To Look Forwards, Backwards, and Sideways

Pocahontas reflects and says, "He wants me to be steady. Like the River... But its not steady at all"

"What I love most about rivers is:
You can't step in the same river twice
The water's always changing, always flowing
But people, I guess, can't live like that
We all must pay a price
To be safe, we lose our chance of ever knowing
What's around the riverbend
Waiting just around the riverbend"

This next year, 2013 for me is full of amazing opportunities, and I am stoked to travel on that pathway of growth, change, success, and new adventures. I am excited to accomplish goals that are bigger then me. I look forward to what new doors will lead to. 

I have been spend some serious time reflecting on how my life experiences have got me to where I am. This reflection has help me realize some of the poor responses, and some of the great responses. I have come to the awareness that within my childhood there are many horrible traumatic experiences that lead me to believe certain lies. Within those lies I allow them to control some of my decision-making process.

- How do I reflect on allowing life to be times where it is rough, but adventurous? 
- How do I find peace in boring times of life?
- Where does fun fit in organization?

- How do I move forward without repeating the same bad patterns?
- How do I continue to embrace the new opportunities infront of me without embracing opportunities that might be unsatisfying
- What does it look like to conclude my academic career at this point in my life with peace?
- What does it look like to have goals now in this season, and long-term goals?

Messy Morning Routines...

My thoughts can come across really jumbled up. Therefore I am going to take sometime to sort through them.

First, It is true! I have made it to the end of another semester in grad school. Wowzers! Totally amazed, by God's strength, and encouragement through this semester.

Second, this has made me think, as the finish line of graduate school becomes more visible, how can I continue to work on weak areas in my life, like organization, and morning routines.

Today is Monday, and a brand new day. This morning I heard this song, and it made me really get so stoked, and the introduction reads,

"I wanna sing of Your love

Wanna sing of Your mercy

I wanna tell the whole world

Of the greatness of You"

I believe this is a wonderful place to start, with a heart exposing the love of God. Also, reconnecting with God will pull me forward into introducing what structure look like. God is sovereign, and is a person who has no anxiety over what tomorrow looks like. I want to be like him, fulfilling my life with peace. Today, I am drawn to the idea of finding a morning routine. For many, this is a way to introduce structure into the day. Maybe I will find structure? Maybe I will find a routine, but ultimately I want to find peace, and success!

I ponder over a website (http://lifehacker.com/5537478/top-10-ways-to-upgrade-your-morning-routine) about morning routines, and it challenged the reader, to try a routine, and then kind of edit to how a person naturally handles it.

So, I thought, hmmm. Let's see.

1. Laundry

2. Dishes

3. Paperwork/Mail Organization

4. Spiritual Time

5. Breakfast

6. Cardio

7. Shower

I wonder how this will look through the next following days. But I am inviting structure. Lets hope it will remove some of the anxiety that comes from living a messy life.