Category: want

Ravel: To Become Entangled or Confused {Random Journal Day}


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw offer everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us . . . (Hebrews 12:1 NIV)


This morning as I went to pull out a random journal, I intentionally found the one from the beginning of the year. I was on a quest to unravel my motive for my “One Word” that I chose eight months ago. My word is . . .



I wanted to choose “want,” but it seemed too grabby and selfish. So, I went with desire, which rolls off the tongue with ease and grandeur. Where has this one word taken me this year? Back to the heart of God over and over again. Why? Because my desires and His desires are not always in sync. I become confused and easily entangled by the desires clawing at me through every medium possible. My phone, the internet, magazines, TV shows and movies, songs on the radio. Books piled around my house beckoning me to read them. So many distractions and choices. 

Some of the choices and distractions are benign, and even good like spending time with friends. However to stay focused on the “race marked out for me,” I often have to say no to good things.

My work is to write words. God has made that clear to me several times. And I want to live a writing life. I love journals and discovery collage and sketching because all of these activities feed my created soul and fuel my writing endeavors.

My desire for writing words is to encourage others to discover their created self. To offer words to feed your soul and dare you to embark on your path and persevere in your race. 

May God unravel those places in your soul that need to breathe, to be expressed and to be scribed or scribbled down on some piece of paper. Your journaling technique is yours alone. I am just sharing mine so you can see that it is possible to explore, enjoy and embrace your created self!

For a treat to myself, I created a journal collaged with magazine pictures and white space for writing and sketching. This journal began during Advent 2012 and goes through the month of January 2013.

This entry was a 5 Minute Quick Write response to the doodling on the top of the page, which I titled, “raveled.” 

raveled instead of unraveled, tightly woven around a central image–a story inside a book, stacked on top of another book, unearthed treasure, waiting potential
knowledge tied up in packages unopened
I prefer raveled–untouched, kept together–if I read will I get tangled or untangled or mired into deeper questions of quest and conquest?
untouched emotions– a place to write freely of how I feel, of how untapped potential lies latent unafraid yet fearful of emerging or plunging or expunging or accusing or bruising my egotistical soul life–life untouched, unwanted, desired and unwanted at the same time
will I be too rough and uncomfortable
will I cause embarrassment or shame
unashamed  unfettered  unbelievable
the piles of unread, unheard, unseen aspects of my life hidden below sub par standard
guilt, risk, freedom–tight, constricted, raveled, woven
no thread to pull to wreck the image– a wrecked image, a ruined reputation-who the hell cares? I care. you care. he cares. she cares. we all care–but I want to live a carefree life!


A journal is a safe place to vent, a real place to reach into uncensored parts of ourselves. It is vulnerable to share these musings here, but I hope this glimpse into my raveled self, unravels in you a desire to find your own safe place to write and express what is inside you. Journaling, for me is a form of prayer, a dialogue between my created self and our Creator God.

What draws you to journaling?


Linking with Random Journal Day and OneWord365
Posted on by kelrohlf 9

Ordinary:The Regular Course of Things

We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.
(Proverbs 16:9 The Message)
 


After the observance of Epiphany, the church calendar returns to Ordinary Time. Not plain time, but ordinal, as in numbering our days.

Last week, I was mulling over my word for the year:
 
 

As I considered desire, I recorded a list of seven desires for 2013 in my planner. Each word ended in the suffix of “–ation” or a form of it, which means the act of something. As I observed this commonality, my heart ignited with hope for intentional, creative action this year.

 
 

I often do not do what I want. My life has been formed more by oughts and shoulds, rather than wants. Caring for others drove my plans as a young mother. Today, with grown children, my planner is wide open for new adventures and uncharted territories.

So, the other day I courageously wrote in my journal, “I want to . .  .”

Saying, “I want to” out loud was quite liberating. (And saying “I don’t want to” can be just as freeing. Try it sometime.)

So here’s a glimpse into  some of my heart desires and creative pursuits for 2013:

I want to join a book club.

I want to participate in community theatre.

I want to take a yoga class.

I want to clean out the fridge.

I want to pray more for my friends.

I want to inspire creativity with others.

I want space to write.

I want to learn more.

I want to be an entrepreneur.

Some lofty aspirations, some recreational outlets and some ordinary tasks came to mind. But even the ordinary task of cleaning out the fridge felt more like joy than drudgery. I used to think saying “I want to” was selfish, but this little exercise showed me that wanting or desiring things can be very healthy and fulfilling. I feel like a tree flourishing in season, producing life for itself and others.

Linking up with:

MonthlyOneWord

Posted on by kelrohlf 10

Desire: Strong Intention or Aim

 
On the seventh day of Christmas my True Love gave to me,
seven synonyms for Desire.
 
 
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)


Choosing one word for the year to inform my path. Others came up with the idea and so I wanted to try it this year. Here’s a link that gives tips on how to choose your word. It will be interesting to see how one word informs a year full of living and choosing and believing and breathing God’s word.

Desire (v): to long or hope for.
Seven Synonyms: Crave, Hunger, Long,
Thirst, Want, Wish, Yearn



Desire. That’s my one word. It comes from the Latin, “de-” (from) plus “sider, sidus” (heavenly body). From those roots, I reach out to the Maker of the heavenly lights, rooting my desire in Him. Asking that my desires this year be imbued with His perfection and goodness, knowing full well that my human desires may be tainted by selfishness and pain.
 
Desire. Disguised want. I wanted to choose “want” for my focal word, but it didn’t look or sound as nice as desire. Want defined comes out a little more on the half empty side; it has various nuances like to be needy or destitute or to be in need of. Lack would be a good synonym.
 
Desire. Want. Lack. What do these words have in common? An outside source that fulfills. Invitation to live with less than, to embrace my own neediness, to confess my destitute state, these truths compel me to stay near the Shepherd, who is good and promises me that I shall not be in want.
 

Linking up with: One Word 365 Community

and

Only A Breath

 
 
 
Posted on by kelrohlf 6