Inspired to Dream

As I continue to pursue the question, "What is your deepest heart desire?" it is no coincidence that I "happened" to read a book this week that prompted more thoughts about dreams and desires. This book made me think about how God can lead us in directions we'd never dreamed of before.

Book Review

"Summer of Light" a novel by W. Dale Cramer

Browsing through books at the library, I decided to take a chance on an author I’d never heard of and checked out Summer of Light by W. Dale Cramer. From the first chapter, I was hooked! Cramer has a way of connecting with a reader. Sometimes I forgot I was reading fiction because I felt like I was in the story. Cramer’s sense of humor is incredible, and I loved the witty and somewhat sarcastic ways Mick the main character responded to his surroundings.

Sometimes, I think Cramer was channeling Erma Bombeck as he turned what could have been mundane situations into a side-splitting scenarios. As a mother, I felt appreciated as Mick discovered his own appreciation for moms, and my heart connected with him as he fell deeper in love with his family. As a wife, Mick’s process helped me to respect the way a husband gains esteem from his work. But over all other qualities, the book was inspiring.

As Mick journeyed from ironworker to stay-at-home-dad to artist, I saw the unfolding of a dream and it inspired me to think that I too could pursue my dream, no matter how implausible it seems. I’m so glad I found this book! I know I’ll be watching for other works by this author and recommending the book to friends.

The Desires of Your Heart

Yesterday morning, my Bible study book asked me to write down the deepest desire of my heart. I thought about it for a while, then left the line blank. What really is my deepest desire? I knew I could fill in something akin to a canned Sunday school answer. Something like, my deepest desire is to glorify God and do what He wants me to do.  But I didn't write that down, because what I want to be my deepest desire and what I make my deepest desire have not yet merged into one track.

In fact, I'm not really sure what it is. I'm sure that if I desired something deeply enough, I'd do whatever it takes to pursue that desire. Yet my daily habits often reflect actions that run counter to any desire I could name. I want to lose weight, but I eat chocolate. Too much of it. I want to write a book, but I fritter my time on facebook and internet browsing. I want to grow deeper in my faith, but I leave so little room in my schedule for spending time with God.

Psalm 37:4 says to "take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires" (NLT). I'm thinking the first step in discovering the desire of my heart is in taking delight in God. So, I'm going to focus on that step until I can clearly see the next one.

What is your deepest heart desire? Do your actions reflect that desire?

New Years Re-Solutions

Re-Solutions for Old Problems

Ah, the beginning of another year.  Another reminder that we’re getting older.  Another  moment of reconciliation with the bathroom scale. Another revisit to the unresolved issues from last year, and the year before that, and the…well, you get the idea. It’s no wonder some of us battle with a mood of depression after the holidays. Yet, despite the possible negative side of starting a new year, it offers plenty of fresh optimism as well.  A new page free from the doodles and spills life offered last year.  A reason to start over and make changes.  This is why so many of us make resolutions year after year.

What is a resolution, and why did I hyphenate it in the title?  I don’t typically read Webster’s dictionary for recreation, but I pulled it off the shelf to get a new perspective on New Years resolutions.  Did you know there are nineteen definitions of the word?  A resolution can be a determination or a sense of purpose. It can mean to make up one’s mind. It’s also a firm decision to do something, such as, “I am determined to lose thirty pounds this year.” Or, it can be used to describe the quality of a picture, as in screen resolution relating to pixels and other technical computer jargon. It also means to reduce by mental analysis, as in what I might unfortunately do to my husband during occasional “discussions”. Finally, it can mean an answer to a problem—a solution. 

Obviously, I sensed your stifled yawns after reading the word “dictionary” and I paraphrased a little. After studying all of the definitions, I like to think of a resolution as a re-solution.  A new fix for an old problem. I spelled the word with the hyphen to emphasize the prefix “re,” which indicates something that we do again.  A re-solution simply means to solve again.  Isn’t that what we do every New Years?  We look at our problems and look for new perspectives.  So why is it that at the end of each year we look back and discover that only a handful of our resolutions have been fulfilled?  Perhaps it is because we do not continue to seek re-solutions throughout the year.  Our quality of life suffers because we do not translate our resolutions from thoughts on paper into actions.

