Oh a hunting we will go....or not

On the 12th day of December my daughter gave to me.... (my gifts to Jesus)

My Best laid plans.... the perfect day, all the little details, arranging schedules, excitement for the day.

I'm a planner... in more ways than one. I like to plan our family's schedules (I am not a control freak....am I?) and I am a wedding planner. So I guess planning flows thru my veins. I am also pretty good at "winging it". However, I am not necessarily fond of winging it. But I find when I wing it, my creative side comes out much more fiercely and it usually ends up better than the original plan. (why is that?) So here I sit looking out my window seeing the slushy, wet, cold rain/snow fall from the sky and know that my plans for today to go hunting...for a Christmas tree... have been dashed. Probably. It's kinda that way with life too... my best laid plans might not be what Jesus wants for me. It's my plan not His that gets dashed. I know that if I listen to his voice I will find that the alternate plan, his original plan, is the best winging it plan ever! So I am going to put a big ol pot of Chili on the stove and see what transpires and if it is nothing other than sitting with my family over warm chili and crocheting up a storm to finish Christmas gifts it will be a good plan! What's your plan for this wintery stay inside day?

(beautiful snowy red house captured on pinterest by www.KenScottPhotography.com)

Winning!

On the 11th day of December my daughter gave to me....(my gifts to Jesus)

My Competitive Spirit…. Wanting to win at all cost, to keep up with the “Jones’s”, to never settle for second place, to outshine the rest…

Oh my goodness do I have the need to be the best… hopefully not in a rude, obnoxious way but deep down inside I cringe if something I do is criticized and isn’t the best of the best. Seriously? That is not ok. I have a problem. I’m watching these cowboys hang on for dear life on the backs of  beautiful bucking broncos or nasty ol bulls and I wonder about my motives. The only thing they have to do is make sure they “Mark up” right out of the gate (a position of their feet) …that’s it..oh and hang on for 8 seconds.. but that’s it. No fanciness or technique is expected, just hang on and do the best you can. Why do I feel the need to have it all together all the time. They aren’t even competing with each other…they are just concentrating on their own ride and figuring out how to stay on and not get hurt in the process. Everyday life is the same, everyone is riding their own beast or beauty... I am not competing with them.  So Jesus, I am giving you my Competitive spirit…I am going to concentrate on not “Missing the Mark” and just hang on, enjoy the ride and take the bulls or broncs you have placed me on for the day and hang on!

( adorable little Norwegian girl taken by  Per  Breiehagen .. www.breiehagen.com/ )