The Adventure Continues: Off The Grid

On July 23, 2012, I began writing The Stricker Post.  There were two purposes to the blog.  First, I wanted to see if I could commit to do something for 365 days and second, I love to write.  The blog has helped me to turn the page on each day of my life.  Each day ends at midnight and a new adventure begins with the rising of the sun.  The scripture in Matthew below had new meaning to me as I learned to live for the present moment and avoided being caught up in the past or future.

Matthew 6:30-34

New International Version (NIV)

³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

As a person with the gift of ADHD, I embrace the excitement of doing not one thing at a time, but lots and lots of things at once.  I am a woman, which also provides the ability to multitask.  This year I've managed to teach part-time while spending full-time hours at work, planned various social events at school, managed the academic teams, volunteered with various organizations to serve the population of our metro area, kept up with all of the farm animals, successfully bred and birthed four baby goats, milked goats twice daily, kept two children alive and in school, wrote a daily blog,  been a wife and mother cooking breakfast and dinner daily(and lunch in the summer).  I think we all have a long list of the tasks we do and can marvel knowing we actually accomplished these things.  AMAZING!

It is now time to enter a new phase of life.  I feel like the year of blog writing was training for something.  I'm not sure what, but something.  I learned the value of time.  Starting tomorrow I will no longer write a blog and I will no longer be on Facebook.  It is time for change.  I'm not sure how I will fill my time without social media and my creative outlet, but I'm sure I will think of something.   If you take a good hard look at your life, what do you think you need to change?  I know I need to engage more in the world that is living around me.  I need to be present.  Spend time thinking about what needs to leave your life in order for you to live the life you were designed to live.  A life worthy of living.  Below, Paul(the former hater of Christ, turned follower) writes to the church from his prison cell.  This quiet time of reflection did not serve as a curse but a gift for him to quiet his spirit and hear God's voice.

Ephesians 4

New International Version (NIV)

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives
    and gave gifts to his people.”^[b]

⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions^[c]?¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) ¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Instructions for Christian Living

¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

There are so many things in my heart that need work.  It is now time for me to begin a new adventure.  An adventure filled with finding peace, tranquility, and learning to love people the way Christ intends.  I thank each of you for joining the Stricker Post for the last year and allowing me to share all of the good, bad, and even the ugly.  I want my life to reflect something beautiful that urges people to want to know Christ better.  I want to allow silence and rest to fill my spirit.  The loudness and chaos of this world lives in my heart and I long to have peace.  For me, this is not the end of anything, but the beginning of something new.  Be blessed, be loved, be happy, but above ALL, LOVE others well.  The adventure continues, somewhere on a farm in rural Boerne.

Tonight I am thankful for each and every one of you, my friends, who have walked the journey with me.  Some of you have been faithful and others have read it every now and again, but you are all a part of the journey.  We were meant to journey together to help support each other when we are weary or to encourage one another when we need it.  I am still here, just an e-mail away.  Thank you for being my friend.  Goodnight Sweet Friends.