Be Intentional

Oh boy! The last 6 weeks have flown by in a haze as I have desperately tried to take in everything going on around me. I hate the knowledge that while I am living this life, I very rarely actually participate in it.  To be with my kids everyday & yet feel as though I missing out on their childhood is a maddening situation that I am sure many of you can relate to...and that is just one area of my life in which I feel like I am 'missing out'.  As I write this, I can think of a half-dozen tangents that I could take & realize how undisciplined I am in this area, as well. Yep, I'm a mess.

I guess that's the bad news, but the good news is: Tomorrow is a new day.  I know that with the re-setting of the calendar many of us re-plan, re-prioritize & resolve to do all those things we didn't do last year. While the start of a new year is always refreshing for me, one thing I have learned through this last year is that I don't need January 1st to start fresh.  Heck, I don't even need to wait until Monday (*Gasp*).  I am learning to take Christ at His word & believe the promise that His mercies are new every morning. What a freeing thought process this has been for me!  I don't have to feel frustrated or ashamed if (*when) I fail to meet the expectations I have set for myself.  Hallelujah!

I am setting about this year prayerfully & with one all encompassing goal in mind.  This year I resolve to Be Intentional.  I will be intentional about my time, my commitments, in the way I spend or don't spend our money, while parenting my children, during my time with the Lord and in every decision I make.  I will also fail. I will over commit. I will get wrapped up in 'doing' & forget to savor all the moments that make life worth living.  I will struggle to stay encouraged & focused....and I will cling to the promises of my God and learn more fully the meaning of Grace & Mercy. 

So join me.  Let's be intentional about this life we have been blessed with. Let your kids see you laugh more & complain less. Play with them & forget the laundry (or dishes, or messy beds, or whatever).  Find the wonder in the small things and enjoy them. Savor every minute, smell and sound of your day and those you spend it with.  Find joy in making your home a haven for your husband and really LIVE your life this year.  Be Intentional. And when you fail, praise the Lord for His Grace for a new day, His Mercy for our imperfections and His Strength to walk in His promises.

May God bless you in 2012!