My GO List

It's spring and with spring comes that desire for travel or at least I desire to travel. I like getting in the car and roadtrippin' to new places. I like visiting little sleepy towns in the middle of nowhere. I like go to big cities and feel the deep energy coming off the streets. I like quiet places. I like loud places. I just like travel.

So this is my collection of places I'd like to GO before the end of my days. 

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

My GO List  Top 5:

1. Skiing in Colorado. I 've been to Colorado and enjoyed my time spent there however I've never went skiing there. While I am a bit of a klutz and have little to none athletic ability, I would still like to envision myself artfully dipping and gliding over the white snowy mountains. :) I do realize the artful ability may be a near impossibility, but I'd still like to try.
2. New York City. "concrete jungle where dreams are made of...These streets will make you feel brand new. Big lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York,..."  I have never been to this great urban city and I would absolutely love to visit it for at least a week. So many things to see and places to visit there. The Lady herself, Central Park, Times Square, Chinatown, the Knicks, aYankee's Game, Ellis Island, the Rockefellar Center, museums, restaurants, ...etc. Sheesh! I might need to stay longer than two weeks!
3. England. I love history and this country is FULL of it! I feel that I would need to tour the entire country not just settle for one city. I'd love to visit the place that helped give birth to the American Spirit.  I want to walk down the streets that Shakespeare, Florence Nightingale,Churchhill, C.S. Lewis, , Francis Drake, John Locke, and Jane Austen walked down. I want to feel that English stubbornness that morphed into determination for something more for all people. This nation started radical movements that would shape the entire world into what it is today.
4. Prince Edward Island. Why? Because I heart Anne of Green Gables. I want to visit the place spoken about in the books and seen in the movies. I want to ride in a carriage down a lane of flowering trees. I want to walk down the shoreline. I want to play Anne for a few days. I want hope in a simpler, quieter life where boys walk girls home. I want to believe in Gilbert Blythes and silly nonsense.
5. Africa. I want to go and see elephants, tigers, and giraffes. I want to see the vivid colors and the strong people. I want to go and be reminded that there is more to life than my petty material things. I'd like to take books and learning materials to the children there.  I also wouldn't mind bringing home a child and give them a home. I want to go there and make a difference.

Dream Home

When looking at homes to place in my mental "Dream House" file (yes, call me crazy but I have a mental file) I always imagine what it would look like at Christmas. The lights dripping from the roof, the wreath on the door, the garland on the porch, kids playing in the yard, my man watching them from the front step and me with a camera trying to capture each moment.

 



(LOVE this house!)

Dream House Wish List:

• I want a large backyard with room for the kids to run and play. I want a beautiful, functional backyard where I can have birthday parties, yard parties and relax after a long work day.
•  I want a warm inviting house where anyone feels comfortable and at home. Complete with rugs. It's starting to become my philosophy that rugs make a house. Love them!
•  I want a large kitchen which may sound strange to those who know me AND my inability to cook. But I will learn! Growing up in my house taught me that family life happens in the kitchen. Even if food isn't being prepared, the family just seems to gravitate to that one room. Many laughs and serious conversations have happened there. And that's what I want in my home.
• I want more than two bathrooms. Growing up in a family of five where most of our lives we shared two baths, I've learned that a lot of stress can be avoided in life if you have more bathrooms. Especially having a family that consists of mainly females.
• I want a large living room with a roaring fireplace. I want the focal point of the room to be the the people in the room, not the tv. I like watching tv. It's great to snuggle up on the couch and watch a movie. Love that. But a living room is about the people in it. Not the tv. That's why its called the LIVING room.

• I want a front porch. I like patios and back porches, they're great! But call me old fashion but there's just something magical about sitting on your front porch. 

I realize that all the previously mentioned things don't make a house a home. The people and the love in the house make it a home. I know the difference between wishes and needs. But sometimes a girl likes to dream a bit... and who knows? Maybe one day I'll wish on the right star and you will read a post about my dream house come true.



In the Meantime I'm learning to walk...

I am a huge fan of Boundless. If you are a college/career aged person I strongly challenge you to visit. It's full of encouraging advice no matter where you find yourself.

Today I was reading Boundless and ran across an article that jumped out at me. As I read through Carolyn MacInnes' article on In the Meantime:What to Do While Waiting on God I realized that I needed to apply some of her guidlines to my life.

She spoke about being in that Meantime place when waiting on God to answer your needs & desires. How you should act in "the Meantime."  These are a few of the guidlines I will be putting into place in my life from now on.

• Get to know God. Obviously, I need to always be seeking HIM out. Seeking out HIS thoughts, HIS purpose, HIS design, HIS heart... This should be my first & foremost plan for each day of my life.
• Build a community. Community: those with whom I surround myself. Family and friends. My community is those who are with me no matter what. They don't walk out with things get tough. They are there for me, they counsel me, they build me up, and they simply love me. Community is essential.
• Do what you love. Do what I love. Wow. This is a hard one. I love to do many things. I love meeting new people, I love working with people, I love making a difference, I love photography...etc. The list goes on & on. I am going to have to start eliminating those negative things I don't love in my life. Things that bog me down. Not the essential things, just the little foxes I let into my life. Adios foxes!
• Discover something new. Something new. Finding something new about myself. Example: I have always wanted to paint. I need to discover it & start working towards it.
• Help others. Carolynn McInnes made a fantastic point. She mentioned how we need to step beyond outselves & reach out to others in need. When we get caught up in helping others our own problems become so minor in comparision.
• Buy dishes. This one made me smile. She was using the example about how she wouldn't let her self buy nice dishes because that was for her someday, her hope chest. We get this mindset that we can't treat ourselves to good things now because we need to save it all up for that someday dream. Me? I'm going to buy  some "nice dishes."
• Be reasonable. We need to be reasonable while waiting on God. Be reasonable in your choices, in your actions, and in your thoughts. Don't get caught up in this fantasy Someday that you have built up in your mind. Be reasonable. See things for what they are and what they can become.
• Don't compromise. Wow. Above all else, don't compromise what you believe or who you are. You will always regret it. Stand strong for your beliefs whether they be personal standards or God-given. Stand strong.

