Do you a have plan to succeed for 2015?

Resolve, a firm determination to do something. 

Do you have resolve for 2015? 

I know there are many things that we can all choose to do from weight loss to better finances. 

Whatever your goal, let me encourage you in one area. That is community. Community will be the difference in how well you succeed. We were created to live in community. Together we compliment one another as one's strength covers another's weakness. Surrounding ourselves with the right community can lift us higher than we could ever go alone.

So as you embark on 2015 or next week or tomorrow, don't forget to surround yourself with the encouragement, inspiration, and positivity that can be found in living life with others who care for you and share common goals.

Here's to a great year filled with wonderful memories, awesome victories, and an uplifting community. 

Rewarded with mud

Over the last year some major change has happened around the Kiefer house. Life transition comes to us all. Sometimes it is rewarding and other times it is painful. Then you have those times that the pain opens the door to great reward.

There have been a few of those times in our home, but today that reward came as Mr. Kiefer finished the Tough Mudder.  He used to eat ice cream while I worked out and vowed he would never be caught running, but a little change got a hold of him and brought forth some BIG results. It started as outward motivation from me, but the journey carried until he is now self motivated and many days seems to be carrying me along!

There were days that the training got intense and emotions flared.  It was painful at times, but watching as Mr. Kiefer completed every obstacle and enjoyed the experience made for a great reward. It stretches farther than the physical. The determination, goal orientation, and success has carried over to every area of life and that is a great reward.

Get moving today! There may be a great reward waiting.

On a side note: You will find affiliate and other general links within my blog. I work hard to keep them relevant and useful. One reason I use affiliate links is to support the daily activity of a non-profit children's program. Check out The Cool Table to learn more.  If you use Amazon to make any purchases please bookmark our link and painlessly help support the cause.

It Has Been Crazy

Has anyone ever apologized to you for not getting back in touch or for being frazzled and followed it up with this statement "I'm sorry it has just been crazy!"

I'm sure you have heard it and a good majority of us have said it. I know I have, but what does it really mean.

Well, here are some of my best attempts in understanding the "it has been crazy" statement:

• Life is coming at me so fast I only have time to keep pace with the things that have to be done in order for my family and I to survive.

• My family, friends, and/or I am really crazy and have kept some good drama going lately.

• Life is really dishing out some harsh events to me. They really are more than I can bear alone, but I do not want to be a burden to others so I have kept to myself.

• I have totally over obligated myself and now I have to rush to keep up with everything which means that I do not have time to stop for relational development. 

• This is really a time of particular focus in my life so I need to submerge myself here for a while, but it isn't going to last forever.

I am sure this isn't an all inclusive list, but it probably put more detailed words to yours and my crazy than we care to admit. Life does come at lighting speed sometimes. I like to joke with my husband and say that is why we do interval training.  It matches our life. Insane burst of obligation and change followed by recovery. 

So here you are: It has been crazy around here lately. What I mean is we began running in so many directions that we tired ourselves out and got a little lost in our journey. We are doing a little back tracking to see what we need to undo, redo, or start to do. This process is "crazy" as well. We have obligations that have to continue and then other opportunities that we have to catch up with because we missed the right path a while ago. My crazy looks more like this: house projects, Cool Table camps and teacher encouragement, treats for school, volunteering at school, blogging, 3rd grade Social Studies, 2nd grade projects, making costumes, baking for neighborhood kids, home owner's association committee, and then in the middle of all that I have been blessed with the most amazing study. Oh I forgot the things that make the day go around: packing lunches, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, doing laundry, trying at some level to be a friend to someone, being a mother and a wife, and getting ready to host some family and friends which excites me more than anything. 

In the middle of all that life there are dashes of crazy that could look like any of the above statements I shared. So what about you? Has it been crazy? If so, define it and see if you need to make some changes or maybe just give a friend or family member a little explanation. 

In life you can't do it all so why not focus on work that matters! 

