I Don't Even Know What To Call This Blog

October 31, 2015

I Don't Even Know What To Call This Blog

There is a lot of sugah-coated-love and neighborly knocking on doors that will take place this weekend. My little Mario is out of town. You guys better save me a Reese's cup.

This 10/31 is different for me. I'm doing some things. Turning stuff down. Clearing out space. Here's how...

Thing 1? (Hahaha... because that's so much better than saying, "Step 1.")

No Notifications November.

Yep. I'm stepping away from allowing social networking to creep into our moments with a little screaming number.

I don't really know how that plays out. I just know that it is the song we're singing right now.

I may be online. I may see a message. I may see notifications. I may not answer.

It's not you. It's me.

Really. (Like, really... really.) I love my online community so much. I'm just going to be a little less available there and more available in the face to face world for a bit... particularly with my own family.

Thing 2?

I'm making room for MIRACLES.

That's a little more basic and a little deeper than it sounds. I might explain more later, but for now I'm looking at 2 guys that I adore... and I want to spend more time with them, for them, about them, and investing in them.

Figuratively, physically, and emotionally, I'm making room for MIRACLES.

It's kind of about beams and batons. Walk with me for a moment down memory lane.

I used to take beam when I was in gymnastics as a child.

It terrified me to my core. No joke.

Beams are SMALL.

Especially once you become accomplished at beam work. The beams get smaller in width and the tricks get fancier. I vividly remember my teacher saying, "And now you will do your back walkover on the beam... and then leap on the beam..."

Much like when she said, "And now you'll do two turns with your baton in the air" during baton class, I just wanted to cry.. and run... and never come back...

Right after we celebrated how cool it was that I could actually pull this off.

I mean, come on... the fancy, dangerous stuff wanted me. Clearly, I had evolved, even if it wasn't the original cloth from which I was cut.

So, I tried. And tried. Tummy aches. Class. Tummy aches. Class. Accomplishments. I COULD do it. I could work harder to "be better" at something I didn't love... but I was MISERABLE doing it.

I'm not into danger, people. I'm not into pain. Some are. Not me. I am a hard worker, though, by design. Always have been.

What I'm finding is that we still have beams as adults.... and as they get smaller, the footwork still gets fancier. We still get things to juggle and twirl in the air... but we get more of them than ever before if we aren't very careful.

Satan will absolutely twist a "good trait" into overdrive if we allow it. He'll whisper sweet nothings from the side of "the fast, dangerous, fancy stuff wants you" side of the coin -- all the while using one of our God-given traits to get us to work harder to be better at a task to which God never called us.

Is the baton bad?

Nope.

Is the beam bad?

Not one bit.

Just not the beam or baton God had in mind for us when he made us.

As it turns out, I actually ended up teaching dance for years. Danced in some Super Bowls and internationally for a little second. Had the privilege of working with and dancing alongside some dance legends. Taught some of the most precious souls on the planet as a Lead Instructor for a season. Even got to do some fancy footwork as a ballroom instructor for a bit.

I was good at what I did and excelled in the places God allowed me to dance, lead, and love. I worked hard, but I didn't work against who He made me to be....

But I never would have known God put strength there if I stayed on that beam or kept that baton in the air over my head....

Because God called Susie to that beam...

And He called Sally to that baton...

He called Christie to fancy footwork (on the GROUND), teaching, gracing a stage, tossing other daring souls into the air (thank you, Jennifer, Kristie, and friends), and hugging hearts for a season.

I had to be willing to quit some things first, though. I had to quit baton. I had to quit beam. I had to make space for the more that He had my name on... even when it looked like less.

Jen Hatmaker talks about what goes on our "beam" in life. Whether we like it or not, we all get a figurative one. Right? She's unapologetic about what goes on hers or doesn't make it on hers, because there is simply not much room up there. and there's a lot of loving to do.

Lysa Terkeurst talks about our "Best Yes." Only allowing ourselves to say yes to the BEST yes answers to which God calls us. There are a lot of GOOD Yes answers... but only a few BEST yes answers.

Turning down the notification noise is my flavor of doing both. Making room for miracles and embracing grace. Clearing off my beam.

Y'all, I'm so excited.

Saying NO or just getting back to things later is sometimes exactly where God opens the door for His more. His more is always so much better than anything I can imagine.

I'll keep you posted, and I'll be peeking in-- even posting still. I just won't be reading or replying as much.

I'm just reading the pages at this house right now with more intensity and fervor than ever before... and writing some new chapters. 10/31 holds a little more than candy and costumes this year. I'm a little bit stoked.