Awareness
Welcome to the first week of my blog series of nine spring boarding off my 2019 word ADVENTURE. Last week I talked about my year of adventure and wanted to share what I learned about the Lord and myself. Get your seat belt on for this wild adventure looking back as I connect it to my 2020 word LAUGH.
I wanted to have this blog ready to post Monday. As you can tell that didn’t happen. I have been contemplating A – Awareness for too many days. Thursdays I have designated to write or begin to write my blog. I have become aware of my need to plan because in the past I have operated more in the flying by the seat of my pants approach. This is nothing new. I think this approach developed in college. The habit of procrastination was reinforced when I discovered that some of my best work happened under pressure. I could pop out A & B papers by completing those papers hours before they were due compared to laboring over them for weeks and getting a C or an occasional B. Besides, there were a handful of my friends that operated that way too so I wasn’t alone and we had that much more time to do more “important” things like having fun. That set me up for 30 years of flying by the seat of my pants. Being organized was haphazard. Being intentional with life didn’t even cross my radar. Goals? They fell by the wayside until I stopped having goals at all. Living life spontaneously was more fun. It has made some things difficult to do like start a coaching business. Maybe some of you can relate. Anyway, back to my planning Thursdays to start writing my blogs and what that has to do with AWARENESS.
2019 adventure gave me the AWARENESS that true adventure is focused on Jesus.
For review, adventure is defined as:
an exciting or very unusual experience.
participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.
a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.”
When my focus is on me, my awareness becomes small. My adventure is small. It isn’t exciting or unusual. It no longer is risky or hazardous actions that have uncertain outcomes. As I look back to those same college days, those days were filled with adventure. I did some of the most exciting undertakings. I had the spirit of adventure. Jesus captured my heart in college and He took me for the ride of my life. Then when life came to a halt right after college, that spirit disappeared for a while. I became focused on me. There was some bold, risky undertaking but it was more like my high school years. Living life of consequences from poor choices. The adventure began to look different and it became a quest of self-centeredness. That sounds bleak doesn’t it? Really, I have had ups and downs just like everyone. Even Paul the apostle says he had his share of ups and downs. Look at Jesus, He did too!
So what is the benefit of AWARENESS? It helps you see what or where you are focusing on. It allows you to see how unique you are loved and made by our Creator. While writing and trying to figure out what I wanted to say about awareness, I am very aware of how much I need to depend on the Lord for writing. There is no sugar coating it. This is a struggle for me and yet I love that the Lord has put this on my heart to do. I don’t know where this will take me or you if you continue on this journey with me. I am going to trust the Lord in this adventure into 2020 where LAUGH gains more ground. I did become aware that I do need to laugh in this adventure of blog writing and letting you know who I am. I can’t wait to get to know you as well. I am going to close this blog so I can laugh and not cause you any further pain in reading my floundering of words (imagine you hear my laughter right). The end!
Live Loved