Mere Mortals

A few weeks ago, I decided that I was going to set goals for 2014.  I sat down with a poster board and some pen & paper and wrote out goals in health, finances, personal goals, etc for the year.  I'm still finishing out my poster, although the list is there to keep my goals in front of me.

One of my goals was to blog 3 times a week.  It seems reasonable, and that's still a goal.  Recently at a leadership meeting, one of the pastors I served under talked about how he is so focused on sticking to a plan that he sometimes sticks 100% to the plan at the expense of other things.  Unfortunately, I can sympathize all too much.  Just last Friday NBC aired the coverage of the Opening Ceremonies in Sochi. I LOVE the Opening Ceremonies to all Olympics.  Yes, every nation glosses over its dark parts, but I think it gives a picture not of what a country is but of what that country aspires to be. 

But before I get off on too long of a rabbit trail, one of the things I like is to watch the ceremonies with my family.  I'd mentioned it several times the days before, even texting my dad on Friday to let him know when the coverage started. After work, no one was home, but I assumed they would be along later.  And they were... hours later.  Just before the torch lighting.  I was so focused on my expectations, that I didn't enjoy it as much as I should or could have.  And that was my choice.  And also one of my struggles-- I don't like change to my plans unless I choose to change them myself.

So... back to goals and blogging... On Sunday I was at church from 8:40AM until at least 5:30PM because of major changes in the lay out of one of the ministries I'm involved in.  We were moving a great many things, purging old toys, sorting, and reorganizing rooms.  Monday was the book club I lead, and then Tuesday was a leadership meeting.  Church was tonight, which was the first night in new rooms, lots of parents looking around for new classes, and a lot of change-- a few tears from kids, and a lot of reassurances... It's been a packed week.

I am fighting the urge to make up something to write.  Fighting the urge to scour through my readings and random other sources that spark a blog entry.  And instead I'm reminding myself that goals are fantastic, but they are just goals.  It's okay to give my Type A urges a break.  To set off perfectionism, when perfection is never actually possible.  And to remember some self care, and remind myself that my goal setting did not factor a week like this. That it's okay to scale back to something (dare I say it?) more realistic for a week like this.

I hope to blog once more this week, but if I don't quite manage it, I'm still here.  I'll be back, and until then, don't forget to give yourself a little break, too.  Even Jesus took time out from ministry to rest.  Don't forget to breathe.