2018 The Year of "NOT"

Image Cred Belongs to Tim Okamura

Like all good bloggers probably try to do, I started writing a post for the New Year. I wanted to have it finished in time to post just before we rang in 2018, but I just wasn't feeling where my post was going. As per usual I started writing about resolutions that I wanted to undertake for the next 12 months, but I wasn't satisfied. I decided to sit on my thoughts for a little while so I could write about something that I truly believed in. I decided that this was going to be the "Year of NOT".

January 1st of any given year since I have no idea when, has probably been spent with people talking about what they were going to do, but I decided that people should make this the year of what they were not going to do.

1. I WILL NOT try to change my physical appearance for the approval of any other human being other than myself - The most commonly discussed New Year's resolution is to lose weight, get in shape, anything that has to do with changing our physical form. But ask yourself are you REALLY doing it for yourself or are you doing it for someone else? I've made a promises to myself similar to this so many times that I've lost count. On the surface I convince myself that I'm doing it for health reasons, "I just want to get in shape."etc. But in reality, I think that if I looked more like the women on the cover of magazines other than the plus-size goddess that I am, that someone will find me attractive. Don't be mistaken, I do want to be what is considered a healthy weight; however, in the past I wasn't successful because my true impetus wasn't ME! This year make whatever changes you need to, just make sure you're doing it for YOU!

What Do You Want God To Do For You In Your "Singleness"?

Big question right? We all think we know what we want until someone actually asks us to verbalize our thoughts and/or feelings on the subject.

We have a singles ministry in our church, like so many other churches do. We meet once a month and discuss various topics or just hang out and fellowship. We were about to end a night of fellowship when the group facilitator walks around and asks each of us in turn, to think about the question, "What do you want God to do for you in your singleness". I sat there for minute, some what stunned. The first thing that I wanted to say would have been right on point for a Christian singles group, "I'm fine with being single! My relationship with Christ is all that I need!"....the problem was, that was a TOTAL LIE! That wasn't how I really felt AT ALL!

Valentine's Day Survival For Those On The Single Tip!

So today's the day! The ONE day that's globally dedicated to what? Love! Which, by the way can be the singular worst day for someone that's single. Between all of the Happy Valentine's Day and the "Look at me and my Boo!" social media posts, those of us living on the "Single Tip" just may find ourselves fighting the urge to throw up. Be not dismayed! Valentine's Day can still be your friend.

Make Valentine's Day About Friends And Family - First let's start with the obvious, the major plot point of this particular day is love between couples, that's what has been stressed by holiday marketers every where for ages. (Ok, it does kind of go along with the very inception of the holiday and all of that, BUT it can be so much more.) Buy a box of those kiddie Valentine's Day cards and give them to your family and friends! Let them know how much you love them and give them giggle at the same time!

Plan An Outing With Other Singles - Get together with other single friends to celebrate friendship, NOT to highlight the fact that you're single. Good food, good fun, and great friendship will go a long way today and every other day. All love is not Eros love, there's also Agape love. While we might want the Eros kind, it's the Agape kind that makes the world and our lives better for sharing it.

It's My Life And I'm Going To Live It! My Mantra For 2016

It's the beginning of 2016 and this year, I decided to do things a little bit differently than in years past. Yeah, yeah, in the past I had done the same thing a millions of other people. I made "New Years Resolutions". I've even gone so far as to purchase a journal for my resolutions so I could chronicle my progress as I went along.  And again like millions of other people by month three most of my resolutions has fallen by the wayside.

This year I decided that I was simply going to focus on becoming the best me that I can. As a single working mother of four, I have always put others before myself, my job, my children. Now that they are just about all adults, I can finally take time for me, time to fill up that which I have let go empty for far too long. Now this doesn't mean that I'm going to take on the mantle of "Dead Beat Mom", far from it.

I've been told by other women in the past, "If you don't take the time to take care of yourself and your needs, how are you going to continue to pour into others?" Or like they say on the airlines, " In the event of an emergency please place your oxygen mask on yourself first before assisting someone else." It's just starting to sink in, that all of this is true.

So where to begin? Spirit first, mind second, and body third.

I need to spend more time with God. I pray daily, and I study the word, but not as much as I should. I want to actively seek a closer relationship with God, to earnestly seek His face in all that I do, and to let Him lead me on the path that He has for me. My Mom has this saying, "Let the dead bury the dead." Let the past stay in the past, there are people that really should have been let go a long time ago.