of dog hair still find their way into corners.

And at times, all of the above stays in this state of being for several days. In fact, it’s been the case this week. Our schedule has been busy, and while we’ve managed to throw a few meals together, we’ve left a lot around the home undone.

Last night we came home and because of the state of the kitchen, we decided to go have a salad somewhere. When we returned home, I decided that I was going to pick up the living room so we could settle in, without guilt, to veg in front of the TV for the evening. As I was carrying some paperwork to the dining room table (my gathering place where I sort) HB came into the kitchen and started unloading the dishwasher. I told him that he didn’t need to do that because I was just planning to clean the living room so we could relax. Honestly, I wasn’t in the mood to clean more than that. But he decided he would just do a little bit while I was finishing up.

Funny how sometimes it just takes that little nudge, because after I was done cleaning the living room I came into the kitchen to help with the dishes. He rinsed them off and I loaded the dishwasher. In about 10 minutes, our little kitchen was spotless. We even took the time to scour the sink and wipe down all the counters and cabinets.

Once that was done, we headed for the living room. But as we watched TV, I found I had new energy so I got up during a couple of the commercials and finished up the dining room table; grabbing the items that gathered there and putting them in their rightful place. I did a quick dusting (gotta love Swiffers!) and sweeping and then settled down to relax for the rest of the evening.

Our total time spent cleaning…about 30 minutes. 30 minutes! Our messy living room, kitchen and dining room were completely clean – in 30 minutes – and it felt…amazing!

Every day continues to be a lesson learned for me. I’m realizing that the idea behind living a simple life isn’t about having an immaculate home at all times. Because, regardless of how little we have, HB and I are just going to have those weeks where things get messy.

This is about time…our valuable and precious time. The less stuff we have, the easier it is to clean. The easier it is to clean, the more time we have available to do the things that we enjoy doing together…even if it’s spending an evening vegging in front of the TV.

~CindyLu~

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