Here’s a little mind map I came up with to help me start my Mission Statement. Hopefully it helps you know where to start in your redefinition process.
Here’s a little mind map I came up with to help me start my Mission Statement. Hopefully it helps you know where to start in your redefinition process.
We put an offer on a house yesterday. I wasn’t overly excited. It felt right but I wasn’t excited. Not like I felt when we bought our first house. Our home. I didn’t get to come home and recount everything to Pete. We didn’t spend endless hours pining through MLS listings together searching for the perfect one. It just was.
Every transition becomes what we make of it and fortunately I am making the most of it. There just wasn’t much excitement. Things were different this time and they still are. I’m learning how to do things without him. It doesn’t mean I like it, it just means I have to and will make the most of what comes our way <3
1. To read the bible every day and eventually read it in its entirety.
2. To read at least one book per month for the next 12 months. This may seem like a small goal to some but with all I have going on in my life, it can be very challenging to complete a book.
3. To plant a vegetable garden.
4. To be satisfied with where we’re at. No more house projects, big trips, or shopping sprees with money we don’t have or shouldn’t be spending.
5. To live simply .This is a very broad goal and is in no way measurable but it may include things such as taking my reusable grocery bag to the store with me when I shop in order to eliminate the build-up of plastic bags. Or to de-clutter the garage. Whatever it is, I know what it will look like to me.
6. To be more intentional with my time. I am not one to live by a schedule but with children you have to. There is nothing I dislike more than coming to the realization I have wasted three hours of my time on the computer or lost in daytime t.v. I am on a mission to organize my day more effectively but mostly to carve out some time for ME!
7. To find a hobby. Have blogging, working in the yard, drinking coffee, and watching comedy but I need something more. I need a real outlet for my energy. Something in which I can set goals and challenge myself. Running perhaps?
8. To clean less. Really. I spend a lot of time cleaning and tidying and sometimes maintaining a clean house consumes me. I may be bordering on OCD tendencies. LOL! And my new venture will definitely help with that. Check it out at Alysha’s Norwex
9. To cherish relationships. Whether it be with my husband, family members, or friends, I believe building relationships is key to a happy life. I am so blessed by the people God has put in my life but I do sometimes (okay, more often than not) take them for granted. My goal is to make them aware of their importance to me by spending quality time with them or blessing them in some other way.
10. To pursue some sort of higher education. I have not quite decided how this one might play out but I have a few ideas. Stay tuned.
Wow, it was exhausting just to write that list. I hope I can live up to the expectations I have for myself. I guess only time will tell.
Do you have goals you’d like to share? Link them up below.
Thanks for reading,
Alysha
I am passionate, sometimes overly so. I get excited about things others don’t. According to my husband, this quality is something he loves about me. However, recently he has had to put me in my place more so than not. My husband is the opposite; he likes solidarity. I love people.
Since cancer has come into the picture my husband has become even more introverted and I in turn have become overly passionate; trying everything I can to keep him engaged in life. I am the type of person that believes the pitch of my voice is directly proportional to someone’s level of understanding. In other words, the louder I talk, the more you’re going to understand the point I’m trying to make. I am still trying to find a balance and yesterday it became very aware to me that that balance must be found soon.
For a while I have expected more out of my husband than he is capable of giving. Cancer and chemotherapy have stunted his intellect, energy level, and desire for communication. Ahh, the lovely side effects of Chemo Brain. His inability to connect has only caused me to yearn for it more. Yesterday, through a series of texts, I realized I lacked an understanding of the devastating effects of chemotherapy. As a result of his physical and emotional depletion, I assumed he didn’t love me or had no desire to build up our marriage. My frustration came out in a passionate rage. I raised my voice and felt as if I wanted to pound my desires into his head. I couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t understand. Why he stood silent. So I left.
He explained it like this, via text, after he had a chance to think things through:
“I just want to be and not think. I have heavy enough things on my mind constantly as it is…. I know that’s not fair to you and I’m sorry. I promise to work on it but I need you to understand that my brain isn’t really working at full capacity. Chemo brain is real. It sucks and I forget things and just want to do the easiest thing possible.”
Before this text I believed that if I forced him to be engaged in something: a family trip, a house project, or a bible study, that he wouldn’t have a chance to let go. Now I realize that allowing him some down time is exactly what he needs. This doesn’t mean he’s saying goodbye or giving up, it’s just what he needs to recoup what the drugs are draining out of him.
All this reveals the need for a delicate balance between the terrible effects of chemotherapy and maintaining life. How do I allow him the time to heal without feeling like we’re missing out? I would venture to say it all comes down to satisfaction. Being satisfied by the little things. Sitting on the couch together, watching the kids jump on the trampoline, or enjoying our favorite meals. Isn’t it the little things that count? Yeah, I think that’s right. So, here’s to finding joy in the little things!
This is how I spent my morning. I sat with my 3 year old daughter (who is wise beyond her years) and read her the first four chapters of Matthew. She sat inquisitively as I read. It was such a special time for us to share.
I love the Message because it is broken down into layman’s terms which makes it easy enough for a 3 year old to follow. There were a few things that stood out to me during our reading. Firstly, certain events in Jesus’ life were not radically different from others throughout history. For example, his exile to Egypt. Think of the times when people have fled for their lives: Nazi Germany or a most recent example of conflict in Africa.
Or the fact that he was tested by the devil. That happens to all of us, doesn’t it?
I was really into it and let me tell you those brussel sprouts were starting to taste great. Actually, I’m weird, I love brussel sprouts! So, if you have had a tough time understanding the bible in the past, pick up a copy of the Message. It will get you hooked on the word of God!
I so tried to make today a great day. And I think, for the most part, I succeeded. At least I tried, right?
It was really beautiful outside today. The weather was perfect. We even made it to the park. I had the opportunity to witness my childrens’ beautiful smiles each time they squealed with delight as they came careening down the slide. Simply put, there were a lot of smiles. It made my heart sing. Really, the experience made me feel as if being a mother was what I was created to be. But, there was just one thing missing…..daddy.
Pete’s latest chemo session came to a close yesterday when his pump was removed. He was feeling pretty good. Feeling as if he has somehow escaped those nasty side effects he felt while on the previous regimen. Unfortunately they kicked in today.
I felt so bad for him but I’m afraid I don’t know how to be the wife he needs me to be when he’s feeling sick, so I just go or do. Anything to get me out of the house and away from him. That sounds so terrible but I feel my presence just makes it awkward. Difficult. Restless. And I know what he needs more than anything is to just rest.
The purpose of this blog is to live better. To learn more and try to be more than I am. Today on the radio I was reminded of the similarities between this season of our lives and the current season we celebrate as believers in Christ. The host spoke of Easter as being a time of renewal, new life, and growth. And by being introspective that’s exactly what I intend to do. I am forever grateful that our Savior paid the price for our sins. What an amazing gift. I will be forever in His debt.
It was my husband who first introduced me to this wonderful saying or should I say lifestyle. I believe he had it written on his MySpace profile (LOL!). It hasn’t been until recently that I have really taken it to heart. The truth is that death is a real fact of life. It will happen. However, many of us aren’t sure when. But, when you face a cancer diagnosis, all-of-the-sudden the truth of your own mortality is that much more real. It becomes raw and can weigh on you like a ton of bricks if you’ll allow it to.
The point of this blog is to reverse that feeling. To feel as though we are living life to the fullest every day. To accomplish goals, relinquish fears, grow deeper in faith, and to forgive and be forgiven. It is my hope that our journey will inspire you to do the same. We are only given one life here on earth, so let’s make it count.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. - Ursula K. Le Guin
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