Grit and Glory

dusting for prints

alece — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:05 +0000

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it’s hard to see God at work — in me, around me, through me. The hurts, failures, and challenges can be so obvious and loud that they overshadow and drown Him out.

So I need to be intentional to dust for God’s fingerprints…

I’m blogging over at Deeper Story today about the beginning of the end and dusting for His prints.

Will you join me?

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coffee talk: golden rule

alece — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:13 +0000

Doing unto others as you’d want them to do unto you is the best way to live.

But…

It can also create the expectation that others will eventually return the favor and start doing for you as you do for them, and then bring disappointment when they don’t.

How do you live in the midst of that tension?

Talk amongst ya-selves.

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monday morning confession

alece — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:03 +0000

Bracing for the backlash that I am likely to get for this, but… here goes…

I miss kissing.

Your turn.

[see previous monday morning confessions...]

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untitled

alece — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:46 +0000

No, I didn’t forget to title this post.

I named it after my friend Blaine Hogan‘s book, Untitled.

I love that he titled it that. So brilliant! It speaks of a work in progress. Of not being done yet. Of the middle having as much significance as the end.

A lot like our lives.

Blaine is an artist, actor, writer, and producer. After 12 years as a professional actor, he’s now the Creative Director at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.

You might know him from the 2010 Global Leadership Summit.

I met him at the STORY conference, where he delivered the most powerful opening monologue about sharing our whole story.

Blaine is one of my favorite creatives. (All you have to do is watch his dance videos to know why!) I love his perspective — the unique way he sees the world and shows it to others.

Blaine pulls no punches.

And his book is no exception.

Untitled is a collection of his thoughts and reflections on the creative process, from 15 years of experience in the field. He candidly shares his own discoveries about failure, fear, rejection, and creating from the inside out.

In Untitled, Blaine is poignantly honest about the unsexy work that goes into filling blank pages. As creatives, as artists, we can’t just wait around for inspiration to show up. We need to do the hard work every day to seek out and capture ideas.

For me, as an aspiring author, and one who often finds herself at a loss for words and clear ideas, I so appreciated Blaine’s practical tips. Untitled taught me to scratch when I don’t itch and to force myself to write on a blank surface — of any variety — every single day. (You’ll have to read the book to fully understand both those references. But I assure you, that alone makes it a worthwhile read.)

I asked Blaine a couple questions, so he could share a little more of his heart with the Grit community…

In Untitled you point out that we don’t learn from our experiences… we learn by reflecting on our experiences. What new things have you learned by reflecting on your experience of writing this book?

This is so true. It’s only when we take the time reflect do we really understand the significance of any given moment. For starters, I can’t believe I wrote a book during the first few months of our daughter Ruby’s life. I mean, what was I thinking!? So while my wife was giving birth, so was I. I suppose I didn’t want her to be the only one having so much fun. In the end, I find myself returning to the book by way of quotes that people have posted since the book’s release, and as I read them, I realize how much I need what I wrote to be true.

Tell us about some of the grit and some of the glory in your life right now.

As I mentioned, we have a new baby. Ruby is now 8 months old. She is beautiful, fiery, fun, exhausting, and full of life. As I experience the glory of this gorgeous baby, I’m struck with stories of my own that have been buried away for sometime. There’s something about being entrusted with another human being that has forced me to look at some of the sadder moments of my childhood. The thing is, I thought I was done with that work — I’ve been through a lot of therapy. And yet there has been great healing in the pain as well.

Can we expect another dance party video anytime soon?

Great question. I haven’t decided. I started doing them in a time where I felt like I wasn’t doing anything scary and I wasn’t doing anything that was simply fun. Having a baby right now is certainly filling the scary and fun void at the moment… so we’ll see!

Buy Untitled for only $4.99. Connect with Blaine on Twitter and his blog.

Would you share with Blaine & the whole Grit family
about some of the grit and glory in your own life right now?

