Intentional Wanderings by Lorilee Guenter

 Each year, when we put up a new calendar, we are bombarded with tips on goal setting, and on the value (or lack thereof) of resolutions. Each year, there is great discussion about taking the opportunity to evaluate where we have been and decide where we are going. I often find myself resisting this tug of our culture. I don't set goals and I don't like resolutions. However, I also do not want to wander through life aimlessly. Thankfully I don't have to.

God is always leading. He does not wait for a date on the calendar. He does not wait for us to put together a perfect plan because He already has. Sometimes He reveals His plan one step at a time, sometimes many steps. Sometimes we understand what He is asking, sometimes we don't until later. Always He promises He will be with us. Throughout Scripture we read "Do not be afraid for I am with you." In Ephesians 2, we are told He has prepared works in advance for us. As I meditate on this, I find myself more and more disenchanted with the whole new year, new you messaging. 

Sometime during the past fall, the word intentional started showing up in conversation, in reading and then in random ways throughout my day. I started to contemplate this word in relation to my activities and in relation to God's leading in my life. I found myself thinking about why I say yes or no to questions and opportunities. I found the tension surrounding goals disappeared when I ceased trying to set a plan and instead looked to take intentional action and leave intentional space letting God set the plan and the rhythm.

This winter, in addition to the word intentional, I find I am meditating on and mulling over the theme of do not be afraid for I am with you. God tells His people at various times: I am with you. I am going ahead of you. I will show you. I am going to prepare a place. The theme of God with us is woven throughout His story and ours. I do not know what the next step is. I do know that God is already working out the details. When I pause long enough to listen to His guidance and take intentional action, but not so long as to let fear interfere, I will see the journey unfold in God's timing and it probably will be unlike what I would have planned. 

With Glowing Heart ... by Glynis M Belec

"Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds." 

Isaiah 55:8 (NB)

Last week was indeed  a true Canada Day 2017. Not at all like I had planned, but a fabulous one, nonetheless. 

A month ago, I had my agenda tidily filled in and my plans were in place. I had been asked to help organize, or at least participate in a local Art in the Park event for Canada Day. I thought that would be fun and I could perhaps help some of our local writers promote their work too, so I jumped in. The plan was also for me to have a book table decorated to the nines with my newest publishing hurrah - a story in Chicken Soup for the Soul Spirit of Canada. Perfect timing for my new Canadian title. I was excited and hoped to sell a lot of books.

Shortly after I had said 'sure thing,' though, I found out my daughter was going to be moving that very day. So I had to break it to the organizers that I was backing out. I felt bad but it was a case of priorities and I had to help. 

However, my plan was to pop by and enjoy Art in the Park later in the day, and help out if I got back in time. So all seemed well, all things considered. 

Then, wouldn't you know it, things switched again. Plans fell through for my daughter. I felt badly but then I thought perhaps I could recommit to helping out on Canada Day. I didn't jump in head first this time. I merely mentioned I might be able to come to help out on the day, in case things turned around for my daughter. The gal who had contacted me was so kind and told me to come if I was able. She would save a spot. So I planned again. 

But I shouldn't have bothered. 

It's not that things turned around for my daughter. 

It was my Dad this time. He had a bit of a turn - well a succession of turns and the short story is he ended up being put on a heart monitor. So there went any plans of my own. This was just prior to Canada Day. And I knew that I couldn't leave Dad for any extended time so it looked like I had to cancel everything. I did. 

As we did our devotions that morning, I remarked to Happy Hubby, who was also heading out to do some catch up on some work of his own, how differently the day turned out to what I had planned. 

"That's sometimes how God works," he said, kissing me farewell and leaving me contemplating. 

It was a good thing I stayed home, too. Dad ended up having a dizzy spell and his heart was racing just as I was helping him up. Right away I had to get him to lie in bed for a while and follow the doctor's instructions. Eventually things settled down and all was quiet in paradise. 

Later, once Dad seemed okay and I had given him breakfast and got a few things done in the kitchen, I went to the back patio door and stood quietly for a minute looking at my garden and the impending black clouds that loomed near. I was feeling a little frustrated and thinking about how my plans didn't work at all. I didn't get to help my daughter move. I didn't help with Art in the Park. I didn't get to set up my table and sell all those books that I had planned on selling. I didn't get to partake in typical Canada Day celebrations. And it looked like rain. 

Then I heard it. At first I thought I was imagining it. 