Be blessed -

Shante

On a side note: You will find affiliate and other general links within my blog. I work hard to keep them relevant and useful. One reason I use affiliate links is to support the daily activity of a non-profit children's program. Check out The Cool Table to learn more.  If you use Amazon to make any purchases please bookmark our link and painlessly help support the cause.

Captain Underpants

The new hero around the Kiefer house is Captain Underpants. He defends against villains such as Professor PoopyPants, the Wicked Wedgie Woman, and is always getting the two main characters, Harold and George, out of trouble. The books have toilet humor, silly graphics, crazy antics, and out of this world plots. Did you catch that? THE BOOKS!  That is why I can celebrate Captain Underpants. My son, who I thought would never pick up a book for fun, can't put them down.  He loves reading and his standardized tests at school showed it!  Although great, his test scores aren't what makes me so happy about the reading.

In a world so lost from imagination, we have constant visual entertainment. We put little value on finding rest in quite activities that help promote mental focus and increased attention spans.  Although the constant rush of information, instantaneous communication, and fast graphics may help us to be more productive with tasks, I find that it slows us from creating authentic relationships and self discovery.  Being the mother of a very focus deficit child and understanding the struggle video games, tablets, TV and other media can cause in the home, I appreciate the time my son spends reading not to mention the two days that he spent creating his own mini-book (you'll need to rotate the images).  He illustrated and wrote it himself. His classmates received a copy and asked for his autograph saying that he would be famous. What a win!

Captain Underpants you are my hero! 

And here is our real life Captain Underpants for Halloween. The bottoms are actually a chef's hat and yes he did put shorts under it!

Shante

On a side note: You will find affiliate and other general links within my blog. I work hard to keep them relevant and useful. One reason I use affiliate links is to support the daily activity of a non-profit children's program. Check out The Cool Table to learn more.  If you use Amazon to make any purchases please bookmark our link and painlessly help support the cause.

Embrace the Mess

For those who know me, know that a messy house is not my normal. I am quite obsessive with cleaning any mess right away and putting everything back in order before bed. That isn't to say that I am right and someone with the opposite approach is wrong. It is just who I am, and I have learned to own it.  This is one reason for the "frantic" title I carry. When I am anxious, it gets worse.  I can clean the same counter space five times in a row!

Recently I have been working on some home projects and mess was inevitable.  I embraced it because I knew progress was underway and there would be an end to the chaos. I learned a great lesson from this mess, you can read more about that here.

For now, I will share rare photos of my home ... smile and embrace the mess!

Oh and there was an unmade bed too - gasp!!! LOL 

Now you should feel great about yourself, go and conquer your life! 

The Dollar Tree Gets Sexy?

Recently the kids and I went to the Dollar Tree to grab a few items for an upcoming school project. As we were headed to the checkout, I noticed an item hanging on the carousel by the register and  hoped it didn't catch the eye of my seven and eight year old kids.  Ignoring the item, I walked by trying to engage in conversation to distract children's curious eyes. While I was talking with my son, my daughter calls my name and points to the dreaded item. "It says push here to deflate," she said quite giggly.

Of course this led my son to look. Then he burst out into an embarrassed laughter as he saw a women in a low cut push-up bra pictured on the front of this product simply named 'Pump it Up'. I too laughed because of the giggly little voice of my daughter finding humor in the fact that whatever this thing was it had an inflate and deflate button. On the inside however, my heart broke because yet another piece of innocence was gone.  As we drove home, we talked about their thoughts.  My daughter maturely stated that the product would not have been as inappropriate had it been in a store for ladies or had a different (more modest) picture on the box. My son still embarrassed didn't have much to offer except it was inappropriate and didn't make sense. As a mother, I listened but know there is still a conversation to be had. I want my children to know that a woman's breast serve the functional purpose of feeding her babies. I want my daughter to know her value is not found in her appearance. If she ever feels the need to enhance a body part to get a guy to notice her then he doesn't deserve her.  I want my son to know that there is more to a lady than the outer appearance, and modest is beautiful regardless of what media displays. I want him to understand purity starts in the heart and mind and  images of immodestly dressed ladies can damage that purity and set him on a dangerous path. Being that my children are young, these messages will be simplified, but they must be spoken because if not my kids will become shaped by the world's message of sex and body image which isn't a message that I am ok with.

