He's such a little man...

It's so amazing how one haircut can transform a little baby....

into such a little man..................



At the ripe old age of 7 months, Ezekiel's hair was in his eyes, and the dreaded task of getting him to hold still long enough for a haircut was no longer something that could be avoided. We were all apprehensive about what the end result would be, but .... could he be any cuter???!!!! (Although, does that second picture look like he's saying, "So, what did you do with my hair?")

And the bonus? Much to his dad's relief, people have stopped thinking he's a girl!! :o)

Comfort Zones are.... comfortable

The next topic we are facing in our quest to figure out why we often don't live up to our God-given potential is the dreaded comfort zone.

Why is it so hard for us to venture out of our comfort zones? Sure, they're comfortable... but they aren't always preferable. They aren't as exciting, and they generally don't afford us the opportunity to reach for those dreams.

The definition of Comfort Zone according to wikipedia is: operating in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk. A comfort zone is a type of mental conditioning that causes a person to create and operate in mental boundaries that are not real.

Mental boundaries that are not real.... can you imagine that we actually live our lives within mental boundaries that are not real??? And that's not out of a Christian magazine...that's wikipedia!

It went on to say that even though there is anxiety outside the comfort zone, there is an optimum zone right outside the comfort zone where the level of anxiety actually increases performance, clarity, etc. If you move beyond that optimum zone, those traits rapidly decline... but right in the zone... you're shining, baby!

Don't get me wrong. I'm not completely against comfort zones. I think there are times we need to hang out there. There are good things in our comfort zones, just as there are good things in our homes. But we all know there is a serious problem if you're afraid to ever step foot out of your house, and maybe we should look at our comfort zones the same way.

As we venture out of that familiar zone and find a new level of performance and clarity that we didn't even know existed, I'm thinking it may expand those imaginary boundaries a little bit. And next time, we can venture out a little farther yet... expand, venture, expand, venture!

And at some point I think it would click. What a waste to just stay in the house when there's so much to experience outside!

Go ahead.... appreciate yourself!!!

Is it wrong to appreciate yourself? Within our small group, we focus a lot on being others-centered, but last week we talked in-depth about our lack of appreciation for ourselves. In fact, the general consensus was if you're critical of yourself, chances are you'll be critical of others.

Why is it we have such an easy time appreciating all of God's creation except ourselves? He created us just as we are. He gave us gifts and talents unlike anyone else's. Are you hearing what I'm saying? It's okay to take a good look at yourself and say, "I am beautifully and wonderfully made!"

This whole topic stemmed from the question: Why are we afraid to live up to our God-given potential? We have giftings, we have dreams, we have plans, we have limitless potential... but often times we're afraid to move. The burning question is WHY??

In our society we tend to focus on our failures and shortcomings, and at the forefront of our minds is an ever-growing list of all the things we need to do better. I read an interesting story of a baseball player who realized only AFTER a career-ending injury that he had spent his whole career beating himself up over the things that he didn't think he did well enough. He never took time to enjoy all the many things he did well. Only after his career was over did he realize he missed out on the joy of the game (and his life) because of his attitude.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat. We may have an amazing God-inspired idea. We may even find ourselves getting enthused about the possibilities as it fits right in with the giftings and passion that God has given us. But then somewhere along the line, it comes to a screeching halt. We remember what we perceive as past failures, and we use that information against ourselves. We are painfully aware of all the ways we may not measure up. We remember every hurtful thing that's ever been said to us. And we quit before we start. Without ever having tried to succeed, we chalk this up as another failure. Where we are today has a lot more to do with our thinking than with our potential.

The bottom line? We need to take time to think about all the things we have done well. We need to appreciate ourselves for continuing to persevere through tough times. We need to take the time to be really happy about who we are. We need to believe what God says.... and the key to believing God? Abide in Him. If we are consumed by the world, we'll believe what the world says. Only when we're consumed by God, do we begin to believe what He says.

One Glorious Week

This picnic table was my best friend this week....

I took the week off of work (which is code for I worked from home). I probably did almost as much work as if I had been in the office, but it was so, so different. I woke up in the mornings and the first thing I did was go out to the back yard in my pajamas and sit at this picnic table. I watched the sun as it rose higher into the sky, and I talked to God. We talked and talked and talked. And I even did a lot of listening. I can't tell you how much I needed this week, and how revived I feel after spending so much one-on-one time with God.

My second favorite place is where you would find me in the evenings... sitting on our bench in the front yard with our tiki torches lit. This, of course, after we finished our family bike ride (which is always way farther than I think it should be). Every morning and every evening, nothing but peace.

And in between? Cranking the Praise & Worship music and cleaning the house. Catching up on projects I've wanted to get done, and one day when I was lucky... pushing Ellie higher and higher on her swing in the back yard!

I needed to remember life could be slow. It was like my own personal tailor-made retreat.

What a great week.

4th of July Fun!

As my granddaughter, Ellie, and her cousin, Sebastian, will be quick to tell you, not everyone enjoys the loud fireworks. But quick to adapt to any situation, they donned their headphones and enjoyed the show!

Fortunately, someone had the presence of mind to create the toddler sized "Snappers" that make just the right amount of noise and require no FIRE. What a fun holiday weekend watching two toddlers squeal with delight as they join in the celebration of a freedom they don't yet understand.