Skip to main content

List is a Four Letter Word

For as long as I can remember I have made a scheduled "to do" list. I am not sure all of the reasons why but this list makes me feel secure. Sometimes I actually add things at the end of the day so that I can mark a line through them. Weird I know. I am a strategic planner who very much enjoys the sense of accomplishment that rolls over me at the end of the day when I review my "to do" list. Because God does not have cable and enjoys a good sitcom I am married to Brad. When we first married Brad was quick to point out that the word list is a four letter word. Brad is spontaneous, impulsive, and wired full throttle for adventure.

As a family we are in a very unique season. Transition is our current theme and we are seeking God's will for everything in our lives. So my "to do" list has only one item. 1.GOD: Listen and obey. As you can imagine this has been a struggle for me. I keep wanting to sit down the night before and make "the list" but I am not allowed. Very clearly this time is about listening, learning, and then doing.

In so many ways this season reminds me of when Brad and I first began dating. I would get ready, he would show up,and the adventure would begin. I learned a lot about his heart during our courtship. And that is how I feel right now about God. I am learning so much about His heart. Because my agenda is off the table the relationship is taking a more serious turn. I have discovered I can trust His character. His mission resonates deeply in my heart. And I am completely overwhelmed with His view of me. Each day is a unique adventure by divine design. My sense of accomplishment at the end of the day is the knowledge that I have the courage to trust Him fully and obey Him completely. Some of the things He has requested for me to do are downright uncomfortable. But I am starting to thrive in this wild adventure. In fact I can't remember when I have felt so alive.

And just because God has a grand sense of humor Brad asked me today to help him make a strategic plan. I replied, "You mean a "to do" list?"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Here's A Quarter

When Brad and I were first dating we had a conversation about money that we have referred back to many times. I was teaching kindergarten at the time and sharing my frustration about teaching the value of twenty-five cents. He pulls a coin out of his pocket and said,"Deana just hand them a quarter." I thanked him for the solution, pocketed the newly aquired quarter, rolled my eyes dramatically and said, "or 25 pennies, two dimes, and a nickel, fifteen pennies and a dime, there are many correct answers to this one question!" He grinned and playfully said, "I guess there is more to it than just a quarter. I'm glad I'm not the Kindergarten Teacher." To this day when we face a challenge and are getting frustrated during our brainstorming Brad will pop out the word, "Quarter" several times in a row and we will laugh. "Quarter,quarter" is an instant reminder that life's questions can have more than one right answer. Recently I hav...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why wouldn't you believe you can make a difference in the world?

Can I ask you a question? If I have heard that phrase once in my marriage I have heard it a thousand times. It has always cracked me up that Brad asks if he can ask a question rather than just firing away. Last night was no exception. He called me onto the patio to enjoy the beautiful night and he asked, "Can I ask you a question?" I replied with "Just one?" He grinned and said,"Why do I think I can make a difference in the world?" This question could easily come from the heart of any of us so I decided to share my response. You believe you can make a difference in the world because God told you that you could. When you were in your mother's womb God was with you. He was there for nine months. His spirit connected to you without distraction. It was as if the two of you were one. He was speaking your mission into you and wiring you for it at the same time. When God speaks....He creates.....a thought uttered by Him becomes a reality. So God spoke "m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where I am from.......310, 512, 915, 903, 214, 917, 815

I got a confirmation e-mail for my daughter's session to Horse Camp in Dallas. I looked through it and noticed the contact number is a 512 area code. That's Austin, I thought to myself. Must be her cell. When we moved from Dallas to Fort Worth I did not change my cell number. In fact the area codes listed in the title are friends of mine who no longer live in that area code but kept their number. We keep our numbers due to contractual obligations. Or we keep it to remain connected to our contacts. And of course convenience plays into this as well. It occurred to me that these 3 digits are part of our story. They tell where we are from. As a life coach I often hear the following. "These people knew me at this stage of my life but that is not me anymore. I have changed. I am afraid to reconnect with them. I hope they do not see me how I was." Their fear seems to stem from a moral failure,a dissolved marriage or the perception of unmet potential. The basic question is ...
1 comment
Read more