Shante

This Week for the Family

Check out the events going on around Rock Hill and Fort Mill this week. 
Lots of fun for the family. Just click on the links for more details!


Oct 1

Once Upon a Lap

Anime Club

Oct 3

Art-Rageous Books

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Oct 4

Art of the Knight Gala

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Oct 5

Art on Main

Springmaid Dirt Race

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Fall Frolic Weekends on the Greenway

Community Performance

The Legendary Drifters

Oct 7

Stories & Songs with Andrew Osenga

The Super Hero is Down

The Kiefer house has been infected! Yes, our leader, Mr. Kiefer, has been sick.  Most of us will joke about how terrible it is when a man is sick because of how dramatic he becomes.  In our house however it is no joke. Not the dramatic part. The terrible part.  You see our house runs well because Mr. Kiefer and I work well together.  He balances my frantic and helps in the day to day chaos. I make a mess in the kitchen. He cleans it.  We dirty laundry. He starts the washer.  I do a project around the house. He is there to pull me out when I get in over my head. I need a friend to talk with. He listens. He sets the morning alarm, wakes the children, and starts breakfast.  So I bet you are wondering what I do? Yeah, me too.  Maybe when I figure it out, I'll blog about it :)

Anyway, here is the point. When I realized that he was really sick, I panicked. I had a dirty kitchen, piles of laundry, several house projects to be complete, and I wanted to talk.  How in the world would I get all this done? I depend on him so much to be there to calm my chaos. Seriously, it's like I was a damsel in distress and my super hero was taken prisoner. I realized I had to act so I did what any good wife would do.  I bought tons of orange juice, gave him medicine, and put the children to work on the chores.

We survived the day, and I realized even more how much I depend on (+Chris Kiefer) Mr. Kiefer. He treats me like a princess. He runs our home with grace and love, and his actions prove that he is truly a selfless leader.

The Princess,
Shante

PS - I am now on a mission to discover exactly what it is I do for our family.

A Strong Reflection

This is blog worthy.

Today we stopped by the greenway to get some updated snapshots of the kids for our entry way table. After taking a few quick photos, my husband and son walked to look at the horses. I stayed behind to make sure I had the shots I wanted.  When I walked to meet them, the image I saw completely took my breath away. Both guys were standing peacefully watching the horses.  Their backs were to me and all I could think is "wow, what a strong reflection". I saw my little boy standing in the image of my husband.  I saw him being mentored and loved.  He was beginning to reflect the traits of my husband: steady, strong, loving, and relaxed. It put my mind at ease and filled my heart with joy.

My husband loves our children not because his blood runs through them because it doesn't, but his love and character does. No one forces him to seek their best interest, to take time to spend with them every day, to show up for school functions, or even sacrifice his desires so they can have theirs. Yet, by God's grace, this man has chosen to be bound to these children and we are better for it.  From his example, my daughter gets to witness firsthand what it looks like to be treated like a princess, and my son gets to see how to treat a lady and be steady and strong.

Yes, life has been broken, but the pieces were put in the hand of God and He is creating a masterpiece!
Shante

The Discussion

I'm not sure how it works in your house, but in ours we have "discussions". Some call them arguments but not us! We are simply discussing our differing opinions and why "I" am right. 

There is always a pattern: the idea, the response, the pout, the silence ( AKA more pouting), the time out, and the resolution. 

So go ahead and watch as we present "The Discussion" 

Featuring - the Husband and the Wife

Free Things to Do in Charlotte This Week

Family Night. Date Night. Check out a few things things happening in Charlotte this week for Cheap.

