Its the year Two Thousand and Nineteen

Happy New Year!

The other day as it struck midnight and all the fireworks went off signifying the star of the new year, I sat on the couch watching and reflecting.
You know, like a normal ambivert (I'm not going to argue it, I said what I said) would.
Asking myself questions like:

How was it already 2019?
Where had the time flown?
What lessons had I learnt from 2018?
And what did the new year have in store?

So many questions with just enough silence and all the time in the world to think through them.
Fast forward to today, we are a week into the year and I'm finally ready to sit down and put those thoughts into words on your screen. It's been a while since we had one of these heart to hearts and while I post the Taking Stock series every chance I get (I promise those are coming back), there's truly nothing like a good old fashioned deep meaningful conversation (or post in this case).

For real, for real, it honestly shook me how time had flown by. And yes for some of you reading this it might seem strange but I also know that there are some of you who, like me, can remember back to the 90's when even getting to the year 2000 was something that people didn't expect to happen. What an incredible God we serve hey? Nineteen years on and we're still here, making so many technological and medical advances that we could not have even imagined at the time.
And those are the big things, but what about the little things like getting up each and every day?
Like the breaths of fresh air we're taking right at this second?
Like the fact that our hearts are still beating at this very moment?
Incredible!

Doesn't it seem like the years are getting shorter though?
I'm going to assume you said yes because it sure does for me. It's crazy to think that we're a mere three hundred and fifty eight days away from the year 2020 (yes I'm that person), we'll probably blink and it'll be here. That is, once we get through the 6 months that is January. Hectic.😂
Now I know scientists could actually tell us how that's not true and time obviously shows us that we have exactly the same number of seconds, minutes and hours in a day as we did the year before but I'm convinced otherwise.
See the earth spun on it's axis each and every day, bringing forth morning and night like God commanded it to in the beginning of time (Genesis 1: 3-5) but somehow put together the weeks were short and the months were even shorter.
I barely caught my breath last year. Anyone else relate?

And perhaps that's what it was. I began the year like the go-getter I always aspire to be and probably definitely took too much on as always. Scheduled in too much time for other people, too much creative time, not enough me time and definitely not enough sleep time. You know, the usual.
It was also the year that I worked hardest but not smartest and when I stopped for a break in June, that was very clear. See busy doesn't always mean productive, and I think because that was my word for the year I'd somehow gotten it mixed up along the lines somewhere. Trying not to be the sluggard described in Proverbs 6:9, 20:4 & 26:14 is great, but doing things for the sake of doing them isn't always the best idea. My body and mind were tired and I'd slipped up in a couple of places that I had to go back and remedy. Things that I wouldn't have had to do if I had just planned better (read realistically) and executed them well.
So I made the decision to quit a couple of things - hence my prolonged hiatus from my overly creative life (blogging and vlogging included). A decision I probably wouldn't have gotten the chance to come to if it wasn't for my little run in with the chicken pox (varicella) in July that forced me to stay indoors for over a week and do some long overdue thinking. I'm convinced that sometimes God does these these things to get my attention hey 😅 especially when I'm straying off course a little (or sometimes a lot) but I'm always glad when He does. I re-prioritized and started taking my to do list very seriously again and I'm glad to say the rest of my year went a lot better. Less stress, more sleep and overall more efficiency. I'm still reprogramming my brain to get all of my work done during the day so that I no longer have to stay awake through nights like I was accustomed to before but it's a process. And it doesn't help that in my line of work all nighters save lives, so I guess knowing when to do them and when not to is something that I'll have to figure out.
Speaking of balance, my body decided to remind me that I need more of it in my life and that this partial vegetarian life that I lead just isn't going to cut it if I'm not stocking up on all the other nutrients it needs. So one anemic crisis and so much blood booster later, I've made adjustments to my diet and I'm living a much healthier life.
My mental and emotional health was also something that I unintentionally neglected because I was too busy thinking of and taking care of other people's. In theory you'd think that surely if you were busy giving to others then you won't run out (just like the flour and the jar of oil in 1 Kings 17: 10-16) but nope! That's not how it works. I think one of the most important things I was reminded and had to relearn was that I can only pour out into other people if my jug is full. And there's no way I can be helpful if my love tank is empty right? So I went home after quite a long semester and oh, the way I was loving on myself/allowing other people to love on me guys. Wow, I need to do that more often. It was so good for the soul. And just in time hey, because along came the holidays and our home very quickly became filled with people that I love loving so so much (hey sisters!) but also had to constantly love on. I'm convinced that I wouldn't have been in the best space to do all of that if I had not taken the time out for myself before and although I thought it was quite an inconvenience at the time that I did have a mini crash, hindsight has helped me to realize it was preparing me to be able to handle the next few weeks and see me into the new year.
(It was also a year of so many highs guys 😊, but I'll save that for my next post cause this one's already getting long😂)

So there I was, new years eve, doing something I loved (baking of course) and taking the time out to sit and enjoy the moment. Although I'm sad I missed out on bringing in the new year with all my sisters (I did get to spend almost the whole of the next day with them and the rest of our family), I'm really glad I got the chance to recharge, to take time for myself, to reflect and to plan for the year ahead. God is so faithful guys and giving us a chance to see this new year is an opportunity to do things better. To fulfill the purpose that He has called and placed us on this earth to do. That's what our goals, both micro and macro, should aim to work towards.
My word for the year is intentional and I'm striving to be that in all that I do, be it my school, my health, my spiritual life, my emotions and my relationships. Jeremiah 23:13 says  "When you come looking for me you will find me, "yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."" (MSG) and I cannot think of a more fitting verse to leave you with. If you are intentional in your relationship with God, if you truly seek Him and want to find Him more than anything else, then you will find Him. And all these other things will surely fall into place. He will not disappoint you.

Bisous

x

P.s. Did you look back on 2018? Let me know what you learnt and what your plans are for the year ahead.