Women Blogging Naked! August 1, 2008

No, not me, I usually blog in my PJ’s. But, I wanted to through some great blogs I read that are truly NAKED in the emotional and spiritual sense of the word. These ladies touch on real life, real emotion and real issues of our day.  Not only do they get real about relationships and the latest topic of hot debate, but they share their weaknesses. Being of the voyeuristic world of blogging, we’re allowed a glimpse in to their struggles as well as joys. What I find truly remarkable about this is that we are all there, together. Whether it’s the struggle in our relationship with Christ or family or work, we’ve all been there.  We know what it feels like. We can relate in some way whether we’re young or old, working or unemployed, single or married.  There is something spiritual that connects us as humans, as women. That is to feel naked in our emotions. But it’s nice to know we are not alone. 

To top it all off, these ladies all have a great sense of adventure and hilarious wit that keeps you coming back!  Add them to your reader today!

Megaphone:  Megan Hyatt is the most adventurous soul, always finding great joy and great wisdom. She’s a funny lady and an incredible writer! It’s in the genes.

Wonderfalls:  Andrea Lopez has a great single girl, New Yorker attitude that is opinionated, confident and brilliant. She is embracing her new life in the South surrounded by friends & family! She makes you think!

Kate Uncensored:  Kate Anon, yes she is anonymous and she intends to keep it that way.  She will take you to the heart of the matter in a split second. One of the most real, raw blogs I’ve ever read.  PS. Follow her on twitter @kateanon, she’s a hoot, but not for the faint of heart!

Angle of Repose:  Angela Hart has two genres of posts: ones that will have you rolling on floor laughing so hard you snort! & ones that make you question your head and your heart to find where you are in this life.

A Day in the Life of:  Marissa Hyatt is a seeker, an adventurer, a Christ-lover and a wise old soul. Take a read in to this girl’s heart as she navigates life with such wonderful zest.

Self-Discipline vs. Willpower May 24, 2008

 I was looking at my blogging posts for the month of May and two things struck me. First , they are not seemingly very uplifting or positive, which was the intention of this blog. Second, I have slacked off on posting.  That’s not with intent either. It’s just kind of been a busy month and I have been overwhelmed with the divorce, the job search, the move, the hunt for a preschool and training. Not to mention my credit card was stolen and now I have over $3000 in fraudulent charges to deal with, which is not fun. 

But overall, I don’t think those are necessarily good reasons for not posting. They are more like my excuses for not running at times, just quick reasonings I can pull together off the top of my head that sound really burdensome, thus legitimate.  Have I been busy.. Yes.  Have these things actually happened.. Yes.  But they haven’t stopped me from going shopping or attending some Mom’s Night Out events.  I’ve had plenty of idle time staring at these walls.  So my issue is not about time. Then I remembered an article I read about self-discipline.  Here goes a summary…

While “discipline” implies teaching and enforcing a set of rules that others should follow, “self-discipline” involves self-imposed rules, requirements, and expectations. No one can impose self-discipline on another. It can be inspired or modeled but not enforced by others.

Self-discipline is the ability to get your self to take action even if you don’t feel like it.  It partners with goal-setting, planning and drive. It is not the same as willpower. Willpower is internal drive alone. It’s the spark that makes you want to achieve. You either have it or you don’t. You can’t change your willpower or improve upon it.  However, self-discipline is like a muscle. It can be trained and therefore, improved upon. By setting small goals and working your way up to bigger ones, we can all make strides toward achieving our goals.

This is one of my weaknesses. I’ve never had any willpower or self-discipline. Well, none that has suited me. This is what I have struggled with a bit in my training for the runs, reading my bible and in posting for the blog.  I do think that realizing it is have the battle, just as with any problem. 

So, here’s my plan…  Over this holiday weekend, I’m going to refocus my energies. I have to get some things in order around my new house and move some stuff from the old house still.  I need to do something to improve the speed of this computer and set up a system. 

Well, I would say wish me luck, but luck has nothing to do with it, if you are setting goals and enacting self-discipline.

 So you you all have trouble with self-discipline? What do you do to help manage it?

Blogging As Spiritual Art May 21, 2008

I stand at the crossroads of this life, examining the dichotomy that is my world. This is a world of great consternation and turmoil on one hand, and of endless possibilities and exuberant joy on the other. The sequential relations are exhausting and triumphant, full of sorrow and pleasure. 

My journey of self-discovery is randomly scattered moments of listening, reading and writing. It is when I listen to music or read that I find knowledge, truth and inspiration. In these moments I am drawn to take pen to paper expunging my heart.  I bare my soul reflecting on the rhythms of the journey this life sets before me.  It is when I write that I am free. I am free to dream. I am free to create. I am free to perform miracles on paper. Miracles that one day I may make reality.