Tuesday 9/10 
11:00am: Grey Seal Puppets at Carolina Place

11:30am: Music Box Lunch Concert Series at Romare Bearden Park: Gabriel Bello 

Wednesday 9/11
5:00pm:  Party in the Park concert series at Romare Bearden Park: The Extraordinaires (Beach Variety)


5:00pm:  Free admission at Mint Museums

Thursday 9/12
7:00pm:  Whitewater River Jam: Bob Margolin

Friday 9/13
7:00pm:  Pineville’s Summer Concert Series: Joystick (70′s and 80′s Pop/Rock)

7:00pm:  Stonecrest Summer Concert Series: Leslie & Friends and Kevin Russell

7:00pm:  Blakeney Summer Concert Series: Natty Boh

7:30pm:  Stargazing and treats around the campfire at Reedy Creek Nature Center

Saturday 9/14
Free admission to all Discovery Place museums for educators and a guest

10:00am:  Family Fun Day at Sports Junction in Harrisburg

11:00am:  Kids’ craft at Lakeshore Learning:  Make and Play Guitar 

12:00pm:  Musical petting zoo at ImaginOn

2:00pm:  Sunset Jazz Festival

4:00pm:  Art show at Urban Ministries Center

7:00pm:  Stonecrest Summer Concert Series: Leslie & Friends and Kevin Russell 

8:00pm:  Outdoor movie at Kilgo

8:00pm:  Summit’s Schoolhouse Rock & Run, 10K + fun run at Summit Coffee

Sunday 9/15
2:00pm:  Geocaching at Reedy Creek Nature Center

Had a Bad Day!

So in case you had the illusion that it is all rainbows and unicorns in our life, we had a bad day. It's probably safe to say a string of bad days, but then there was the breaking point. It is always triggered by the last little thing. You know life stuff: opportunities not panning out as quickly as hoped, feeling as the vehicle of life is in reverse instead of drive, plans failed, family sickness and then the breaking point ... a stolen bike!
My son's bike was taken right from our front yard, less than 15 feet from my front door. Yes that did it! I was over the top. My insides sick and my head filled with many unpleasantries. I walked the neighborhood and fumed. Why take a child's bike, I wondered. More than a bike gone, it also meant a little more loss of innocence for that sweet boy who no longer had bike.
I'll save you all the words and ideas that ran through my head but let's just say it was a mixture of "don't worry it will work out" and "I'd like to choke the little (insert unpleasant word) that would do this". This is on top of all the other less than fun things that had happened so of course those thoughts joined the party and the emotions were on. Surprisingly with the explosion happening on the inside, I didn't lose control ( thanks Clear Mood)! 
With all the unsettledness, I decided to stay down stairs alone so not to subject  any underserving soul with my attitude. A few minutes went by and down came my wonderful husband, Mr. Relaxed "What are you doing down here by yourself? You want to come to bed?"
My thoughts "No. I do not want to come to bed. I want to bust down every door in the neighborhood until I find my son's bike all the while screaming out my displeasure with this situation and all the other situations." Thankfully that didn't happen. Instead my hubby took me by the hand and sat with me until I was ready to ascend to the upper level of the house. Ahh...Hulk mode defused.
After I woke up the next day still no rainbows or unicorns or the return of my baby's bike, but there was a life that had to be lived to the fullest.
As promised frantic writing and relaxed editing :)
Shante

Change is Coming!

Here we go! Change is on the way.  

Chris and I have realized that our life is truly frantically relaxed. We have so many great projects in the work with a few that we want to go after at full speed, but guess what!  We have two different minds.  He is a humor guy and I am a analytical  gal so what shall we do then ... well he'll stay relaxed and work on his humor as I stay frantic and move all our "missions" around to organize our "social media" life. Here is the deal. I love to write and many times it is deep stuff ... you know the type of stuff that I look over and find my husband half asleep as I am passionately sharing my view on cafeteria food at school and why we must pack our children's lunch. True story by the way! So whether it is school lunch, running trails, emotional healing, or just being me, I like to share my heart and have been able to do so with our readers over the last eight months. Thank you!

Now is the time that I take my style and brand it with my mission which has birthed my new blog "Revelations of a Simple Girl" check it out at www.simplegirlrevelations.blogspot.com I have imported some of my favorite post from "Our Frantically Relaxed Life" and have so much more material on the way. I hope you join me on this amazing journey.  I know BIG things are to come!

