"...to whom God has given wealth and possessions and
power to enjoy them."
1 timothy 6:17
No one can deny, and everyone loves to note, how it's the little things that matter, happiness is lived in the daily moments. We are a crew of creation who love laughing, feeling good, being supported by other crazies, and enjoying what we are doing. I love that. We should want more of it. I believe that we were made to want the best, the happiest, the most satisfying things we can get a hold of. I believe we should not starve those desires but feed them. I also believe most of us go looking for happiness in all the wrong places, but I would never tell someone to stop looking. Go forth! And look! Look for happiness! Enjoy your life!
"Set [your] hopes on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy." When Paul wrote the first letter to Timothy and used the word "everything" I believe he meant it. Enjoy everything, for in God everything is enjoyable. Enjoy a glass of cold Coca-Cola! Enjoy your day off of school. Enjoy pins and words and boards and art that just make you smile a little bit. Enjoy conversation, texts and speaking with friends and people. Enjoy grocery shopping! Enjoy eating! Enjoy a change of plans. Enjoy being tired because staying up late with people you love was happy. Enjoy going to bed early and feeling great in the morning. Enjoy. Enjoy everything.
“And so taking the long way home through the market I slow my pace down.
It doesn't come naturally.
My legs are programmed to trot briskly and my arms to pump up and down like pistons,
but I force myself to stroll past the stalls and pavement cafes.
To enjoy just being somewhere, rather than rushing to somewhere.
I take a moment to just stop and look around me. And smile to myself."
alexandra potter
alexandra potter
Enjoy being somewhere. Actually enjoy it. You have power to enjoy this world and these things. And note a fizzy drink or heavy drink or healthy drink will not make you fully happy. It will not satisfy you forever. Note that an extra day of break in school is not the source of all happiness. Note that being liked and feeling good and being productive won't eternally fill you. There is a greater happiness then these things, they all point to something else, they are tastes of a better, lasting happiness. But they are indeed happy presents for us! In God everything is enjoyable. In God.
So what is my point? Well, on my first work day of the year I'm openly admitting a few things to readers and friends and anonymous hate-aaaz (who actually make me happy because they make me laugh and I love to laugh!) Here's the deal:
- I enjoy good food and junk food and eating food.
- I enjoy being my ideal weight and fitting into a certain size.
- I enjoy the feeling after a run.
This year only one of those last three things were prominent. I enjoyed food a lot. But that leaves me today not enjoying my size. I'm not depressed or downtrodden about it ;) I'd just like to enjoy putting on an outfit and looking in the mirror. I don't enjoy leaving my warm house and going into the cold to pound around on pavement. But one of my favorite feelings in the world is to return to that warm home after a run. I feel great, I genuinely enjoy the feeling. So. I am determined to find a way to enjoy all three. It may mean prioritizing my enjoyment some, but I will enjoy savory food shared with friends, I will enjoy the way I fit in clothes, and I will enjoy that soaring after-run high this year.
So what is my point? Well, on my first work day of the year I'm openly admitting a few things to readers and friends and anonymous hate-aaaz (who actually make me happy because they make me laugh and I love to laugh!) Here's the deal:
- I enjoy good food and junk food and eating food.
- I enjoy being my ideal weight and fitting into a certain size.
- I enjoy the feeling after a run.
This year only one of those last three things were prominent. I enjoyed food a lot. But that leaves me today not enjoying my size. I'm not depressed or downtrodden about it ;) I'd just like to enjoy putting on an outfit and looking in the mirror. I don't enjoy leaving my warm house and going into the cold to pound around on pavement. But one of my favorite feelings in the world is to return to that warm home after a run. I feel great, I genuinely enjoy the feeling. So. I am determined to find a way to enjoy all three. It may mean prioritizing my enjoyment some, but I will enjoy savory food shared with friends, I will enjoy the way I fit in clothes, and I will enjoy that soaring after-run high this year.
- I enjoy the relationship I have with my parents. I don't just love them, I really really like them!
- I enjoy children, especially my siblings.
- I enjoy living on my own in Maryland and being "independent." It's fun.
Again, this year it seems that I have let one of the three of these categories take over to the point where I don't fully enjoy all three the way I'd like or think is right. I miss my parents. Yes, we text and talk and chit-chat. But, as anyone could tell you, keep a long-distance relationship with ANYone thriving and well is hard. I want a thriving, close, laugh-ing, fun, better relationship with my parents (and all those kids!) this year. Don't get me wrong: It's not like all of a sudden we aren't friends. But I want it to almost seem like they are here. I want them to be a part of my days and weeks like they are when they are sitting on the couch or around the table after a long day. That kind of involvement will take concentrated effort on my part, but I want it because I so enjoy and love and need them.
