Be Intentional

This week I celebrated my birthday--25th to be specific. So it seemed to me the perfect moment to pause.

I know it's common for people to get reflective around the beginning of a new year.

And I'm no exception. But January doesn't do much for me. For me, my "Man in the Mirror," moment always happens right around my birthday--my personal new year.

I believe there's power in that.

Like any other garden, pruning and weeding are an important part of the process, and if it's not done regularly, growth is not only minimized, but health of the overall crop is often impacted negatively.

And I think it's fair to relate a life to a garden, and not just because it involves constant attention. Like a well-planned and maintained garden, its quality is measured by multiple rubrics of value. You see, the part of a garden filled with tomatoes, corn, and zuchinni might not be as visually attractive to everyone as one filled with orchids, tulips, and lilies, but it is just as valuable (and difficult to maintain). Life needs both beauty and utility to have balanced worth. After all, what is a house on a hill if you can't throw a party in it?

If we're not constantly reassessing the things that are impacting our environments and wellbeing--including what we do and do not allow of ourselves and those we deem colleagues, then we run the risk of self-sabotaging our character via neglect. I don't claim to speak for anyone else, but I've found my most important and life-changing decisions have happened right around my "New Year." I also have yet to regret a single one of them. And I have a theory for why that is. You see, I'm a big "goal-person". Whether I achieve them or not, I'm always working towards goals based on the overall vision I have for my future. That way, when I make plans or important decisions, I have something to check them against to see if they're in my best interest for now, later, or never. But as much as I would love to be able to say that happens every time, I can't. However, as my year winds down, I re-evaluate things, which causes me to take another look at my plans, see if they're moving me towards my goals, and re-adjust accordingly.

There is a prayer in the Book of Psalms in the Bible found in the 90th Chapter where Moses is asking God to "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." (Ps. 90:12). And I do believe a mindset like that is important, because it speaks to remaining focused on ultimate goals to keep from being lost in and bogged down by immediate ones. Not getting caught up in monotony, but remembering the greater purpose within each day's labor. Perspective does wonders for progress, and without it, it becomes easy to forget that the ultimate goal of tilling soil isn't to plant a seed of grain, or even grow a garden--but to feed a family.

Now I can't say for certain I know what the future holds, or even who I will be 10 years from now. But this I know for sure: it will be intentionally crafted with care. Life is not an accident. So while I can't control every piece of it, I refuse to let it "just happen." My journey is not one of happenstance. I was created with purpose (and so were you for that matter).

So I'd like to encourage you--be vigilant in your self-development on all fronts. Because the most fruitful (non-GMO) gardens have always had the most tending.