photo: Martha G. Brady * graphic: http://www.tracimichelle.com
How am I progressing toward healthy?
I got sick one day this past week. *smile* Which goes to show how much control we have over our well thought out goals!
It wasn’t severe sick. Not the awful stuff that is going around. It was more like a weak, worn-out-tired-if-you-don’t stop-you will-be-really sick kind of thing. So I stopped and vegged all day Saturday.
I woke up Sunday and felt like a human being. I guess that is pretty good. It must have worked.
The progress is slow and steady
On the down-sizing, I am making progress. I’m at the stage where things are looking worse as I have piles here and there to get out of the house or locate somewhere else when I get a home for the item.
Here and there, spaces open up and they get filled. Bags and bags of trash are moving out. Bags and bags of all kinds of things are going to various places to be given away. In some ways, it doesn’t seem to make much of a dent, but in others, I feel like I’m making progress and I’m tunneling through and making order here and there.
There is not one room I can photograph and say, “It is finished. Doesn’t it look great?” or “Don’t you love the ‘after’ of my ‘before’ and ‘after’ photo?”
That’s the story of my life!
But when I stop to think about it, I realize that’s the story of my life! I can’t look at my life and say, “Now there is a room that is neat and tidy. Come take a look people.” Because I know that it won’t take much looking before a person will see a cluttered, dark corner that needs more work.
Fortunately, the One who is doing the work is not nearly as critical as the people looking on. He is not standing there shaking His finger at me. He loves me unconditionally. But allows the life experiences I have, to show me how much I do need Him and His grace to grow in new ways.
Many who are wise, keep up with what they are collecting along the way. They know how to manage it well. They know how to keep up with it. But I think the majority of us, when it comes to our emotional baggage, tend to not know what to jettison and what to save.
When we are young, we often want to throw out almost everything from our childhood learning. We think we are so smart and know so much more than our parents did. We are the ones who will conquer the world. We have no idea that generations before us have felt the same our ages!
With age and maturity, we find there was more value in what we learned at home and we save the valuable and try to toss the junk that has weighted us down and cluttered our lives for too long.
Along the way, we have had relationships that have soured, hurts and painful events in our lives. Depending on our style, we have either tried to ignore them or lashed out at those who have caused the pain. Either way, we have clutter and debris sitting around that needs to be thrown away or dealt with positively…forgiven, loved, spoken to and cleared the air.
What’s next?
So I continue in my progress toward health. February is going to involve more regular exercise. We checked out the place we will go to, to do it. We will probably join on Monday.
The process continues as I cull and purge the apartment to bring order. Then I start an exercise program that will get my body toned and ready to lose weight.
But in the end, I still realize how weak I am and in need of His strength to succeed. There is nothing about this process that is showing me what a strong and powerful woman I am. If anything, I am learning just the opposite!
I am learning how weak I am. How easy it is for me to fail. How easy it is for me not to do the right thing…especially in regard to eating, exercise and many of the things that are good for me. It is humbling and embarassing. It is pushing me to depend on Jesus. Now that is something to get excited about! Because He is all powerful.
How about you?
How are you coming on the goals you have for the New Year?
Are you making adjustments?
Are you finding ways you trust more in yourself to fulfill them?
Or more in Jesus to help you accomplish something you are finding to be nearly impossible?
Impossible goals are not a bad thing. Getting in over your head so the only One who can help you fulfill them is Jesus? That is a good thing for sure! As long as they are the kinds of goals He has for you.
**Interestingly, the above photo is more of a “before” photo. It was taken before many of the boxes were opened. It was during the first month we were here when we had a couple of visitors. That room is now full of all the things that are supposed to go in it. The bed is piled with things that are being sorted to go to a number of other places. It is a mess that I hope to have in order soon. But that “before” photo was a bit of a fake. Boxes were piled in the halls and other rooms. Very little was in order except that room, the kitchen and some of our bedroom.
