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Hi all,
Hi all,
I am writing this last Friday but wanted to post this up a few days later but I felt I had to write it last week when I was thinking about it and it was fresh in my mind. I was doing some mind wondering and the thought came to my mind, do I live intentionally or do I go about my daily life just as is?
Do I do my every day things for a purpose, or without a second thought of why I do them maybe a certain way I do them? Do I make sure I reach out to others when they are going through hard times, do people make sure they know how much I love them? Do I make sure I make the most of my time or do I waste it?
I want to make sure I live my life intentionally, that I don't just go throughout my life without a purpose or without a reason, I want to say why I do the things that I do and what the reason is for.
Blogging for example has a purpose and everything I post has a reason, whether it is to be creative, to share great food or to meet wonderful people like all my blogging friends.
Prior to blogging, I would bake or cook but I didn't have a lot of people to share it with, and that was wearing me down, I really enjoyed baking and cooking but how much fun is it if I was continually doing it for one person, and then for Sean and I when we got married. Our refrigerator can only be filled up so much, my co-workers can only eat so much of my goodies, and I don't have a lot of co-workers either.
My creativity has a purpose behind it as well, I don't do just to do it, I do it because I enjoy it, because I like working with my hands and being able to say I made that myself.
When I wake up in the morning, I always go for a 4 to 5 mile run, that is the best way I start out my day but do I use the time to look at the beauty around me or do I just grumble about having to work out? If I run with either Kip or Kimbia, do I enjoy it and be thankful for the time I have together with my dogs? When I am with my friends, do I really listen to them or am I casually listening?
The most purpose thing I should be living intentionally is my life with God, every day it is a new opportunity to draw closer to Him, to learn more about Him, and to show His love to all people. As I posted a few weeks ago, I have been struggling a bit with my professional life and it has brought me down a few times or two, regardless my prayer is to draw closer to God during this struggle, to cling to Him and to lean on Him more. Back to the topic of this post, am I intentionally doing that?
When I wake up in the morning, I always go for a 4 to 5 mile run, that is the best way I start out my day but do I use the time to look at the beauty around me or do I just grumble about having to work out? If I run with either Kip or Kimbia, do I enjoy it and be thankful for the time I have together with my dogs? When I am with my friends, do I really listen to them or am I casually listening?
The most purpose thing I should be living intentionally is my life with God, every day it is a new opportunity to draw closer to Him, to learn more about Him, and to show His love to all people. As I posted a few weeks ago, I have been struggling a bit with my professional life and it has brought me down a few times or two, regardless my prayer is to draw closer to God during this struggle, to cling to Him and to lean on Him more. Back to the topic of this post, am I intentionally doing that?
I'm just asking all of you to think about the things you do and why do you do them. How would you define living intentionally in your own life? Do you do things with a purpose or just because?
Just sharing my personal thoughts for the day...
33 comments:
Meg- This remindes me so much of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Its a life changer book!
Love this. I think living intentionally means being intentional about connecting to the Holy Spirit. If I stay connected to Him, all the rest will happen naturally and I'll be about His intentionaly business instead of my wasted time.
Good points!! Thanks for the reminders!
great post...living intentionally can definitely be difficult at times, but the rewards are so worth it when we live intentionally for Him.
I've been thinking a lot about this these days too, and struggling to find meaning in everything that I do. Especially since I started blogging, I've understood better what it means to live intentionally, and to try and work toward living my entire life that way. It's definitely a paradigm shift, but I am loving my life so much more because I look at things a little differently. And if I don't like what I see, I change it :)
xoxo,
Joelle
Sometimes it is so much more difficult to live with intention than it is to just go through the motions - but it is also so much more rewarding! I've been trying to really apply this lately to my friendships.
Love this!!! Thanks so much for making me think this morning :)
Definitely something I need to think deeply about and work on.
I hope you are having a fantastic Tuesday friend :)
What a sweet and genuine blog entry. Thank you for being so honest. Sometimes it's hard to live intentionally. I think by habit we focus on ourselves so I know for me it's a daily battle to try and do things for others too.
- Sarah
http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com
great thoughts and questions. i've definitely been trying to appreciate the things around me more and more lately. and like you said, to have more purpose.
Such thought provoking questions. I think honestly there is a combo of both...something that I'm not sure can be helped.
xo
Great post!!
Thanks for posting!
~Anya
I love the idea behind this post! Thanks for being so inspirational.
Love this sweet friend! :-)
aw, I love this post. I have been through a lot in the last few years (life was put on hold with some pretty difficult health issues) and I learned more fully to live deliberately. I can definitely empathize with the professional difficulties, so I'm right there with you. Prayers and here's to seizing the day! :)
This is a great post! Thanks for sharing, and an even bigger thanks for making me think about my own life!