- I love writing, journaling, letter-ing and blogging.
- I enjoy means to remember and share "happy gifts" of life.
- I enjoy talking to, meeting with and learning about people in person.
Surprise surprise, one of these "things" has outweighed the others. The means we have this modern day of using Facebook, Twitter, texting, Pinterest, tumblr, Instagram, etc to share life with other people is good and enjoyable. But you know what I realized? I don't actually enjoy Facebook. Sure, it's fun to stalk. It's fun to get likes on statuses. But for whatever reason for me I really don't enjoy it. I LOVE Instagram. And Pinterest. And I have a growing love for Twitter. And I love love love love blogging. But Facebook? Eh. I look back this last year and don't think I wrote enough. I don't think I blogged nearly enough. I wish I had talked with more people - really talked with them. I wish I had fleshed out my thoughts on a verse or lyric or statement instead of just posting it on my status. For example, today I listened to a message and wrote this sentence down from it:
"He seems more bothered with complaining then self-indulgence.
Self indulgence may be misapplying the goodness of God,
but complaining denies the goodness of God."
My automatic thought was to post it on Facebook. Even though I had already started writing this very post. But you know what I would really enjoy doing? I would enjoy writing about that sentence. I would enjoy taking it to people and having a conversation with them about it - either in person or online. I would love to engage that sentence and make it meaningful in my life, not just inspirational for a second. Therefore, I'm getting off Facebook. (I will keep my business page.) In order to force myself to do what I enjoy, to use the power I have to enjoy things, I want to just get rid of personal Facebook altogether. The words and pictures I post on Facebook and the "likes" and interaction I get from there, I would like to move to my blog. Or to person-to-person storytelling and enjoying.
I suppose this is somewhat of a New Years Resolution, and I don't remember ever doing one of these ;) Typical me. But I feel very passionate about it this year. I'm fanatical about enjoying life and people through God. I have more to say on the matter, but I realize I have more time to say it. So we'll close off the first blog post of the year right here.
With love and joy,
Kristen
- I enjoy children, especially my siblings.
- I enjoy living on my own in Maryland and being "independent." It's fun.
Again, this year it seems that I have let one of the three of these categories take over to the point where I don't fully enjoy all three the way I'd like or think is right. I miss my parents. Yes, we text and talk and chit-chat. But, as anyone could tell you, keep a long-distance relationship with ANYone thriving and well is hard. I want a thriving, close, laugh-ing, fun, better relationship with my parents (and all those kids!) this year. Don't get me wrong: It's not like all of a sudden we aren't friends. But I want it to almost seem like they are here. I want them to be a part of my days and weeks like they are when they are sitting on the couch or around the table after a long day. That kind of involvement will take concentrated effort on my part, but I want it because I so enjoy and love and need them.
- I love writing, journaling, letter-ing and blogging.
- I enjoy means to remember and share "happy gifts" of life.
- I enjoy talking to, meeting with and learning about people in person.
Surprise surprise, one of these "things" has outweighed the others. The means we have this modern day of using Facebook, Twitter, texting, Pinterest, tumblr, Instagram, etc to share life with other people is good and enjoyable. But you know what I realized? I don't actually enjoy Facebook. Sure, it's fun to stalk. It's fun to get likes on statuses. But for whatever reason for me I really don't enjoy it. I LOVE Instagram. And Pinterest. And I have a growing love for Twitter. And I love love love love blogging. But Facebook? Eh. I look back this last year and don't think I wrote enough. I don't think I blogged nearly enough. I wish I had talked with more people - really talked with them. I wish I had fleshed out my thoughts on a verse or lyric or statement instead of just posting it on my status. For example, today I listened to a message and wrote this sentence down from it:
"He seems more bothered with complaining then self-indulgence.
Self indulgence may be misapplying the goodness of God,
but complaining denies the goodness of God."
My automatic thought was to post it on Facebook. Even though I had already started writing this very post. But you know what I would really enjoy doing? I would enjoy writing about that sentence. I would enjoy taking it to people and having a conversation with them about it - either in person or online. I would love to engage that sentence and make it meaningful in my life, not just inspirational for a second. Therefore, I'm getting off Facebook. (I will keep my business page.) In order to force myself to do what I enjoy, to use the power I have to enjoy things, I want to just get rid of personal Facebook altogether. The words and pictures I post on Facebook and the "likes" and interaction I get from there, I would like to move to my blog. Or to person-to-person storytelling and enjoying.
I suppose this is somewhat of a New Years Resolution, and I don't remember ever doing one of these ;) Typical me. But I feel very passionate about it this year. I'm fanatical about enjoying life and people through God. I have more to say on the matter, but I realize I have more time to say it. So we'll close off the first blog post of the year right here.
With love and joy,
Kristen