January 1, 2013

• rEacHable GoAls

  Some far out dreams need to be laid down in the interest of peace and contentment.  Most of the time I’m resigned to the fact that I will likely never write anything brilliant, sing Handel’s Messiah, visit Italy, or learn to play the piano at nearly 40.

  Then there are goals/dreams that are on a back burner and you know they might always stay there, simmering away.  Mine are things like adopting a Down’s syndrome child from Serbia or Russia, visiting Chile, having a sister who lives next door and an avacado or pecan tree in the backyard, studying at Faith Builders with Dan, taking a watercolor or writing class, feeding hungry people under a burning Ugandan sun.

  But we need short term goals too, or life crumbles away. I remember feeling really discouraged at the beginning of last year because life felt like a meaningless cycle and the year ahead looked overwhelming.  But this year is different and I am surprised by hope.  I have a burning desire to purge and clean and maybe even beautify.  During the baby years (which lasted pretty long here ) things were left to themselves and the result is not pretty.  I want to blame my lack of focus and discipline on the depression battle and mother-hood induced ADD.  I do okay with making things look under control on the surface.  But lately I can’t keep my mind off of how it would feel to have everything deep cleaned and organized.  I pray that some of this incessant dreaming can become reality.  It will take a miracle, but I am going to try to do my part.

  Yesterday I had an unexpected trip to town to pick Dan up while he got the windshield replaced on the pickup.  We went to Tim Horton’s for coffee and with the winter sunshine streaming in the windows and the busyness of our small city happening around us, I realized again that the important goals of life are attainable for anyone, no matter what year we’re entering or living in or saying goodbye to. 

  Like gratefulness.  It hits me when I pick a pineapple from the produce section.  Do you realize what a privilege that is?

  And love.  The stuff that overwhelms me when I see a little purple polly pocket shoe on the floor of the car and think of the brown curls and brown eyes that go with the little person who dropped it.

  And joy.  Because it’s a bright blue day and the sun is shining on white snow and there’s turkey soup for supper.

  And friendship.  What’s better than meeting a neighbor in the produce section of the supermarket and chatting till you feel like you’re in someone’s way and need to move along?

  So while life is complicated, it’s also so simple that I miss it sometimes.  My 2013 goals are brief:

  1) To know God better.

  2) To live simply.

  3) To give more.

  4) To expect less.

   These are the goals I want most to reach, even when the house is in shambles and life in general is just plain messy.

  ~Hope, love, and peace to you.

   

   

  • 7:40 pm
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