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It's my birthday today.
Two years ago, I wrote a
birthday contemplation about peeling away the old to reveal the growth underneath. I looked to the manzanita tree to
visualize the process of
becoming. Time went by.
Ten months ago I wrote about how I was
Thinking About Thinking, and
praying for God to continuously untangle me from the sometimes unintentional, but destructive thinking that was determining my actions. Time went by.
At the beginning of 2011 I wrote reluctantly about
my struggle with my weight and my desire to see God's strength victorious in the place of my greatest weakness and failure. I discovered my need for a new
perspective and a
good attitude toward a life-long problem. Time went by.
A little over four months ago I wrote about a
bizarre encounter that held up a mirror to my heart. That mirror shockingly revealed the truth, I was my own mean girl! From the moment I realized I was actually mistreating an Image-bearer, I
stopped (read that "obeyed")! Completely. Time went by.
On July 20th I wrote,
"Father, I want to be well." Eight days later I took
one concrete step toward getting there. That first step inspired other steps, and each day is now an opportunity to stack up steps in the right direction. I don't get everything right every day. I don't really even try. But every step toward my goals is progress and gets me closer than spending another day putting it off because the destination seems overwhelmingly far away. Time is passing and I am continuing to make progress.
Vision + Prayer + Perspective + Obedience + Action + Time = GROWTH!!
As I look back, I see a thread that runs directly through each of these posts that has continually moved me into the
growth I first visualized two years ago. Okay Lord. Seriously, am I harder to turn than the Titanic? I must be to take so long to see progress. But it IS progress, and I am struck by the power of a changed want-to. It may have taken awhile for it all to gel, but the manzanita tree takes a full year of growth before it sheds its old bark, so I guess I'm in pretty good company. I'm just thankful that my impatience has not stopped the growth God was producing all along, even when I couldn't really see anything happening.
I still have a long way to go, but looking back to see how far I've come encourages me that a little bit of patience and some sustained obedience over time will see me all the way through to the realization of my goals.
If you are where I was, thinking tomorrow would be a better day to start toward a far distant goal, I pray that God would lift your head today and that you would begin to see His unstoppable faithfulness in helping you grow. He's working even when you can't see ANYTHING happening!
"The wise are mightier than the strong,
and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger."
Do you need to take a backward glance to notice some progress?
How will you collect some touchstones of growth in your life?
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Joining Ann Voskamp in counting His graces for her Multitudes on Mondays
I hope you'll join in if you haven't already!
In the counting of the endless gifts I say with C. S. Lewis,
#731-745
731. Teaching She So Sweet to crochet
732. Being able to remember how
733. Not taking things for granted
734. New Scotty McCreery song
735. Unhurried time with Drummer Boy
736. Hearing his dreams and detailed plans for a venue for live music
737. The toss of She So Sweet's pretty head when she likes her new haircut
738. When the fog of a headache finally lifts
739. For all the days that aren't smoggy Spare the Air days
740. Being able to sign off a phone conversation with Mom & Daddy with, "See you next week!"
741. The cool in the morning air that means fall is not far off
742. Fun times watching a great movie with my family
743. The truth that peeked out from every corner of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader"
744. Itunes on shuffle in the "Shaunie's Music" playlist, with the speakers turned up!
745. Putting things in order that have desperately needed organizing Joining Michelle DeRusha for:
Joining L.L. Barkat for:
Joining Laura Boggess for:
and joining Jen and her Sisterhood:
A heartfelt thank you to these generous bloggers
who make these communities available!
