In Increasing Measure

I love growing. I read so many self-improvement books because I value personal growth. I want to know what I'm aiming for in life and gather all the wisdom I can. I like writing in my journal personal growth goals, and today, I ponder this question:

What does it mean to become a better person?

As a Christian, I love the fact that God manages and empowers our improvement. God changes us and "conforms us to the image of Christ." Right this very moment, something is at work in us; we "are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:18).

I remember what this transformation looks like. I recall 2 Peter 1:5-8 which outlines the best improvement model of any I've read anywhere. It goes like this:

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature. . . For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I have decades and decades ahead of me for growth. It's so exciting! With God's divine power (that's the key, the big secret), I make every effort to grow. Each day offers a new chance to increase faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.

I do wonder how to "make every effort." I think about things in my natural pathway that offer opportunities for an increase in goodness, knowledge, self control, etc. Those things that challenge me most of all are the very things helping me possess in increasing measure a new kind of character.

When You See the Changing Leaves, Think of This

This morning, I remembered one of my favorite Live with Flair moments from October, 2011. It's the one where my friend, Cynthia taught me about a tree's habit. Every time I see a tree in Autumn, I think about how my life takes shape and what I do to hinder or help this shaping.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Your Best Habit

On the walk to school, my rurally-raised neighbor (who knows everything about the land) comments upon the beauty of various trees' habits.  She informs me that a tree's habit refers to its overall shape.

She identifies trees by their habits.  Some trees squat and spread lower to the ground:

Others rise tall into the sky as perfect vase shapes:

Some grow into beautiful ovals:

And some unfold against the sky like Japanese fans. 

But as I look around me, I notice something astounding.  Some trees in the forest don't squat or unfold.  Some don't rise up and spread their arms wide.

I learn that if other plants or objects crowd a tree, the intended habit changes.  It diminishes.  Stunted and pressed upon, the tree loses potential somehow.

I think about the simple and natural need for space.  We have an intended shape--our best habit--but when crowded and pressured, we change. 

I think about making room for my husband, children, friends, students--and myself--to unfold, to stretch wide.  Do I stifle?  Do I crowd?  What would it look like to give everybody some breathing room? 

Today, I'm making space for my best habit to take shape.  I want to unfold like a bright yellow fan.

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Journal:  Do you feel like you've taken shape into your best habit?  What allowed this?

Perfect For You

The more women I meet, the more I love hearing how they have chosen to live their lives. I love all the different kinds of women I know:

I know women who homeschool and keep the home; I know women who work-full time or part-time; I know women on the mission field; I know women researchers, women with tenure, women who bake the best chocolate chip cookies the world will ever taste, women who run neighborhood groups, women who volunteer in their communities, women athletes, singers, poets, and scrapbookers. I know bloggers, bakers, coaches, cleaners, crafters. I know librarians, musicians, doctors, photographers, engineers, artists, scientists, and teachers. I know women who rescue animals. I know a mom with 8 children. I know women taking care of aging family members, women adopting children, and women fostering children.

I could list a thousand different women. Each life is perfect. Each life is her special calling. Lately I'm realizing how important it is not to box a woman in or compare her life to anyone else.

I love your life. It's perfect for you.