Multitude Monday

Did I mention that I am engaged in a Leadership class? Did I also mention that Love and I are planning on hosting a Life group in our home after we finish up "Radical"? 
Combined, these two enormous endeavors have wrecked my world!  In a good way!
The Leadership class, in the last two weeks, has taken me down memory lane and challenged me to 'voice' my passions, write a Life Purpose statement, then pen some Resolutions in order for the Purpose to have depth, meaning and head in that direction.


So, here is my Purpose statement:

'I exist to glorify and honor Jesus Christ by displaying Him in my words, actions, and through the passions that drive me to live every day as though it were my last; to love my family, serve the Church, and lead others toward Jesus.'

I must admit, this was a daunting task and yet, I wish I had written it a long time ago.  It has challenged me to question EVERYTHING in my life.
Then, after we wrestled with our purpose statement about why we exist, we were to write out resolutions to the statement...
For example, I exist to glorify and honor Jesus Christ, therefore, I must passionately pursue Him 1st every day, listen to His voice and do what He says.

So, this morning, as I lay in bed, I asked myself the question:  If I were to die today, would I want to spend any more time laying here in bed?  Nope.  That was a no-brainer...

I wrote out other resolutions, but you get the point!

This week, we're working on values...
I find that I value a lot of things:  (this is not an exhaustive list!)
my marriage
my children
beauty
time well spent
heart to heart conversations
relationships/friendships
passion
zeal
a job well done
faith
productivity
discipline
margin
commitment
honesty

Coupled with this exercise, list what brings angst.  Can you identify from your pet peeves what you value?  Are they the same?:

time in front of the TV
video games
manipulative people
wasting time
procrastination
mediocrity
laziness
surface talk
noise
chaos
confusion
disorder
children being mistreated
importance to insignificant junk, i.e.-material things meaning more than people
hypocrisy
sexual immorality
cohabitation
abuse in any form
...and the list goes on, as well.

We are to list our top ten values and any corresponding Scripture.  This was fun and I have them in no particular order, at this point.  I am on no. 7 right now.

From this lesson, I am seeing life in a different light.  Living with the end in mind, as Stephen Covey states here..and here.  If you can, read these two articles.  They will definitely challenge you, as they have me!

So, from here I am moving forward, celebrating the little victories, facing the weaknesses, hungering for more of Him.

Are you moving forward?  Here's a challenge...ask five friends about your strengths and your weaknesses.  Tell them they're helping you because they are!  Tell them to be honest, not to worry that you won't be their friend anymore because you really want to become what you were created to be...His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that He prepared before the foundation of the world.  But be sure that you ask someone that knows you...don't ask your neighbor from six years ago that only said good morning when you saw each other in passing!!! 
I did this...I asked my daughter, my mother and father-in-law, my husband, my sister, two friends that know me and each said exactly what I already knew...I was encouraged by their help and am determined to see the areas of weakness turned into strengths!

The Radical book is another post.

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On this Monday, I celebrate these gifts:

four birthdays of very special, important people in my life this past week...

Precious little boys that delight my heart...and their big sister, too!

a surprise birthday party for our dear friend and his beautiful wife...mommy to these two little ones pictured above...being taken back to the 80's and a roller rink to celebrate!

my dear friend, Amy, for proactively finishing my kitchen trim!~

 My Love and brother-in-law cutting down two trees and Love digging a hole for the Purple Martin's home...

my nephew, Jacob, turning twenty and capturing the love...

Lory's birthday.  You are a gift to me, friend.  Thank you for your friendship.

Keira, you are a treasure.  My cup runs over.  (This is the apron I made her!  The Tootsie roll in her mouth is hurting her, so she isn't making the best face ever!)

free tickets to Sea World

a new water park for the kiddos and boy, was it hot yesterday!

a new boy species at the zoo we discovered today!

What a crazy, marvelously magnificent week!