Today is a thinking day.

Do you ever have those days when you’re not up for much conversation but rather content with your own thoughts? That’s where I am this morning. Quite content in the land of my own thoughts!

It’s rather cloudy out, which always adds a calmness to the day. It also reminds me that fall is on it’s way which leads my mind to think of all the goodness that the autumn season brings! It’s quite possibly my favorite of all seasons (though I do appreciate each in its own timing!) Thinking of fall gives me the warm n’ fuzzes inside… the desire to curl up under a blanket on a wrap-around porch with a piping mug of apple cider to watch the leaves fall and float about!

While that sounds lovely and I could very easily get carried away in the thoughts of autumn, it’s still August! (At least for one more day!) So I’ll hold off on diving any further into the autumnal gladness that fills my cup until we can actually say it’s fall!

But back to thinking… thoughts consume our lives and when you have days upon days where you’re not overly busy shuffling from one thing to another, this is all the more true. So today, is a thought-filled day for me, a brainstorming day. Already, in the three hours I’ve been awake, my brain has entertained thoughts about friendships, organization ideas, marriage, dreams I had last night, what to have for breakfast, blog post ideas for the future, things I need to do today, things I need to do that I don’t want to do today, the weather, family, prayers, fund-raising, work, schedules, and much more! (Our brains are amazing that they can handle all that we think everyday!)

So I think that instead of wishing the day of thinking away as I often might do in an attempt to get things done… I will embrace it. I will brainstorm, I will think on the things which pop into my mind at a second’s notice. It may not be autumn yet but I can grab a cup of my favorite Chai tea, curl up in my amazing green chair (you’ll learn more of this wonder soon!) and enjoy my thoughts.

Here’s to hoping you are off to the beginning of a wonder-filled week! Take some time to slow down and think! Thinking is good.

Enjoi Today!

Shannon

Often times a song comes along that all the lyrics just click for your life…
this week for me, it’s ”Let’s Go” by Group1Crew…

“Let’s Go”

I’ve heard life is like a box of sweet delights
But in reality every day is a fight
So we hold on to the promise
That things happen for reasons
We may not understand it
But faith keeps us believin’

And I know that we can make it
With faith in our hearts, we can face it
Any mountain that comes our way
We can move

There’s never a right time
To get up and live life
You only got one try
So take what you’ve been given

And make time
To turn someone’s day bright
And change how we live life
The future’s what we make it, so let’s go

We’re in a time when sun don’t shine in all places
Typically nose to the grind just to make it
Take the same old, see the same faces
Sayin’ it’s the hand we’ve been dealt so we take it

But if life’s what we make it
I’m a turn the world around
Make the poor people famous
Make the B the new A list
Give your Facebook page a new face-lift

And every status you post
Will compliment who you are
The whole world’s dark
While you shine like a star
Then bring hatred to an end
And watch the honor
Of our generation come alive again

It’s the right time
To get up and live life
You only got one try
So take what you’ve been given

And make time
To turn someone’s day bright
And change how we live life
The future’s what we make it, so let’s go

Yeah, we got brighter days ahead
I know you got dreams, I believe in them
I know you got problems too, forget them
‘Cause life’s too short so let’s begin

Yep, see it’s all about you
You are the change the world needs to view
‘Cause when we change, the world changes too
And it’s a small world after all

‘Cause I got something that’ll change the world
Moms to the dads, every boy and girl
All I wanna do is show ya how it could be
If ya open up and let your spirit free

So let’s go

It’s another beautiful day here in the Twin Cities and I’m enjoying the fact that I can sit outside my apartment building and enjoy the sunshine, mid-70s temp and the cool breeze! I love these kind of days!

So you can gather that I’m all about living life in the moment and enjoying it! But more than just enjoying beautiful days and things that inspire me, there’s one BIG ole’ reason I love life! There’s a pretty awesome God who created me to be unique, to love on people, and who has put the pieces of my life together as a puzzle since before I was born. This blog would never be complete without my faith-journey weaving between the inspirational finds, photos and thoughts! After all, it is who I am!

This week, I began reading through the book of Romans in an attempt to get back into a daily routine of spending time in the Scriptures. Yesterday as I was reading Chapter 4 about Abraham, I was reminded that our life is God’s-story – not Abraham’s, not ours! There were several verses that stuck out to me as I read that made my heart full because I have such a desire for people (and myself) to be exactly where God calls them to be… to live within His story, but to not make it complicated as I feel a lot of folks do these days!

As I was reading, there was verse (12) that truly caught my heart and mind. The writer is speaking of people being set right by God and with God “… not just because of ritual but because they are willing to live in the risky faith-embrace of God’s action for them!”

The term “risky faith-embrace of God’s action” is EXACTLY where I want to live! It’s exactly where I feel like I do live most days and where I want to be remembered for living! Often, we try to make others believe that we’re willing to do or go anywhere for God, that we can be risk takers. But most people want and are completely satisfied with being comfortable, having to see before they believe and worrying when things aren’t going according to their own plans. Yet, if you step out as this verse talks about, you will actually see God’s actions in your life so much clearer! Being comfortable doesn’t allow room for God to show you new things or experiences.

I want to always be willing to live where God wants me, not where others think I should be or where they believe is safe for me. I’ve never dreamt about or wanted to live the “normal” life that most Americans dream of… just not in my DNA. Life shouldn’t be about being safe, having set plans, making money or following some norm that’s been created by society – It’s about embracing God’s actions and being willing to risk for the best life possible!

This chapter of Romans served as a reminder of why I love life, why I live the way I do. I don’t worry, I don’t have to be thinking of future plans or follow the norm, but I must always be willing to live in the risky-faith embrace of God’s actions!

Are you willing risk for the best life possible?