If you have made resolutions this year, it’s important to revisit them daily.  What actions can you do today that will resolve the struggles you had yesterday?  Regardless of whether your resolutions relate to eating better, losing weight, getting in shape, getting organized, remembering birthdays, improving family communication, or paying off debt, each requires a daily solution.

Scripture reminds us of the need for daily renewal.  Jesus says in Luke 9:23 that we are to take up our crosses daily.  He didn’t simply say that we are take up our cross, as in a one-time action.  Instead, he asks us to take it up daily. Having lived on earth for over thirty years, he surely observed how quickly our habits disintegrate. The prophet writes in Lamentations of  God’s new daily mercy (Lam. 3:23).  There is such peace in knowing God offers us a chance to start over every day.

After considering what it takes to fulfill the resolutions we make each January, I’ll offer my own blended version of a definition. Re-solutions (rē-sō-loo-shuns): developing a sense of purpose and determination to have the best possible quality of life through a daily decision to solve problems repeatedly.

This article appeared in my January 2008 Wisconsin Christan News Column. Yep, I'm still re-solving every year. Not with resolutions, but with recommitting to my desire to live as God wants me to live. 

K.I.S.S. #2

Keeping It Short & Simple (KISS) #2

Where is your focus today? Is it on your unfinished Christmas tasks? Baking? Wrapping? Shopping? The impending blizzard?

Mine is on my Christmas prep to-do list, but let's refocus the lens and see the miracle of Jesus. He's the center of the week, but I seem to forget that too often.

 

Christmas K.I.S.S.es

You're busy! I know you are, because I am too. In fact, I've been too busy to blog for a few weeks. It's the party, Christmas program, and concert season and in our house it's also basketball season. So as we fly from one event to another, I try to squeeze my Christmas preparations in between other things. The other night, I fell asleep in my chair and woke up later still holding my crochet hook and yarn from the gift I had been working on. Another day, I brought my crochet bag with me to a basketball game to work on a gift while I was waiting for 40 minutes between dropping off my son and the start of the game. A fellow parent, a man of course, said, You're too young for crochet."

I'm not sure how he knew this crochet age rule when I've lived 40 years without hearing such a thing. When I told him I'd been crocheting since I was twelve, he followed it up with, "Well, at least you're too young to be bringing it out in public! It's something to do at home. And, old ladies make a lot of useless stuff and doilies."

My fingers still flying on the yarn, I kindly explained that my hats and slippers would not be useless gifts. I wasn't feeling overwhelming Christmas kindness in my heart at that moment, but it was somewhat funny.

You're much too busy to hear any more stories, so as I close today, I'll keep it short and simple (K.I.S.S.). In fact, over the next 2 weeks, I'll send nothing but a few Christmas K.I.S.S.es, short and simple messages to keep you encouraged during the holidays.

Today's K.I.S.S. 

Find some time to relax this weekend and focus on friends and family more than on food and fretting.

Christmas Blessings,

Michelle

What are you doing to keep things simple this holiday? Share your comments below.

Family Photo Gift Ideas

I love crafting. It's one of my dots! And since God has given me a creative impulse, I also enjoy sharing inspiration and ideas with others. I've been working on homemade Christmas gifts all weekend but I'm not telling what I made, just in case the recipients happen to be readers. As we approach Christmas and we think about what is most important to us, I think of the people in my family. And as I think of the people in my family, I think of photos and memories captured on film. I take a lot of pictures!

One of the most precious gifts we can give to someone else is a photo that brings hearts together across the miles. So today, as I break from my usual blogs and book reviews, here are some photo gift ideas that I found on the web and wanted to share with you. Maybe you'll bless someone dear to you with a photo gift this season.

Christmas Gift Ideas that Touch the Heart

Photo Block Puzzle

At HowDoesShe.com, these photo blocks caught my eye. Your photo size will depend on your block size and you can vary it by having just 4 blocks too. Just remember, you'll need photos for 6 sides! It's easy to print them on a laser printer and decoupage them onto the blocks. Or if you use an inkjet printer, be a little more careful with your gluing.

Photo by www.howdoesshe.com

Using a trimmer or paper cutter, cut, your photo into squares and glue it on. Then flip the blocks to a blank side and do the same with another photo. Keep going until all sides are covered. You've now created an easy photo puzzle!