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one word: choose

alece — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 19:28:22 +0000

Control is the greatest of all illusions.

We don’t have as much control as we think we do, and yet, at the same time, we have more control than we realize.

Let me try to explain.

I have no control over other drivers on the road or how fast (or slow) my Starbucks barista makes my drink. I can’t control what people think about me. I can’t control the answers to my prayers or the ways I’d like to see God show up in my life. I can’t control crazy circumstances like accidents, surprise illnesses, or high pain days. I can’t control the ways other people’s decisions impact my life.

I have zero control over any of those things, no matter how badly I wish I did.

But — and this is a big but — I do have control over more than I like to admit. It’s just not over the things I’d like to be in control of.

I don’t have control over my circumstances. But I do have control over myself.

No matter what happens to me or what others do, I can control my own choices, responses, and actions.

If I choose to.

But the choice is mine.

In difficult situations, it’s up to me to choose joy. When the wait is long, it’s up to me to choose patience. When trust is hard, it is up to me to choose to trust anyway.

So my One Word for 2012?

I want to be more mindful of the choices I have when everything seems out of control. I want to be more intentional to choose Him and His ways, even when it’s hard. I want to be more purposeful in my responses and reactions to circumstances and people in my life.

I want to remember that while there may be many things I lack, I always have a choice.

And I want to choose well…

Have you chosen your One Word for 2012?

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one word 365

alece — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:25:28 +0000

The challenge is simple:

Scrap the long list of resolutions you want to make this year (even though you know you really won’t keep them) and instead, pick just one word.

There is so much clarity in the simplicity of one word.

It narrows down all your big life-change plans into one single thing. It paints a picture for your future — a clear vision you can take steps toward. It focuses you more on the journey than a to-do list, because that’s where character is built.

One word that will serve as a compass for your actions, decisions, and priorities. All year long.

One word. 365 days.

Deep-down heart change can be found in a single word.

What’s yours?

Check out the brand-new One Word 365 site:

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i looked for God

alece — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:04:35 +0000

I looked for God this year.

I found Him in the breathtaking coast of the Pacific Northwest, the smile of my godson, the matchless feeling of being believed in, and the beautiful liturgy of Communion.

I saw Him in friends who journey with me for the long haul, from mourning with me when I mourn all the way to rejoicing with me when I rejoice… and back again.

I found Him in the the tear-stained pillowcase of a broken heart. And in the stomach-hurts-can’t-breathe laughter of pure joy.

I saw Him in the glimmers of hope awakened in my heart, the generosity of friends acting as His hands of provision, and the signs of autumn promising me that this season is drawing to a close.

I looked for God this year.

I saw Him in gifts given and taken away… In endings and beginnings, doors closing and opening, friendships starting and ceasing.

I found Him in the life and death of one of His beloved servants.

I saw Him in the small minutia of my every day, discovering again how much He cares about my small things.

I found Him in pain-ridden arms held high, music that steals my breath and draws my heart ever closer to Him, and a candlelit gymnasium cathedral on Christmas Eve.

I saw Him in my own desperate need for grace.

I looked for God this year.

And looking will remain my lifelong journey…

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one word 2012

alece — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:33:43 +0000

I have had so many incredible conversations about One Word over the past few weeks. I love hearing and reading about people’s journeys this past year and how God’s used their word to shape their life.

A. Ma. Zing.

If you write a year-end post, make sure you come back here to link up. (Which reminds me… I still need to write mine!)

I’m working on a new website for One Word 2012… I’m so sorry I haven’t rolled it out yet. I’d hoped to, but… well… technical and schedule difficulties prevailed…

In the meantime, start thinking about your word for next year.

And have an amazing Christmas, my friends.

God is with us!

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perspective changer

alece — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:05 +0000

I struggle with jealousy more than I’d like to admit.

I want to be the friend who gets the call first. The one who’s told the big/important/great/awful news first. I want to be somebody’s somebody. Their best, favorite, whatever…