I love this! I live my life intentionally! :)
So true - but so hard! I find it so difficult to live intentionally when we're going through the same routines day in and day out. One week I really tried to focus on patience and being happy in all things. I would be in line at the grocery store...people in front of me taking SO LONG and I was able to not feel irritated and not be angry and just enjoy the fact that I'm able to be out and about by myself, with money to spend and legs that work! It's been a while since I've been feeling that way though :-/ Need to get back at it! Thanks for posting!
Such a heartfelt post Meg! Our pastor preached on this very subject just a couple weeks ago, and it really got me thinking. While I still struggle with it daily, I am trying to live more intentionally. To be present in my life.
I love these thoughts!! I am so often looking forward to the weekend and sometimes wish away the week. Which is sad because time already goes so fast and every time I turn around my 5 year old is more grown up. So I also have to intentionally enjoy each day and try to not waste my time on things that don't matter in the long run...you know? If you creating a memory, serving others, or making others feel loved you are probably doing something worth while. And thanks for your sweet comments today...luckily I am feeling better now!! :)
I think about this all the time!!! This is such a great post and really gets you thinking... "why do I do the things I do!"
Thanks for sharing everything on your blog! :)
thanks for getting me thinking!
xo, chrissy
1st - I try to live each day intentionally but sometimes I LOVE those days where I do nothing and don't worry about. Those are few are far between though. I think life is too short to waste it moving around without a goal.
Anyways, YES i entered your giveaway. Now you can enter mine! www.twentynineblog.com
ps- you got an extra entry for being sooo nice to me yesterday. :-)
This is a really good post - it is making me think about all of the things I do, whether they are with purpose or not! Thanks for sharing, Meg!
Such a good post. A wonderful reminder for us all.
Love love love your blog! And thanks for stopping by mine! :) New follower right here!
xoxo,
megs [at] <a href="http://lifeofnashvegasmeg.blogspot.com>Shine On</a>
This is SUCH great post. I always stop and realize that I am always looking forward to something (really anything!): the upcoming weekend, holidays, vacationing next year, searching for a job next year, etc! I sometimes wonder if I can enjoy right now....right now! You know what I mean?
Hmmm... this post has really made me think. Thank you for the inspiring and though provoking post :)
Loving your blog! Hope you had a great Tuesday! XOXO
awesome post...i've been struggling too about living life purposely on a daily basis..but it's important to take stock and think about what God wants for us on a daily basis! thanks for the reminder...and i always appreciate your heartfelt posts!
Oh my goodness Meg, I think about this all the time as well. I always end my days with my prayers and night thinking how I lived my day and if I lived it to the fullest, and I wake up in the morning and try to think the same thing. How am I going to live this day as fully as I can and have intention behind all of my actions? I try to fulfill my own wants and needs, while also fulfilling needs for others. This can be hard some days, but I'm fulfilled when I give of myself, my time and my talents to others. It's difficult, but I really do find fulfillment from it. It sounds as if you're trying to do the same, and I'm proud of you for it! You should take so much pride in yourself and your talents and how far your inspiration has taken you. That really speaks volumes! Though I haven't "known" you long, I do know that you are living your life to its fullest and putting your intentions behind you, especially since you have God at the forefront. In my opinion, you're doing fantastic and before you know it, your intentions will turn in to your dreams and your career, God willing! I just know it!
Also, another source of info that I use as inspiration for my daily life is Jess Constable's blog makeundermylife.com. It's a beautiful blog and I bet you'd love it!
I love this, very well said and a great question to pose on a daily basis for all of us. And your purpose is clearly working: congrats on 300 followers!
Oh my Meg! How did you know what I needed to hear?! You have a way of doing that! I think this is a common issue that we all struggle with on a daily basis. We are so accustomed to our routines and our daily lives, that we often just go through the motions...like we are on auto pilot or something (The movie Click anyone?). I want to be more intentional than ever before. I want to really put 100% into all that I do, into all my relationships, especially with God. Thanks for the encouragement! :)
Great post Meg! Living intentionally is living a purpose driven life. Sometimes we can get so tied up in routine that we lose all touch of the Holy Spirit. But it's when He gets our attention through the little things (baking, blogging, meeting people, etc) that's when we realize that we have a bigger purpose to fulfill :)
xoxo
Oh girl I feel you! In my Bible Study on Thursday nights we talk about this all of the time--living our lives with intention. Sometimes I think I do a great job of being intentional in everything I do and then sometimes a week or more will go by and I've completely missed it. It's like my life can be on autopilot. Have you ever practiced different kinds of spiritual disciplines? One of the ones I am trying to do right now is the Prayer of Examen. It's a good way to reflect over your day!
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