My One Little Word for 2012 - SIMPLE

I have always been one who had lots of 'things' going on...activities, work, responsibilities, hobbies...lots of things to do!!

As I've said before, some of that comes from just plain being interested in lots of things, and part of it came from staying so busy that I wouldn't have to listen to those voices in my head, the ones that laugh at me, or tell me I'm not good enough, or that God only loves me because He has to, but that He doesn't really.

Well praise be to God, through much work of the Holy Spirit, He has healed and set me free from most of those voices.  Or if they still do come around, I recognize them for what they are and can banish them.

During the last several months, as God has opened my eyes and my heart and showed me what it really means to be close to Him, I find myself somewhat resentful of all my activities and the energy and focus they require.  Go Figure!!!  (My husband would say hallelujah!!)

Ohhh....but that leaves the painful part of this whole thing...what to give up??!!

Before I decide what to give up, I really need to decide what my priorities are going to be for 2012.

So here goes...

1)  God - whatever activities bring me closer to him.

2)  Arlie

3)  Health - physical, mental, and emotional.

4)  Family and Friends

5)  Ministry - Lakeside and First Call Pregnancy Center

So for right now, I'm going to stop.  Because that's really a pretty big list.  But it's smaller than it used to be...:)  And, yay!! Most of them have to do with relationships, not stuff I have to do!!

FINALLY, what a growth spurt for me (spiritually, that is).  To finally learn and really live the fact that relationships are what matters, not what I do.  In fact, it's more about pointing the way to Christ in my relationships - that's KEY!!

You might have noticed that work is not on the list.  Not because it isn't a priority...it is...gotta make a living.  But it's something I do.  There are rarely decisions I have to make...go to work or don't go to work.  I wish I was in that position.

But what I can do is make work a ministry opportunity.  Use it as a place to show the love of Christ and a life lived and decisions made with integrity.

So now that I have my list of priorities in order, I can start filtering all I do through them.  If it doesn't fit into one of those, then I will have to consider long and hard before I say yes.

PS.  You see that I haven't really crossed anything off my list yet...:)) That'll be the next thing.

baby steps...baby steps