Seek love. Find joy. Give grace.
Have you ever had a time where you felt like you just need to get back to the basics? Like somewhere along the line you decided you were doing OK, you were getting by alright, and the basics just didn't apply? Well, I'm totally there.
There has been SO much fun blogging going on in the world. From healthy living inspiration to the best way to keep your New Year's resolutions - I get sucked into that stuff so easily and find myself, 2 hours later, coming out of this dark blog hole of wonderful tips and tricks for self-help. I think I get sucked in because I love having a tangible way to change my life - 10 ways to do this or 5 ways to do that. Like I mentioned in my first Behind the Lens post, I LOVE to win. So anything quantifiable is really great because I can check it off my list and feel all accomplished and what not.
But I'm realizing that somewhere along the line of New Year's resolutions and just getting caught up in hustle and bustle of life, I've left the basics on the side of the road and decided to embark on this journey without them.
Seek love. Find joy. Give grace.
I was laying in bed last night thinking about how I want to define this year. I want to focus on BIG things. I've got BIG dreams. I want to do things that matter and that will make a lasting impact on my heart and the people around me. But I realized quickly that an adventure to something great without all the little somethings is like trying to embark on a long, treacherous journey without the essentials.
Seek love.
Oh, friends. This is the BIG one. This is the one that really makes the rest fall into place. If I truly believe that without love I have absolutely NOTHING, then without the One who first loved I am a lost soul. I want to deeply seek love in every aspect of my life; God, marriage, neighbors.
Find joy.
This one says, "when things are hard, tough and downright painful, I will find the silver lining." I'm sure I will have moments this year where joy comes naturally and others where joy is a lost friend wandering in the wilderness. Rooting joy deeply within myself is the only way to ensure that it won't wander off. It's a choice and I will choose to cling to joy.
Give grace.
Giving grace to someone who doesn't deserve it, giving grace to myself when I think I've totally blown it, giving grace because that's what I'm called to do. Lavishly, abundantly, without any expectation of return. This isn't an "out" for getting away with anything, it's taking full responsibility but realizing that perfection is not in our DNA. Before I point fingers of blame or have a slip of the tongue, I want to lavishly give grace.
So friends, this years motto is about equipping myself for the long road ahead. It's diving deep into these six words and finding true love, joy and grace.
Seek love. Find joy. Give grace.
Han