For Chris, he is working on what he does best.  Yes that's right EVERYTHING! But since we have to narrow it down for the sake of ego, he will be sharing his wicked humor with the world. For now you can follow him on Twitter @FunIs4TheBirds but it will not stop there.  Soon there will be FunIs4TheBirds bobble heads, T-shirts, cereal brand, and license plates ok so maybe not, BUT he does have some cool stuff in store.

As for Our Frantically Relaxed Life, it will still be here ... just more frantic writing and more relaxed editing :) 

Shante 

Be The Best

Have you ever wondered who you want to be?  I have.  Many times who I want to be resembles  every person that is having success in any area of life.  See a problem with that?  Maybe not, but let me tell you it is counterproductive!

Just for example, one is most likely not going to own a farm in the country and live in the city and take the subway to work. Wow, that was elementary right! As simple as that was to uncover,  it is what I have been doing (and maybe many others) for a while.  This made me think maybe the question is not who do I (or you) want to be. Maybe the better question is who am I (who are you)?  Each of us were created uniquely with different likes, dislikes, strengths, and struggles.  What ignites passion and brings peace?  Where is that sweet spot where strengths and enjoyment collide?  Do we know?  If not, I highly recommend hanging out with yourself for a while and journaling your experiences. Be honest about the things you did really well and the things you bombed.  Think about the projects, conversations, or tasks that brought you the most joy and see if there is a common factor linking them. Learn to know yourself and accept yourself.  Then ask yourself “what version of who I am do I want to be.” For me the answer is simple.  I want to be the BEST version of me possible. What does that completely look like?  I have no clue. I only know that it means that I grow daily, do an extra rep, discover a new fact, do more of what I love and stop worrying about someone else’s version of awesome.

So for your sheer entertainment here are few counterproductive versions of someone else’s awesome that I have thought about being (all at the same time might I added):

• A size negative 2, a power lifter, a marathon runner, and physique competitor.  Who am I really and what do I really want … to enjoy my workouts, look nice and gain confidence, be healthy and encourage others to do the same.

• President of a major corporation, stay at home mom, and win the Nobel Peace Prize.  What is realistic for me … a balance of work and family and flexibility to volunteer at my childrens’ school. Quite honestly I get overwhelmed when my children are scheduled for too many activities and they overlap so I am really not corporate president material. As far as the Nobel Peace Prize, I think I have a shot with this blog -  ;)

So those were quite silly and unrealistic!

I encourage you to know yourself, shed the things that really aren’t you, pick up the things that are, and be the BEST version of you possible.

Blessing for the journey!

Shante  

Lessons From The Trail

After dropping the kids off for the first day of the new school year, the husband and I headed to the Greenway for a run.

Being a country girl, the first step onto that wooded trail awakened my senses and made me truly feel alive! There was an excitement that could not be contained.  I found myself shouting “This is awesome!”  Although not marked by girlish screams, my husband shared in the excitement as well.

As the run progressed, I started noting several lessons the trail was teaching me, and they are worth sharing. Here are a few:

• The terrain is ever changing. If you fail to stay engaged in the present you just might trip.

• The journey is sweeter when shared with the ones you love.

• You never know what may block the path, but there is a way around it or through it.

• Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.

• Sometimes you have to get a little dirty. (Thanks to many muddy spots I learned this well)

• The beginning is exciting; the end is welcomed, but it’s the journey on the trail that grows you.

Life is waiting … go live it to the fullest!

Shante

 

                                                       

More than Junk

On my nightstand there is a pile of scraps that my daughter arranged into a special sculpture just for me. You see she has a knack for picking up junk with the desire to later craft it together into a masterpiece. Often times I discourage this habit because it means I find bottle caps, string, nails, candy wrappers, and all sorts of unattractive stuff lying around the house or in the car. And with that admission I realize I may have just taken myself out of the running for World's Greatest Mother. So let's continue ... What my daughter sees as pieces to a brilliant piece of art, I see as a heaping pile of trash. Wow, what a creative optimistic genius I am! On the bright side, I bet you are feeling better about yourself right now, huh? It is worth saying that I do not see my sculpture as trash because I know the heart from which it came.