Photo Booklet
This photo booklet from Family Fun Magazine is easy to create and has printable instructions for you.

  Photo from Family Fun Magazine

Baby Mobile

A baby mobile made from recycled used Cd's and colorful paper with family photos at Parents Magazine's site.

Photo from Parent's Magazine website.

Unique Photo Blocks and Books and Clocks

Better Homes and Gardens offers these unique scraps of wall molding that have been turned into photo displays.

From Better Homes and Gardens

They've also recycled old books into a photo display.

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens

And finally, this photo clock from Better Homes. It's easy to pop the front off most low-cost clocks. Just  carefully take the hands off the clock setting them aside in the order you removed them. Then remove the paper insert for a template. If it isn't removable, trace the clock to get the closest fit possible. lightly tack the photo in place and replace the clock hands. So easy!

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens

What photo gift ideas can you share? Post a link to the site in the comments below. With these ideas, you'll be giving homemade personalized gifts this season with little effort.

Making a List, Checking it Twice

What’s On Your List?

Have you ever misplaced your shopping list? I have. Many times. I’ll dig in the bottom of my purse, run back to the car to look under the seat, panic, and turn every pocket on my clothing inside out finally resigning myself to rely on memory. However, when I get home I’ll have to start another list for the things I forgot.

At this time of year, it seems I’m even more infatuated with lists. Christmas is coming, so I’ve started my gift-shopping list. Sometimes, I’ll make a day after Thanksgiving sale list that might help in shortening the gifts-yet-to-buy list. That is, if I can snag some doorbusters in the sea of elbows and shopping carts without a black eye or a broken toe.

The list of lists goes on. I’ll make my Christmas card list and a holiday to-do list, and eventually a thank-you card list. In time, there are little papers everywhere. On my desk, on the refrigerator, between the cushions of the sofa—enough lists to make a person need to write a list of places to look for the lists.

List-making can become an obsession. I confess that sometimes I complete a task that isn’t on my list, then I write in on and cross it off just for the satisfaction of having completed something on the list.

A recent e-mail from a friend gave me another perspective on the value of lists. She mentioned a book she had read in which the characters made a list of twenty things they would like to do, a checklist of things to learn and explore. They put their lists in a scrapbook binder. It reminded me of the movie “The Bucket List” where Carter makes a list of things he wants to do before he kicks the bucket. It also reminded me of the movie “Up!” where Ellie makes an adventure scrapbook of all the places she would like to go. Later as a widower, her husband Carl completes “My Adventure Book” for Ellie by finishing her list.

In the same e-mail I mentioned, my friend sent me a list of some of the things she would like to do, with no deadline, just things she’d like to achieve in this lifetime. Some are things that she could do today, and some are things that will take some strategic planning to make happen. This kind of list sounded so much more inspiring to me than grocery lists or to-do lists. It takes list making beyond the mundane into the realm of imagination, creativity, and life-long goals. I like that. And I like a list that isn’t a throw-away paper.
I love to dream and imagine what I might do, so I was itching to make my own list. But I wondered how I could reconcile my desire to make lists and dream big dreams with God’s purpose for my life. Was there some way my personal dreams could intersect with God’s purpose for me? Or would I have to toss out recreation or hobbies in favor of devotion to Christ?

As I did my personal Bible study the morning after I received the e-mail, a study question asked me to write down my primary purpose in life based on Philippians 3:7-11. In this passage, Paul talks about everything that he once thought significant being considered rubbish compared to the value of knowing Christ and being one with him. As I considered the passage, I realized that it isn’t that goals such as learning to sew or visiting the ocean are nonsense, nor that lists ought to be discarded. Instead, I think it means that in the greater scope of things, my relationship with Jesus Christ matters more than any of those other things. It means that the number one item on my list ought to be living a life that pleases God and brings him glory. It means that I need to base my choices on that goal and seek God for wisdom in my decision-making. And it means that my hobbies, aspirations, and dreams are fine, so long as they don’t get in the way of that primary purpose.

Dream your dreams. Make your lists. But remember to put your relationship with Jesus at the top of your list. It’s the only item on the list that matters forever.

This article also appeared in my "Habits for Quality Living" column in Wisconsin Christian News.