Living Intentionally...

This post is very much inspired by a post I just read from Passionate Homemaking.  As I read it, I was like, "yes!  This is what I want!"  I am so thankful God showed this to me because this is exactly where I want to go...into a life where each moment is spent intentionally so that I can take this time I am blessed with as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, teacher, discipler, etc and use it to glorify God.

I want my life to exude Jesus'  love whether it be in my relationship with my family, friends or people I come in contact with. I have lost site of focusing on this very important way of living.  It will remind me to die to myself in order to really live.  I mean, I love Jesus and I love people but I also love to be liked, to be funny and I really love to constantly have something to do.

I do not think those things are bad but they can be.  I have let the things of this life stress me out.  I have let things creep in that seem so pretty and good but have gone sour on me.  As I sift through my life, in all the areas, I want the Spirit to fill those areas where I give him room (and push in the areas I have not).                          

It's all a fog right now.  I am just hearing God and obeying.  I think that's a good thing.  I'm excited to see where he takes me and wondering how difficult it will be.  What will I gain?  What will I loose during the process?

The areas I want to be more intentional with. (In no order of importance)
~Spending time with women during the week over coffee as they come to my home and all of the beautiful chaos that comes with it.
~Cleaning schedule and making that more of a priority.  I clean, but it's always random and there's no order.  That needs to change.
~Say "no" more.  Because I like to do things all the time, I do not say "no" to people enough nor do I say "no" to myself when I want to just get out.
~Spend more time in God's Word.  This has been happening more and more and I'm loving it.  God's saying so much and it's fun to listen.  It's also really fun to read to the kids.  They LOVE reading the bible together.
~Spend 3 evenings creating.  Probably through sewing clothes.  I love it, God has given me a desire and I need to use it!
~Spend time individually with my kids.  Reading more, intentionally cuddling, intentional conversations, drawing, playing make-believe.  And to do this daily.
~Spend more time focusing on how I can love my husband.  Daily.  Not just random things but intentionally things.  He'll love that.
~Journal.  I want to journal.
~Rest.  Take time for myself.  Weekly.  I NEED this.  I need this for myself, and I need this so I can be better to those in my life.  And, I really love it :)
~Working out...yeah. The day! ;)

Can you relate?  Share if you'd like!

Hideaway...

I recently deleted my FB and Twitter accounts.  Wow.  It was of course a last minute, so-stressed-out reaction (that's just how I roll! ha!) but I'm excited for it.  I seriously, even after just one full day (maybe two?), feel SUCH a relief.  Like, there is this lack of weight and I cannot really explain it better than that.

Here are the notes I wrote down on my loverly iPhone.
~still blog
~More time on creating
~More quality time with kids
~Less status' made up in my head
~Insecure if no comments on status?
~No 'friend' interaction?
~How much do I rely on FB to feel good about myself?
~Is it holding me back spiritually? Creatively?

I really just want to know, without FB, will I do the things I do (lol) better?  Will they be better quality?  FB is very much apart of so much of my life but now that I have taken even just 2 days away, it's amazing how much less I feel a tug to check my phone, check a computer, see who is saying what, do a FB "feed" check every couple of hours and get really annoyed when no one was "entertaining" me enough with their status'  and/or letting the "feed" give me too much satisfaction.

I've just been really annoyed with feeling lack of order in pretty much all areas of my life.  So, obviously yes, I decided to take away FB because that's the magic potion in making life less crazy, duh!  Well, for some dang reason it really does feel like FB is a bigger problem in my life than I can even put to words (and yet this external processor has SO many! ha!).

Sometimes, I catch myself NEEDING my phone near me, even when with my kids.  I know it's not b/c of a business (thankful, I gave that up as I weed out things in my life), it's not waiting for someone to call...it's all those dang notifications.  How can I be fully present with them when I have the view of my phone light going off?  I cannot...not really.  And I do not want my babies to look back and think about me and my phone...silly?  Maybe, but it's worth the thought! THEY are worth the thought.

I make status' up in my head far too often.  It's pathetic.  Some are good.  Really good.  Funny!  I love funny.  But some are so dumb (maybe you are reading this thinking, yep!  You did write some dumb status' often!) and you're right!  Why waist my time and yours?  I annoy myself just thinking of it!

I act like I do not care if I get a ton of comments or very few.  How true is that, really?  I cannot say yet because I really do not know.  I say it, I think I mean it, but who really knows until it's all taken away?  It's completely and utterly ridiculous to feel good about myself or have a good day just because of a lot of comments.  Why would I let FB comments have that much influence in my thoughts/feelings?  Jesus belongs there.  End of story.

Will I not see friends or talk to them as much because of simply deleting my FB account?  Gosh, that' would be crazy but maybe!  I mean, people I consider close friends are in my phone (some I still need, so don't read into this too much!) so will we still get together even if I am not on FB?  Maybe!

Does "checking my FB" turn into time I could spend on Creating?  I think so!

When I get back on FB and Twitter(of course I will!  I will need it when I come back with some big news!  NOT PREGGERS!) I want to go into it with a plan.  I want to know more of the role it had my life (before I took a break) and its NEW roll as it is controlled by me after sifting through what I have found in my time away. No longer will it be 'How do I fit into the FB world?" but "How will FB fit into MY life?"

I will blog.  I love this too much and it's good for me.  I do this for me, not for you but I LOVE when it blesses you.  Please, always feel free to write comments!  I reply to all of them (I know, ALL of them!  ha!)

I have a husband to love on and support, I have babies to nurture and I need to keep building into their lives the importance of Jesus and how a life without him is really no life at all...I have cuddles and kisses to give, I have amazing people in my life (more than just my FB life, real-life people!  Who knew?!) who I want to have over late into the night chatting and laughing.  I have college and post college girls I need to listen to and love on as we do life together and learn from each other.

So FB and Twitter, you get the boot.  For now at least.  Until I figure out who you are in my life and who you need to be.  Copeesh?  (My Grandpa Danny says that and I love it...one of the many things I love about him).

Blessings from a gal who's just trying to become more of who God wants her to be.

I leave you with a quote I made up in my head after being annoyed with recent status' and tweets. "Avoid trying to be like her.  It's exhausting just watching you."  See?!  I'm such a brat!  Until next time!