I'm going to start putting these steps into place in my life. I can't sit stagnant in my Meantime; stagnant water leads to a foul mess.  I must be like the words of the prophet Isaiah. I must learn to "walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:27-31

27 Why do you complain, Jacob?

Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD;

my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

The List and Joe Boxers

A friend of mine asked me today what do I need in my future mate. It was a thought provoking question.

As I started to answer I realized how much my priorities had changed in the past years.

Every girl in the world, I don't care what they may tell you, 

has a mental List she uses when evaluating males for her potential husband.

When I was twelve years of age my List had two items:

  1) he must wear boxers, preferably JoeBoxers.

2) he must have a deep voice that "thrills me."

Obviously I had high aspirations as a twelve year old.

Then as I got older The List changed up a bit.

Words like provider, wealthy, good dresser, and educated, started to appear on The List.

Finally a couple of years ago my List began to see finally see maturity in it's "musts" for a future mate.

 If you read it you would see caregiver, provider, lover of God, want kids and be willing to adopt.

All of these "wants" were very important.

But  today when my friend asked me what do I need, it put a different spin on The List. 

Not what do I want but what do I need.

And this was my response: 

I need to know that I can completely trust him. I need to know that he will be open with me about his thoughts, emotions & actions.

I need to be able to trust him with my heart, mind, and soul; with my dreams, desires, & hopes.

 I need someone on whom I can lean when I feel like I can’t go on in life.

 I need a supporter of dreams, no matter how wild.

I need a truth-speaker. I need a provider. 

I need to know he is kind, gentle and the man in God I need him to be.

He doesn’t have to be wildly handsome or overly romantic, just someone on whom I can depend.

I don’t need perfection but I do need the above things.

Sure, I want other attributes like a wealthy, smiling boxers and a body Matthew McCaughney would dream of having but do I need those attributes? No.

My List can just be things I need not things I want.



Thoughts of my Heart

"Just remember that God has written His own story for you and it's not the feelings of your heart that it should be based upon but rather the thoughts of your heart that you need to hear.

That inner voice that tells you that this man will care for you no matter what, that he'll still want to kiss you when you're old and gray. Tend to you when you're sick. Honor you."

 -Marty, Loves' Enduring Promise

 Recently, my heart has been full of thoughts; thoughts of past, present and future.

Thoughts of Past: These last few weeks I've spent time reconnecting with old friends. It's been a needed step. As life takes it's natural course some friendships slowly unravel, others strengthen, and some just drift away as if they never were. I've been working on strengthening those unraveling relationships; the one's to which I don't dedicate enough time or effort. It's been a process of re-training myself to not be so selfish and to pour more of my emotional energy into these friendships. But they're worth it. These are the friends who will always be in my life; a constant reminders of better times and hopeful futures.

Thoughts of Present: Currently my heart and mind has been pulling in so many various directions; so many heart thoughts these days. My heart is full of hopes, dreams, doubts and worries. During this present time I'm learning trust and patience to be very hard life lessons. The song says, "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word..." I'm finding that I've interpreted that song to mean "tis so EASY to trust in Jesus..."  Completely trusting Him is not the easiest of tasks. I find myself laying my worries in His highly capable hands and then taking them right back into my hands because I lack the patience in allowing Him to deal with them. When things aren't occurring in the time frame I want, I tend to want to take charge and worry those cares along MY CHOSEN path. However, I am quickly learning that when I take matters into my own frail hands I open the door for emotional, spiritual, and physical chaos. Patience is key when trusting Him with my present worries over my future.

Thoughts of Future: The future has been occupying most of my heart thoughts lately. I can't walk down a street, watch a movie, open a book, read FB or Twitter, or sit with my family without thinking about my future. The other day I opened a magazine and saw an advertisement for adoption. My heart about went into overdrive thinking about my child who is out there somewhere just waiting for their mom. Precious one, I'm coming,... Just keep waiting for me. My heart thinks about my unborn biological children. What will their names be? Which parent will they look like? I hope they're little rascals with terrific imaginations. I know they will have a great Dad because I'm waiting & praying for him to be. He will be a leader. He will be strong and wise. He will be kind, honorable and loving. He will laugh and cry with me. He will be one on whom I can lean and trust. He will be Christ-centered and kingdom minded. We will serve God with all that we have. We will work in ministry doing our part in rescuing the dying lives of those around us. We will be driven by passion and fueled with a desire for His will to be accomplished in us. 

These are the thoughts of my heart. They give me hope and purpose because I know the One who holds my life in His hands. Sometimes I forget to trust Him with my heart thoughts. Sometimes I try to skip ahead in my story. But He IS patience and He has trust in me because He designed me. And God does NOT create junk.

And knowing this great, wonderful, beautiful, hopeful fact, I pull a Mary, Mother of Jesus & "hold these things in my heart." I hold onto these thoughts of past, present, & future and I hold them close.