2018 has arrived and I have no goals or resolutions. I haven’t done the big introspective dive to discern any future decisions or prepare for the new year. Perhaps if the new year started on the first day of summer, I might be more inclined to invest in the reflection-resolution quest…
But someone somewhere thought it necessary to begin a new year after the hoopla of the holidays, which to me is downright malicious. Who has the energy to do all that inner work, when we moms are inundated in the confines of our homes with #allthingskids and the chaos and clutter #allthingskids brings. The holiday break, full of its relentless messes, feeding frenzies, and destruction of the systematic structure that was built with our bare, bleeding, chapped hands, is surely not the time to do any sort of evaluation of Any. Thing.
First, let me finish taking down the decorations, put the remaining gifts away, and for all that is Holy, let me drink my cup of coffee in peace, mkay?
I finally get to sit here in an empty quiet house, coffee in hand, typing on these old familiar keys. Ah… I take in a long peaceful breath and I whisper a sweet “Hallelujah”. If you are still breathing after the long Christmas break, I’m sure you’re singing some praises too. Let’s be honest here folks, it’s all about survival from Thanksgiving to about now, amiright?
Don’t get me wrong. There are many magical moments that rise up out of the craziness and there are glorious gatherings and fun filled events and all the cute performances that we record. There’s the decorating and cookie baking and anticipation of it all that can be quite exhilarating if you let it.
And of course, being a woman of faith- I cherish the Holiness of it all. The promise of that Babe in the manger, and the hope of Heaven on earth. But if I were to be real with you, the sacred sometimes gets squashed in the madness. I mean, you’d think you’d find it in church, and then you are forced to sit in the overflow room of the overflow room of the sanctuary- with about 30 other people watching tv and that just doesn’t seem to do it for me.
Shame.
But I’ve never really been one to find it on THE day the calendar tells me to, anyway. I often fall to my knees in the oddest of moments at the most random of times. It’s as if The Holy Spirit swoops in and pours through my body when I least expect it, and God’s presence is so pure and profound- it could be nothing of my own nature. Oh, do I love when that happens.
And if I quiet myself enough… it happens more.
Makes sense, right?
How is God supposed to get your attention if you aren’t paying attention?
So onward we go, into 2018.
I usually am a deep thinker, a true believer, a passionate dreamer. This is where I would give my first fresh, inspirational ditty of 2018 for you, my dear reader, to soak up, take in, and perhaps be moved in some possible way.
But kind of like Christmas in a supplemental to the supplemental tv room at church, I’m just not feelin’ it.
This new fresh start into 2018 doesn’t feel, well, fresh. It feels rather blah, uninspired.
I could blame allthethings going on in our world, because my gosh, there’s so much. I could blame the bitter freezing temps that make me want to curl up in a ball and tell my kids we are quitting school and all sports and activities and hunkering down until spring. I could blame the sheer exhaustion from parenting two kids that never quit needing things, like food and clean clothes and new underwear and acne cream and haircuts and rides to everywhere 34 times a day. Perhaps it could be that I’m just not sure what the year will hold for me, for you, for our world- and that alone is unsettling at best.
But I don’t blame any of those things, really.
I blame my heart.
It needs a good cleansing, I’m afraid.
It needs new life. new light, new hope.
I need to crack off the crust, dust off the dirt, wipe off the waste, and purify my heart with new life, new light, new hope.
I’m ready for it. I need it. Do you too?
There are four things we can do to clean up our hearts. And I’m hoping with that comes new life, new light, new hope.
They aren’t complicated, but they take intention, sacrifice, and heart work.
Join me?
- Pray more. If there’s anything that can still a soul, and stir a heart with passion and purpose- it’s prayer.
- Be present. Be deeply aware of the people you love. Look into their eyes, listen to their words, notice their needs.
- Don’t pretend. Own your truth. Be you. Don’t try to be someone else. Drop the facade, it doesn’t fit well on the real you.
- Help someone. Carry a burden, lighten a load, do a favor, make a meal, write a note, hold a hand, run an errand, make that call. Be willing to sacrifice for others and reap the reward in doing good… Often.
There’s so much more we could do, but I think this is a good start. Don’t you?
CHEERS my beautiful friends.
Here’s to a New Year and a working on having a Fresh Clean Heart in 2018.
What wonderful ways to make a difference this year and now wishing you and your family a very, Happy New Year Chris 🙂 <3
Thank you so much, Janine. They are simple, but intentional and sometimes takes hard work!
Christine your words ring clear and true!
Thank you again for putting in words what I try and live and do, all though I fail daily, to be of my highest good, to be of service all year round.
Alleuiaaaaaa!!!!
We only get to be as good as human.
Happy Heart Cleaning New Year
Blessings and joy to you all!
Jorjann C
Ohio
Ah, you said it beautifully my friend! Here’s to our best efforts to live this way and be the best we can be!
God bless you, Jorjann.
YES, to all of these ways to cleanse the heart. I’ve never thought of cleansing the heart, so thank you for this brilliant idea, Chris. We cleanse everything else at one time or another—so, it’s time for the heart. We want it to keep beating to the drum of life, strongly. This post is so raw and honest. I love that about you, Chris. You don’t ever pretend to be anyone or anything but YOU.
Oh, Lisa, thank you for your encouraging words, my friend. I am quite transparent, here and in real life. I’m not good at pretending. 🙂 And YES, our hearts need to be our first priority- if they aren’t in a good place, it affects everything else in our lives. I’m working on this!
—Dear, Chris,
I love your 4 things.
I mean, isn’t this the reason we were created…to help, to be present, to love?
……I haven’t written down my 4 things yet…But I know I want them to be realistic & graspable.
Happy 2018!!
xxx from Duluth.