There is nothing more exploratory than the ponderance of these lyrics, these writings, these quotes. Musings of creative prose fill my head. They stir in me deep thought and call in to question my reason for being and doing. Why are we pulled in to such actions? What is the impulse(s) that needs fed? What speaks to our hearts and why? 

My need for healing and growth seem boundless. My fierce pursuit of these things has not always led me down the right path. Sometimes the path we choose leads to more suffering before the mending can begin. It is a process. One that is not clearly defined. One that is not served to us with end in plain sight. But instead it is one of clever twists and turns and never ending surprise. It is a dance. And my journey began with a song.

Excerpt of Lyrics:   Beloved… Tenth Avenue North

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.

Give me your life, the lust and the lies, the past you’re afraid I might see.

You’ve been running away from me.

Love of my life, look deep in my eyes, there you will find what you need.

I’m the giver of life, I’ll clothe you in white, my immaculate bride you will be.

Oh come running home to me.

Well you’ve been a mistress my wife, your chasing lovers it won’t satisfy,

Won’t you let me make you my bride, you will drink of my lips and taste new life.

CHORUS:

You are my beloved, lover I’m yours.

Death shall not part us, it’s you I died for.

For better or worse, forever we’ll be.

Our love it unites us and it binds you to me.

It’s a mystery.

I can not begin to describe the anguish that exploded from my heart that night. It brought me to my knees and shook me to the core like nothing ever had before.  Just as music should, hearing these lyrics wrecked my soul and started my journey home.

As I ventured down the path of contemplation on my spiritual journey, the next inspiration before me was that of the Uganda Bloggers and my introduction to Compassion International.  I had never heard of Compassion, nor did I read blogs.  It seemed odd to share your life with a world of strangers. What would they think? Why would they care? Yet again another song and more lyrics came in to play as I began reading the Uganda updates and my marriage was crumbling before my eyes.

Excerpt of Lyrics:   Unwritten… Natasha Bedingfield

I am unwritten, can’t read my mind, I’m undefined.

I’m just beginning, the plans in my hands, ending unplanned.

CHORUS:

Staring at the blank pages before you, open up the dirty window,

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance,

so close you can almost taste it, release your inhibitions.

Feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in,

no one else, no one else can speak the words on your lips

Term yourself in words unspoken, Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins, The rest is still unwritten.

Thus, BeyondJEMS was born of me and my muse. It came to fruition as my need to express what I was feeling was pushed to the limits by the Uganda bloggers. Their words wielding the joyful hope that Compassion brings to those stricken by poverty and despair were my inspiration. Blogging came in to my world and I began to bear my soul to the world. I did not know why or what was to come. The only thing certain was the need to write.

Much of this journey is about self-discovery and the desire to pursue what Christ has intended for my life.  I have never sought His design for me. I’ve never explored the idea that He created me for something unique to share with this world until this next inspiration came in to my life from the words of Max Lucado.

Excerpts:  You! God’s Brand-New Idea Made to Be Amazing by Max Lucado

~ No one can duplicate your life. You are heaven’s Halley’s comet; we have one shot at seeing you shine. You offer a gift to society that no one else brings. If you don’t bring it, it won’t be brought.

~The longings of your heart are not incidental; they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored; they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passions to turn your life.

~ You can do something no one else do in a fashion no one else can do it. Exploring and extracting your uniqueness excites you, honors God and expands His kingdom. So “make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Gal. 6:4 MSG)

~ When choosing or changing jobs, be careful. Consult your design. Consult your Designer. Let your uniqueness define your path in life.

~ God always rejoices when we dare to dream. In fact, we are much like God when we dream. The Master exults in newness. He delights in stretching the old. He wrote the book on making the impossible possible.

While exploring this new medium of self-expression, I realize that it is a resource in my journey for discovering God’s plan for my life. For the hopes and dreams he has for me come to the forefront of my mind as I listen and read and write.  It becomes more of who I am and what I need to do for mindful clarity.

Another quote, this one directed personally at me, landed on my ears last night and brought about the inspiration for this post. This is what the good doctor said to me, “It’s more than blogging. You are a writer. It’s part of who you are and a part of your identity. For you writing is a form of art and all art is spiritual.” Oh how these words resonated with my soul.

There is an intoxicating element to writing. There is a beauty in words that express feelings and inspire others. They are fluid extensions of our souls to be honored as priceless treasures of art when they are crafted with genuine meaning and heartfelt delivery.

If writing is my one of my spiritual gifts that God has given me. It is through writing that I create spiritual art as a gift to Him, myself and for those who are touched by my words, whether they be many or few. True beauty is in the eye of the beholder and my hope is that God finds my writing beautiful.

THis is a part of Randy Elrod’s Water Cooler Wednesday.