So what is all this about?  I had a day (ok, a string of days) that I felt like junk. You know the uncool parent, the unaccomplished adult, the unproductive servant, and well just plain ill. Then, on my nightstand, I found a note from my husband highlighting my worth; reminding  me that even though my days had not been as joyous and easy as hoped for, I was on the right path, and I was making a difference. That resolved it! My husband said it so it was true; no questions asked. Problem solved ... until next blog. Yeah, so that isn't completely the truth.  There was a letter. It was nice and made me smile, but truth is, he is my husband and adores me even with my flaws. You remember that sculpture, the one made from the junk I usually discourage my daughter from gathering ... Yeah that one!  There it too lay on my nightstand, and as I looked at it, these words filled my mind' "you are not junk."  What I feel like junk?!? My kids clearly do not like my rules, my big plans are fill filled with potholes, and my accomplishments aren't impacting the world. Then  the words came with more force "You are NOT junk." Huh? Really? And then the understanding:

Sure we have all been challenged by life, some of us even left in pieces, some dreams unfulfilled and some bad choices that linger, but the truth is that if the broken unattractive pieces are picked up and arranged by the right artist our junk can be a masterpiece. For me that artist is Jesus Christ. He has picked up the pieces and reminds me that I am not junk.

And as for my passionate little girl ... She now has a collection bag and will begin putting her findings together into a masterpiece.

You are a masterpiece in the making,
Shante

                                                         

Revelation of a Simple Girl

Recently I had this revelation: I am a simple girl trapped in a warp speed society.

I mean there are so many voices that call out on any given day. Some are welcomed and others just barge their way into life. 

There is Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Pintrest, e-mail, text, blogs (which I am thankful for), news, magazine, advertisements, and the list goes on...  There is no lack of information and no lack of opinion, and it comes at lighting speed. It also comes with contradictions and competition.  I mean seriously think about: For the fitness minded, do I eat my weight in protein or only consume .8g of protein per kilogram of my body weight?  For the business minded, do I pursue success without end or do I break for the moments that truly matter? For the relationship minded, does love and friendship have boundaries or is it to give without limit? And finally is the one who leads greater than the one who serves?

With so much information at such rapid speed there is a possibility of distraction and derailment from one's individual goals.  There is a chance one could be chasing the noise from all the voices that pour into the day rather than staying on track with the goals and tasks that line up with one's individual and unique life and purpose. 

I woke up one day and realized I was trying to be a high class city girl wanting to ride the subway,  wear designer dresses, attend Hollywood parties, book speaking engagements, write books, and be a master in all things. In reality,  I am a simple girl who loves outdoor adventure, sweat, workout clothes, traveling in my car, small gatherings, not a public speaker, I do love to write; however I will never master all things! So I guess I got lost in the noise and the contradictions and competition of all the different voices that fill my day.  Now let's be clear, I am not against ambition, learning, or growing but I believe that one should stay true to themselves and be honest about strengths, weakness, likes and dislikes. Then live in that sweet spot where passion and strength cross even if it means you forgo the "Hollywood life" for the "Simple life".

Shante

What's the Priority?

When I first had a thought of doing this post on priorities it was much different in my mind than it actually played out to be.
My initial thought was that I would look through my "work in progress" list, see which were functioning on a schedule of "process" (which was discussed in an earlier post), and then I would identify an order of importance of each and at that point my "priority" would be set. I could then write an informative "how to" post on priorities.