InDEED, my love. This is exactly why we are here on this earth. I hope I never lose sight of that. 🙂
Yup, that about says it. Even the first one, and I’m not religious, but I do pray. So I guess what I’m saying is that I am more than I realize. My heart needs a good dusting off, and I know that number four is a quick fix. 2 and 3 might be more long-term goals.
Yes, Tamara- I hear ya. My heart needs a good dusting off too- and I think these can all be long-term goals in a way… but something we can work on every day. 🙂
Oh, I have definitely just been going through the motions and surviving the past few weeks.
I love the idea of “cleaning my heart” — what a beautiful goal for 2018 and beyond.
I go through the motions often, and I’m trying to change that. I’m so glad you came by to read this and I SO appreciate your encouraging words, my friend!
We can put so much pressure on ourselves on what Christmas and New Years is suppose to be. Yet, it really is another season that passes like any other season–the sun and moon go through their cycles, the clock ticks aways seconds, and Monday turns to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday, etc. And we still have to do the dailies-brush our teeth, go to the bathroom, etc….lol! Your 4 tips are so bang on to how we can continually keep our heart cleansed, refreshed, and renewed. May you be feeling revived, my friend even in the resting.
Ah, what a beautiful response Lynn! Thank you, my friend. All so true- and it’s a bit of work to keep our hearts “continually cleansed, refreshed, and renewed” but it CAN be done with intention. It’s a lifelong work in progress…
Yep. If we only take time to cleanse our hearts. It would be a wonderful place to live in. Great reflections to start the year. Thank you! Happy 2018!
Can you imagine if EVERYONE did this? Ah, it would be a wonderful place to live, indeed Lux. Thanks for reading, friend. Happy New Year to YOU and I am THRILLED with your exciting news! God bless you!
This is all about love. Loving others, Loving God, Loving ourselves. Our hearts do need a fresh start Chris, you are so right. Christmas time is always a fabulous and chaotic time. We need a break to look inside and see what matters after all.
Thank you and may 2018 be a lovely, peaceful and bright year for you and your family.
Much love from Paris
Aw, thank you, Marie. Praying for the same for you, my beautiful friend.
Yes, it is a very splendid start to the new year. Please know that I am thinking of you and that I find this post to be especially cleansing. Your honesty is so refreshing and I do find it to be a welcome tonic at this time of the year. Here’s to clean, clean hearts!
Kelly, you are so kind and encouraging. Thank you, friend. Yes- here’s to CLEAN hearts! Well, as clean as we can get ’em. 🙂
Decorations up? Maybe not til February, especially since they didn’t get all up until Dec. 23 or 24th. Ways to cleanse our heart, #3 takes some courage in my world! (One of my coping or defense mechanisms has been “pretend.” COURAGE is “my word for 2018.” God is my strength. Thanks for the fun read, and your sweet support in CWBU, Christine.
Aw Tammy, I think many people ‘pretend’. I know I do at times, and it is SO exhausting, isn’t it? Praying for your year filled with COURAGE, my friend. And it is a true blessing to serve the CWBU group!
I love your 4 things! Stealing. 🙂
In all seriousness, I want to, need to, pray more.
All the best for 2018 friend!
Steal away!!
I need to get into daily scripture reading. I keep ‘meaning to’, but that’s not going to get me there. Here’s to you praying more, and me reading God’s Word more. I think it will surely be good goals to achieve for us both! 🙂
Cheers right back at you, Christine. Argh, I can’t even get to my favorite blogs (yours being my mostest). I’m taking my first breath today, it seems, in awhile. So happy you a part of it!
I get it, Julie- Oh, how I get it!
I love you for coming here with the little time you have to read blogs. It means EVERYTHING to me.
I’m SO with you here, my friend. My heart needs a huge cleansing. I’ll be working on your 4 points alongside you, Chris. Thanks for the much needed inspiration. Now, if I could just get these Christmas decorations down to properly move into 2018… Much love to you. I hope this year brings you a clean heart filled with Him. What a beautiful plan you have.
Thank you, Candace! I pray the same for YOU, my dear friend.
Your four points are great but the prayer is the one which can change anyone destiny. Keep praying and start helping others the reward you got at the end is marvelous and it definitely return back you.
Amen to that, Saba! Thank you for commenting with your faithful encouragement.
Hi Chris! I think a job like ‘heart cleansing’ sounds so formidable. A real struggle to get out of the fog. But you’ve made it clear that the process isn’t that hard to name, just a challenge to do!
I think your list is perfect, beginning with prayer. All good things start there, that’s for sure.
I finally got my decorations down mid-month. My Christmas tree was so pathetic, two of it’s prelit strings were out, so it was a Charlie Brown thing without the wilt. But I still loved it, and miss it. Now the challenge of living outside the holiday lights begins. May I be given the grace to see through any fog, and come to joy at last.
Blessings,
Ceil
Oh Ceil, your comment is just so beautiful. I nodded while reading it both the first AND second time around.
“Now the challenge of living outside the holiday lights begins. May I be given the grace to see through any fog, and come to joy at last.” <-- YES.
I’ve so much been trying to pray more, but mindfully, and it’s so hard, as yes, omg we need the heart renewal. Your words are golden, my friend, and I’m so lucky to know you.
I’m thinkin’ everyone needs a good heart cleaning too. I have a lot more to do to get there! I love you, and I’m so grateful to know you too. <3
Yes! I’m not really big on New Year’s resolutions, but when I do make them it’s usually around January 15th or so. It takes me until then to breathe after the holidays!
I love this! What a refreshingly honest post. I am totally with you on this (and I agree entirely- if we’re supposed to make magical resolutions, why can’t all of this happen when there are more than 6 hours of daylight and extreme winter weather to be had?!
Thank you so much for sharing!