What Are You Going To Leave Behind

As we are fast approaching the end of the year, or the beginning of a new year, depending on how you look at it, I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

First of all, I LOVE this time of year! I love reflecting. I love praying and planning for the new year. I love fresh new starts. There is so much hope and promise for the future.

This year I have been contemplating what things I want to leave behind more so than what do I want to change in the coming year. There is a lot of ‘baggage’ I want to leave behind. A couple of months ago I began to really seek the Lord on what changes He would have me make. A few things that I have already purged are:

• Deactivating Facebook (so utterly freeing, and I didn’t really ever post on it)(don’t even get me started on my opinion of some of this social networking!)


• Dumped my Yahoo email account, which after ten years had accumulated way too much spam!


• I put all my favorite blogs into an RSS reader so as to not have to wait for them to load fully before I can start reading them. And, I only have to check when they are updated.


• I ruthlessly purged blogs that I check almost daily. There is so many encouraging blogs out there, but I cannot follow them all. I have to only take the time to read the ones that really minister to me. I encourage you to do the same. Please don’t waste your time reading my blog or any others if they do not encourage or edify you.


• I deleted folders full of favorites (I found when I would have filled time with Facebook or blogs I started to go visit blogs I had saved for whatever reason in my favorites. Kind of a ‘cold turkey’ method)


• I am sure it is against all blogging etiquette but I simply cannot comment on all my favorite blogs. Also, I love a comment like the rest of you, but I would rather you spend your time being a wife or mama than making me feel good. (did I say that out loud? )


• Limit even more the phone calls I answer during the day.


• Set boundaries around how I spend my time. Timers come in handy here!


• There are also things like fear, fear of man, anxiety, grumbling and complaining, doubt, rejection, harshness . . . all things I’d like to leave behind here in 2010.

Some things I am seeking to establish as part of my daily or weekly routine are:

• Additional time of prayer. I have had a regular ‘quiet time’ for many years, but feel the need to ‘kick it up a notch’ with my prayer time. I am currently able to fit this in during our lunch time.


• I also have been working way more diligently than ever in the past on memorizing scripture. I have always ‘tried’ to memorize scripture, but honestly, not whole heartedly. I have been memorizing the book of Ephesians since the first of November. I stumble, but I am seeking to persevere in this.


• Another thing that I stumble so often in and am seeking to establish as routine is ‘give thanks in all things’ and/or keeping up with some sort of gratitude list/journal. I desire that this be as routine as eating or brushing my teeth.


• QUIET voice! See, I am shouting even telling you about wanting to have a quiet voice. Oh, to speak quietly, softly and gently.


• Being a very good steward of my time. Being very purposeful with my minutes. Just how much of my day should be spent sowing to the flesh? Just how long do I have to look into the eyes of these children and show them the Father’s heart? I would like to hear by the Holy Spirit many times throughout the day, ‘is this what the Father would have me doing right now?’

Whew, there you have it, my year end/year beginning thoughts. Picture a ‘threshold’ in front of you. What do you wish to leave behind you as you step over that threshold? What would you like to pick up on your way through?