Surprise.... that is not how it happened. I read the following and it changed everything:
Psalm 42.11 NLT - Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

While chasing my "work in progress" list,  there was a feeling of discouragement. I looked at my list and was unable to find the thing that topped everything else, the thing of upmost importantance and therefore I had no real priority.  Not to mention that the size of the list and the size of the dreams that fueled the list seemed almost impossible to conquer.  Then I read the verse mentioned above.  I realized that my hope and joy had been shifted to the accomplishments that I could generate from a list and no matter how great those accomplishments are after a while they fade and leave the need for more. Then I realized something even greater,  I had been unable to identify my upmost priority because it wasn't included on my "work in progress" list. 

For me, when I read Psalm 42:11 it spoke to my discouragement and frustration and reminded me that my true hope doesn't come from how many items I accomplish on a checklist. It also reminded me that my real priority was to praise God through my life. I believe that in doing that all the works around me that are in line with my real priority will come to completion. Then I was reminded of this:
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33

So maybe my list still needs a little work, but there is no doubt that my top priority has been set.

What Holds You Captive?

I know my next post was scheduled  to be on priority;  however this hit me today, and I felt the need to share.

What holds you captive? An intriguing question isn't it!

This morning I read the following:

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NKJV)

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”

Grace, captivity, captive, and gifts.

We all have a measure of grace according to Christ’s gift.  In John 14:26-31 we see a little more about Christ’s gift.  These verses highlight two principles.  The presence of help through the Holy Spirit and the death of Christ in which He took the punishment of the world’s sin (John 3:16).  So we have perfect grace, God’s presence, help, and sacrifice.

The other thing I see is that there is captivity. There is One, however, who is stronger than our captivity and took captivity itself captive and in turn gave us gifts in its place.

So what does it mean to be captive?  It is to be imprisoned or confined. Is there something that imprisons your heart, your mind, or confines your life?  Maybe it is anger, unforgiveness, pride, depression, addiction, control issues, laziness, or more. Whatever holds you captive you can be sure of this, captivity remains until it itself is brought captive.  That means healing.  That means bringing the hidden areas of your life out of hiding and revealing the imprisonment. That means truth and transparency, facing the unknown and the uncomfortable and for some it could mean learning a whole new way of living.  The good thing is that in you and those around you were placed gifts that are meant to work together to free captives.  Jesus gave us the tools and even laid down His life for our freedom, but we must pick them up and walk in freedom.   So if you need release from captivity and have a relationship with Jesus already, take a moment and thank Him that He has already brought your captivity captive and ask Him to show you how to use the gifts in you and those around you to walk in the freedom He has provided.

Unsure about this whole Jesus thing? If there is someone in your life that you know who could fill you in then please reach out to them, or I would be happy to talk with you more!

Do You Have a Process?

Process and priority are two words that have been spoken a lot in my life lately.  Each come with its own struggles for me.  To grasp these words and get an idea of how they should govern my task list and lifestyle, I decided to take a moment to truly identify their meaning.

As defined by http://www.merriam-webster.com
Process - a series of actions or operations conducing to an end
Priority - something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives

Process stands out as something that will take time (a series, more than one) and action, but will have an end result.  Furthermore the time and action poured into the process should directly impact the end result.  So what I can conclude from this understanding is that if I do not take time and go through the series of actions then I have an incomplete process and a faulty product.  Although super simple and possibly overused, it holds true: you can’t put walls on a house before the foundation is set or the house will not stand.  Now patience is a trait that I struggle with greatly.  I like to see things move at super speed and review a whole list of accomplishments, rather than have a list of things still in progress.  What I have learned however is that at that pace I often lose my joy and have no memories to cherish because quite honestly everything is a blur.  I know that I need to slow down and work the processes of life.  I need to allow time to catch up with my actions and make sure that my actions are consistent over time.

What about you, is there a process that you have given time but no action, or maybe you threw in a lot of super speed action and have given it no time? I hope that you can find the peaceful balance of both the time and action that you may see a result worthy of its process.

I know for me there are many things on my ‘in progress” list.  I am going to take some time to look at each. I will see if the current stage is because it is just part of the process or if I have overlooked the process by either lacking action or time.  Once completed,  I will move on to priority which will be discussed in the next blog post.

Will you join me?  I know there are goals out there just waiting on you to go through the process.