It started out soft and low. A solitary sound of a trumpet playing O Canada - and it drifted across our subdivision to my back porch. I opened the screen door and stepped outside, still in my pjs.  My heart stood to attention. My body followed suit as O Canada got progressively louder. Three times the distant trumpeter played it. For three minutes I stayed still. Smiling. Listening. Appreciating. 

I thanked God for sending me that special gift Canada Day morning. It seemed to focus me. Reminding me about my glowing heart and how God keeps our land glorious and free! 

The rest of my day was not at all as I had originally planned. I did the laundry. I wrote a little bit. I cleaned our bedroom, and sorted through things I had kept putting off. I cleaned the pantry. Wrote some more. Ran an online Oh Canada Trivia Challenge. Made some muffins. Smiled a lot. Counted Blessings. 

Not a day that I had planned. But it was such a peaceful, fulfilling, relaxing kind of day that I had not experienced in a long time. I kept thinking about the trumpeter. And O Canada. And the way God's plans are not our plans. Gratitude. 

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

                                     Glynis

God's Goals - Check! by Glynis M Belec

One of the hardest things for me, when it comes to setting goals, is being realistic. Second on the tough scale is following through with them. Third is reviewing them.

It's not that I don't want to behave and do it all right and follow exactly my mindset as it was at the beginning of the year. But for some reason, my life isn't like that. I long, and sometimes (admittedly) I used to envy others who seemingly travel a straight and narrow path.

I've discovered, over the last while, God's goals and mine are not the same. Too often the unexpected creeps in and there go my plans. But I have given up bemoaning the fact that my plans don't always match God's and in that I find peace.

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:9

I took a quick glance at my January covenant, though, because of this month's prompt about reviewing our writing goals. I was curious to see if I have managed to lasso even a few over the past eight months. Let's have a look.

I will write at least 500 words a day - CHECK

The writing 500 words a day has come to pass, so in that one I rejoice! I actually do a lot more than that on any given day if I get to count the writing I do on behalf of other writers for my Angel Hope Publishing company. And then there is the new paid blog gig I got two months ago and the regular monthly column I am writing in a local magazine. So I can safely say I might even be able to add another zero onto that number some days.

I will write in my journal every other night - BUSTED

 I am still sporadic at best. Sometimes I write every night in my journal. Then the wind blows a different way and I forget or go to bed too late, or need to gobble up one more chapter of that great novel before shut eye. I will work on that one. Ugh.

I will read a chapter from the Bible each night starting at Genesis - BUSTED

I'm starting to feel like some kind of a backsliding sinner. Seriously, I started out at Genesis - really. Then I found that devotional book (with scripture) on Hope and that took over. I read the Bible every morning, with my devotions. Does that count? But I really did want to make it through the entire Bible front to back. Jumping back in the saddle. In the beginning. . .

 I will bite my tongue when I want to lash out to prove how right I am - CHECK

Biting my tongue instead of spouting my so called 'my way or the highway' attitude has shown significant improvement. I find the more I choose silence as an option, the better it is. It's also improved my listening ability. Imagine that.

I will tell others more often that I love them and show it - CHECK

This was an easy goal to achieve. Lots of reasons for being thankful and loving lots. Lots of reasons this year to cling tighter and be breathless in expressing love for those near and dear. Lots of reasons to never ever forget how much Christ loved me and sacrificed it all. Least I can do is pay it forward with a few sincere words.

 I will get in touch with my new writer friends and offer some helpful tips, taking time to really listen without monopolizing the conversation - CHECK

Helping out writers has been an easy and fulfilling task this year. I love encouraging and helping scribes discover their God given gifts. One thing with this goal, - sometimes I have trouble finding the off switch to the detriment of my own work, but God is also teaching me a little bit about balance. Even Jesus had to get away sometime to breathe. I find that a tough act to follow - setting boundaries. But I'm trying.

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

Mark 6:30-32

And then there are all those other fabulous personal goals that sounded so achievable January 1st. Exercise. Weight loss. Saving money, Recycled promises.

Sometimes I flop. I try. But life happens and sometimes there are times I don't follow through with some of my goals even though I really, really want to. I've dealt with guilt and shame because of my failures but then, God whispers and tells me I'm being too hard on myself. He reminds me that when I'm on a personal mission and include Him, I've got the right focus and the prize is near.

Not to mention. God Goals far surpass Glynis Goals, anyway. 

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.(CHECK!)

Philippians 3:14