The Way We Wear Our Days

It's Day 2 of the New Year...
And, it's a late start to our day once again! It's been awesome to just s-l-o-w-d-o-w-n during this Christmas break. It's a good thing too that we didn't fill up our calendar with activities since hubby has been sick {flu? not sure...} since just after Christmas!

As I leisurely woke up this morning, I lingered in bed with my iPad and was reading through my blog roll... at the same time, formulating a blog post in my head about my One Word for 2013... when I came upon Ann Voskamp's post entitled How To Begin New Habits... she writes, "A habit is the way we wear our days."

So... how does one begin new habits? How do we begin again every day? Every New Year? How do we make a fresh start? What is the way how we should wear our days?

I believe it's called grace... God's grace! Grace that is sufficient for me... power that is made perfect in weakness. The appropriating of God's grace every single day... that's the way to wear our days! This gives me hope, much hope... for on my own, habits don't last... they quickly fall by the wayside.

On that note... on to my One Word for 2013! 

It's a word that God's been impressing upon my heart these last few months of 2012 as He is seemingly leading me into a new direction, a change, in terms of my career/employment.

Details are still blurry... decisions still pending... more interviews are still to be scheduled... the process has been long, started back in October and still ongoing...

At first, I wrestled with God. If you know me in person, you'd know that I don't like change. I fought God on this... I told Him that I'm perfectly comfortable and content in my current job... so I don't want this change. Yet, peace eluded me until the very moment I clicked "send" on that job application email.

"Surrender..." 
I felt God saying, "Surrender to my perfect will, child. Whatever the outcome... whether this change ends up happening or not, you'll have learned the beauty of living a life surrendered to doing your Heavenly Father's will."

Okay, I get it now... I must choose to surrender. Surrendering isn't easy. Yet, it's the only way to truly live the abundant life that God promised.

Surrender
sur·ren·der \sə-ˈren-dər\
:: to yield to the power, control, or possession of another.
:: to give up completely or agree to forgo in favor of another.
:: to give (oneself) over to something (as an influence).
:: to give oneself up into the power of another.

When He walked this earth, Jesus lived a surrendered life too. So, why shouldn't I?

I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. ~ Jesus (John 6:38, The Message).

The beautiful thing is... God doesn't force us to surrender. His unforced rhythms of grace shows us the way... the way to living freely and lightly! We are free to choose whether to surrender or not... free to choose whether or not to wear this new habit... free to choose whether or not to live the abundant life.

In a reflective mood and deep in thought. ~ Cape Cod, Summer 2012.

A new habit for 2013... choosing to live a surrendered life... for Christ's love compels me... and giving thanks for everything that my good God so freely bestows, so lavishly gives and so extravagantly showers!

I’m sort of struck: A habit is what we wear. A habit is the way we wear our days.

Wear new habits and your life gets a makeover.

~ Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience.

Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.

Do justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God!