The Resistance, The Fear, The Greatness

There is something that holds each one of us back.

For most of us, it's many things. 

And usually, the things we feel the most resistance toward are the things that will, in the end, advance our souls further, take us to the places we were always meant to go.

What is it that we're so afraid of finding, anyway? 

I think we're most afraid of seeing that we can accomplish something huge, something way beyond ourselves.

All our lives, we are filled with lies from those around us.

These lies can be direct, such as, "You're never going to able to write that novel, serve those people well, impact the world..." 

Or these lies can be indirect, such as believing that we are supposed to live confined to the lifestyle/progression box that our society has carefully crafted for us to fit in. 

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We know of people who do great things. 

Humanitarians, poets, speakers, athletes, performers, Nobel Peace Prize winners...

But we have yet to yield to the possibility of a greatness rising up in our midst, from our very self. 

We deny, upfront, the possibility of anything great rising from within.

Why? 

Because we're scared.

Scared of piercing the perception we've grown accustomed to our whole lives... even if that perception is completely false.

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Well, I have something to tell you.

You can accomplish great things.

You have the power to do something bigger than you could ever imagine.

You have a choice: to listen to the lies you've been told your whole life or to listen to that still, small voice within that tells you, you were made for something so much more; you were made with a purpose in mind; you have a destiny, if you so choose to embrace it.

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Today, I am choosing to heed to the still, small voice that has been trying to speak to me for so long.

I've been running from really hearing it.

Why?

Because I've been afraid.

Afraid of what it might mean to really be made for something bigger than myself.

Afraid that, me, a nobody, a person with very little power and with all too obvious flaws could do something incredible. 

God, I'm ready to listen.

Let's do those great things You've always wanted to do.

Nine Loves (Not to be Confused with the Number of Lives a Cat Has)

I try to refrain from using the word "love" unless I'm actually talking about something I love, like God or people. Saying "I love tots and iPods and God," kind of cheapens the word for me. 

So, for the sake of this post, I'm going to assume that the interpretation for "love" here is an extreme liking for.

In which case, this may be more accurately called "Nine Likes".

(Though, for sake of not wanting to remove the pre-written list in my last post, the title will remain "Nine Loves.")

Moving on...

1. Snow. It's currently snowing, and even though it's probably the sixth time we've had snow this month, I haven't gotten tired of it. It's just so pretty, and it's almost magical. The way it glows at night. The world has to stop for it. And something about it makes you feel like a child. It blankets the earth with a visible peace.

2. A good drink. No, not anything alcoholic. I mean really good coffee or chai or peppermint tea or a blended drink or a smoothie. I'm pretty sure I could live on good drinks if they were always provided. Current favorites: hot coffee -soy peppermint white mocha latte, cold coffee - nonfat mocha, tea - chai or peppermint, blended - soy chai, soy green tea latte, nonfat peppermint mocha or hot chocolate

3. Street music. I love walking downtown somewhere (anywhere) and having live musicians litter the streets. Often, the best people are the ones "undiscovered". 

4. Being in the middle of nowhere. Not all the time (because I do enjoy large cities). But I love being able to get away from the world, and I love knowing that I'm untouchable from the outside world for just a little bit.

5. Art. In pretty much every from. I like doing it; I like watching it. I like seeing people's unique ways of taking ordinary things and making them beautiful. 

6. Perspective. I like seeing things in many ways. I like to gain new perspectives, and learn about different views on life. I like to understand them (at least as much as I can without being in them). 

7. Google. Truly, I go to Google for many of life's most [unimportant] questions. We have a great working relationship.

8. Spinning and swinging. There's something wonderful about doing something that seems almost dangerous but is perfectly safe. Like a free fall you're caught in. It's so carefree. 

9. A good workout. I like feeling like I really gave my all, like I can't give anymore, like I just did some MAJOR work.

10. Being bare. Not as in naked (though, there will come a day for that), as in completely who I am, flaws and all, and being totally okay with it. I like finally having someone to be like this with, who trusts me enough to be the same, and who works with me to find new ways of going deeper.

Ten Secrects

In an attempt to implement the discipline of blogging back into my life, I'm going to do something one of my friends has been doing lately. It's simple, fun, and expository.

Today is ten secrets. While I don't really keep "secrets", there are definitely things about me that few people know. 

1. I don't take medicine. It's something I've been convicted about  for quite a while. The last time I took any was September of 2009. I won't even take vitamins. It's one of those things few quite understand, but that's okay.

2. When I was little, I was super OCD. I had to do certain things in even numbers (like taking steps, touching things a certain amount of times with each hand). I don't think I've ever actually told anyone about this; this really is/was a secret!

3. I like to make things look pretty. I think that's the girl in me, though. It's why I love whipped cream so much. 

4. I miss playing tennis. I really would like to play again, but I wasn't ever that great at it.... which means that now, I'm probably awful. Which is fine... if someone else wouldn't mind playing with me despite my awfulness. But that's tough to find.

5. I would like to cook more. I really like doing it, and I like making things that are a little out there. I just get the opportunity very often. 

6. Commercials about donating to feed animals really irk me (especially the ones heavily laced with emotion). There are starving CHILDREN in the world, and you want me to donate to your stray animal rescue?! No thank you. 

7. While I appreciate a little bit of alone time, I don't really dig being alone. It doesn't freak me out or anything; I just genuinely like being with people - just not huge groups at once. Smallish groups are good; I thrive one on one (and occasionally one on two).

8. My biggest goal in life is to love well with the love of Christ. If that's all I ever accomplish, I will be a successful human being.

9. If I was always able to get good smoothies and coffee drinks cheaply, I would drink my diet. Yum!

10. I can't wear socks to sleep in, even if it's super cold. I won't make it through the night with them on. And even if they're really thin, something about them seems almost constricting to my feet.