An Invitation to Intentional Living

Last year as I rounded the bases towards my 35th Birthday I realized how quickly I had become unhappy with my life.  Being able to stay home for 8 years now, oh sure, I was glad for my husband, children, and stay at home status, but I found that any sense of joy or purpose was missing from my life. 

After praying I realized that I was living my life without a sense of intention.  I was missing the purpose, the reasoning, the feelings, the savoriness of life.

Often times I was too busy rushing through the day to day to realize the beauty of the gift of a single day here on earth.  I was hustling to get dinner on the table without enjoying the food, eating without enjoying a meal. 

So at 35 I decided not to waste another day.  I would enjoy every day.  Even the bad ones.  Even the horrible ones.  I would find something to enjoy.

In this journey I have discovered more joy than I ever thought possible.  God has opened my eyes to what a gift life truly is.  How a pretty set table really does make the food taste better.  How amazing it is that leaves turn up in a storm to collect rain.  How incredible it all is, working together.

See, I have spent my life thinking there was something wrong with me.  I've always been the girl (now the 35 year old girl) who could do all things okay-ish, but not one thing particularly, whoopee-well. 

I always assumed God had made a mistake with me.  Well, that or that there must be something out there I would be great at if only I could discover what that is (coal mining, perhaps?). 

I felt incomplete.  I felt lost, until one week I got away to examine my life.  It's amazing when you sit in a place and talk with God and just listen.  He sure laid a lot on my heart.  I finally felt that I understood what He was trying to do with my life, how He was using me with all of my okay-ish gifts. 

See, I'm good at all of these things in order to love and serve my family simply through living intentionally.

I may never be able to bake well enough to own my own bakery but I do an alright job of it to surprise our children with cookies, cupcakes, and doughnuts I baked for them for Valentine's Day. 

I may never be a professional party planner but I can plan a pretty great all out American Girl themed birthday party for our little girl to make her feel valued and treasured. 

And that's why I'm here. 

On this earth, I'm here to love my family through serving them.  To live intentionally to provide them memories, love, affection, and protection that will smother them with God's love so they'll be equipped to go out in this world and know how loved they are. 

And I'm at this computer to help you do the same for your family.  To help you learn how to bake a cake, wrap a gift, teach latin, whatever.  But to walk with you down a path leading to intention and joy through serving and loving our families. 

I invite you to start living intentionally for the Lord.  To look for his goodness in this world.  To love through serving your family.

And if you want to follow along with my journey, I'd love to have you for a friend and we can make mistakes together. 

After all,

The joy is in our journey!